The Bristol Railway Archive

Anyone got a reference book at hand that gives the length of Dolemeads Viaduct (Bath)? I'm just uploading pics (thanks Chippy!) but have left my books in work!

Hello again,To answer your question possibly.....from the book-The gwr bristol to bath line by colin maggs....(At the east end of the yard is St.Jame's viaduct, 600 yards long,consisting of 55 segmental arches each of 20ft span.Originally of poor quality bath stone)....Hope this helps bye,chippy

Thanks Chippy Anyone got a quail or Cookes atlas to hand? A Google search gives a Crossrail document that states 255 yards and 37 arches. I need to cross reference!

I've just been down to Dolemeads and the viaduct seems to have 32.5 arches. Arch 1 takes Ferry Lane under the railway, and the bricked-up Arch 33 (which is only really half an arch) abuts the bridge over the River Avon.

I'm relying on the old cast-iron arch numbers rather than the confusing new arch numbers, or the even more confusing "unit numbers" which sometimes run in the opposite direction!

Arches 16 and 24 take Broadway and Miles Street through at 45 degree angles, so the number of arches on the two sides may well vary (I couldn't park long enough to count them).

Quail Track Diagrams Western 4th Edition says the following:

Dolemeads Viaduct
(355 yds) 106.60 - 49

11 chains is 242 yds which ties up with the 255 yds mentioned above.
355 yds may be a typo.

Hope this helps.

Thanks both! Cheers Gary for actually going down there and counting! What a star!

I'm going to go with the revised info rather than Mr Maggs I think.