Borle Viaduct
Borle Viaduct (Bridge 21) carries the SVRSevern Valley Railway over Borle Brook. Like other bridges on the Severn Valley Railway, it was built with the capacity for dual tracks but only ever installed for single line running.
The viaduct is 42 yards in length, with four arches of 25ft span. The viaduct has suffered from mining subsidence over the years. Regular re-ballasting to overcome this has resulted in the line now being above the original parapet walls[1].
During winter of 1976-77, tie bars were inserted in the viaduct to strengthen it as part of the program to upgrade the line for heavier locomotives. The work was carried out with the assistance of the Manpower Services Commission. Intense cold and heavy rain brought work to a temporary halt while a large slip at Sterns and the collapse of part of Bridgnroth station car park were dealt with. Services in early 1977 ran for some weeks between Bridgnorth-Highley and Bewdley-Arley until work on the viaduct was completed[2].
Borle Brook
Borle Brook rises in the hills to the west of the Railway. It passes near the former Billingsley Colliery and Kinlet Colliery before flowing under Borle Viaduct. From there it passes under Brooksmouth Bridge, via which the Severn Way runs along the bank of the River Severn between Highley and Arley, before exiting into the River Severn.
A public footpath from the Severn Way runs beneath Bole Viaduct on the north side of Borle Brook, giving access to the west side of the viaduct.
Borle Brook is normally an insignificant stream, but during the freak storm of June 2007 it became a raging torrent which damaged the concrete and brick 'training walls' upstream and downstream of the viaduct itself. It took some months for the water level in the brook to subside sufficiently for repairs to be carried out; these involved soil nailing and installing rock filled 'gabion' baskets. The delay meant this was the last area to be reinstated shortly before the public re-opening of the whole line in March 2008.
See also
Towards Kidderminster
List of infrastructure
Towards Bridgnorth
