Beschrijving
The Ouse Valley Viaduct (or the Balcombe Viaduct) carries the London-Brighton Railway Line over the River Ouse in Sussex. It is located to the north of Haywards Heath and to the south of Balcombe. Known for its ornate design, the structure has been described as "probably the most elegant viaduct in Britain." Construction of the Ouse Valley Viaduct commenced by the London & Brighton Railway company during 1839. By July 1840, 6206 men, 962 horses, five locomotives and seven stationary engines were employed.
It was designed by the principal engineer for the line, John Urpeth Rastrick, in association with the architect of the London to Brighton railway, David Mocatta. The viaduct is 96 feet (29 m) high and is carried on 37 semi-circular arches, each of 30 feet (9.1 m), surmounted by balustrades, spanning a total length of 1,480 feet (450 m). Each pier contains a jack arch with a semi-circular soffit, which had the benefit of reducing the number of bricks required.
The roughly 11 million bricks required for its construction were mostly shipped up the River Ouse (via Newhaven and Lewes) from the Netherlands. On 12 July 1841, the viaduct was officially opened to train services, although the structure was not fully completed until the following year. Despite the structure's fine design, materials and architectural features, the viaduct has had an expensive and problematic history. The first major restoration work occurred during the 1890s, during which sections of the original brickwork were entirely replaced in the belief that this would increase the structure's strength. However, the viaduct suffered considerable decay during the majority of the twentieth century. By May 1983, the viaduct is recognised as a Grade II* listed structure. Between March 1996 and September 1999, the viaduct was subject to an extensive restoration by national rail infrastructure owner Railtrack; this work was part-funded by the Railway Heritage Trust, English Heritage and West Sussex County Council.
Construction of the new line commenced during July 1838; work to build the ornate viaduct began during the following year. It was designed by the principal engineer for the line, John Urpeth Rastrick, in association with the architect of the London to Brighton railway, David Mocatta. The contractor appointed for its construction was Benjamin Baylis.
The total cost of the viaduct's construction reportedly came to £38,500 (equivalent to about 4.1 million) The viaduct was designed as a relatively elegant structure, being around 1,600 feet (500 m) in length and carrying a straight line over 37 identical arches. Each of these semi-circular arches had a span of 30 feet (9.1 m) and was supported upon tapered red brick piers. Each pier was almost divided into two separate halves by 9.8-foot (3 m) vertical voids, capped by semi-circular rings at the top and base, as a weight-saving measure. This approach is credited with giving the structure a relatively slender appearance. The foundations of each pier is provided with two courses of inclined footings, which have a total depth of just over 3 feet 3 inches (1 m). In terms of its composition, the viaduct is largely composed of traditional red bricks and smooth limestone. The contrast between the two materials effectively highlights the deck and upper elements of the structure to the observer, although the limestone has been subjected to considerable weathering and staining since its original installation. Elements of both the brickwork and the limestone have been replaced over time in order to maintain the structure's integrity, extend its operational life, and to restore its appearance to better resemble its earlier state. At its highest point, the Ouse Valley Viaduct is 96 feet (29.3 m) above the river crossing beneath it. In the process of constructing the viaduct, it has been estimated that around 11 million bricks, many of which had been shipped across the English Channel from the Netherlands to Newhaven and Lewes in addition to some locally produced bricks, had been used for the structure. Furthermore, Caen stone was also brought from Normandy in France; this material was used for the classically balustraded parapets, string courses, pier caps and the four small rectangular Italianate pavilions. Building materials were transported to the construction site on barges up the Ouse River Navigation. At each end of the abutment is an ornamental square open tower, the brickwork of which is faced with stone from Heddon Quarries near Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Ardingly Reservoir is west of Ardingly in West Sussex. The southern end is a 74.5-hectare (184-acre) Local Nature Reserve owned and managed by South East Water.
The reservoir feeds the River Ouse located in West Sussex, England 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Haywards Heath. The villages of Ardingly and Balcombe are immediately to the east and north of the reservoir respectively. It was created in 1978 by damming Shell Brook, a tributary of the River Ouse.