Edgcote Viaduct
Set low into the landscape, the 515m-long Edgcote Viaduct will carry the railway across the floodplain of the River Cherwell, south of Chipping Warden.
Viaduct design
The viaduct has undergone a structural redesign to cut its carbon footprint by more than 13% compared to the previous design.
To achieve the impressive carbon saving, engineers adopted the same pioneering approach developed for the Thame Valley Viaduct, near Aylesbury. The lighter weight, modular design cuts the amount of concrete and steel needed and will be manufactured off site at a facility in Kent.
The 19 pairs of concrete piers, at between six and eight metres high, will support the viaduct. The pier connections conceal the bearings for a slender, cleaner appearance and the parapets are textured to provide fine detail and mask connection joints.
As a result of keeping the structure low, from a distance, the viaduct will be largely hidden by existing hedgerows and woodland. The design of the viaduct also allows for the natural meander of the River Cherwell to be maintained. Our proposal also includes new wildlife sites for birds, bats and newts – as well as marshland and meadow.