"View's along the rail"

Also known as the Esk Valley Viaduct, the Larpool Viaduct once carried the Scarborough & Whitby Railway over the River Esk, south of Prospect Hill Junction in Whitby, North Yorkshire, England, where the line met the Whitby Redcar and Middlesbrough Union Railway.On the north side of the river, it also crosses Northern Rail’s Esk Valley Line (formerly the Whitby and Pickering Railway) between Whitby and Ruswarp railway stations.
When completed, the 13 arch viaduct, built by the noted railway contractor John Waddell, was 915 feet long, 125 feet high from the river bed to the parapet, and was estimated to contain 5 million bricks. It took over 300 men to construct, with a weekly challenge given to all that the builder who lays the most bricks in the week would get a prize, usually a pint of beer.
Construction began in October 1882, finishing two years later on 24 October 1884. The railway line which run along the top of the viaduct opened in July the following year but only survived until March 1965.
The viaduct now carries a cycle path and is grade II listed.
We had the unique pleasure of staying at a self catering cottage just at the base of this magnificent structure and enjoying the mornings looking at it, as well as crab fishing with the kids underneath it at the edge of the river. On the other side of the river, the Pickering line still carries a Steam Train back and forth from Whitby 5 or 6 times a day so we loved watching it go past and waving to the passengers. Click on the image and enlarge to enjoy all of its splendour.
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