Tadcaster Viaduct

[Colombo]

The discussion about the Leeds - Wetherby line has reminded me of that fine stone viaduct over the river at Tadcaster. In the 1950s I visited it a couple of times on my bike from York. Apparently it was built for a branch line from Tadcaster towards York that was never built. There had been a corn mill on the east bank of the river and a long siding had been laid over the viaduct to serve it. The Meccano Magazine suggested that It had been worked by a horse, which seems quite likely.

When I saw it there was a large diameter steel gas main laid on saddles across the viaduct and I recall that it was leaking a bit. The track had been lifted.

Does any body know why and when the viaduct was built?

Colombo

[chrism]

There is a photo of the viaduct on page 26 of Gordon Suggitt's book 'Lost Railways of North & East Yorkshire'. The caption states that the viaduct was constructed in the 1840s for a York & North Midland line that was never built, but no further information is given.

[Wavey]

From what I have read in the past George Hudon proposed a direct route from York to Leeds and this would have traversed the viaduct. Not sure why the plan fell through though.

[richard]

Yes I would have to look up the details, but it was built during the Railway Mania by Hudson. The line was never completed because an alternative was built.

There were quite a few plans at various times to build lines through the area, but obviously very few came to fruition. Probably not much different from anywhere else?

Richard

[Colombo]

Hudson - Madoff - Pozzi, they all had the same idea.

They built pyramidical empires based on using new investors money to pay dividends to previous investors. The crunch came eventually and Hudson went to prison, ruining thousands. At least he did use some of the money to build railways. Just think what misery he caused in destroying peoples savings though, and what hardship that useless viaduct represents. A lesson to us all, but we never learn do we?

Colombo

[50A]

I have a copy of a booklet published by Tadcaster Civic Scoiety in 1989 which show a picture of the river, weir and viaduct at Tadcaster in 1913. The caption states that there was an old mill on the York side of the river that used to produce electricity for the town, and that coal for the power station was brought by rail across the viaduct to the mill.

Hope this is of some use.

Andy.
Resident of Tadcaster from 1972 - 1989.

[Colombo]

Andy,

That is new information for me. I had always understood that the mill was a corn mill. Presumably they started with a water wheel driving a dynamo and then added a steam engine which would need coal.

Does your book say whether the siding was worked by a loco or by a horse in 1913?

Colombo

[50A]

Hi Columbo.
Unfortunately the booklet os a photo album and only has photographs with captions. The caption states only that the coal was transported to the mill by rail. It does say that the mill was the old corn mill that had been converted.

Unfortunately copyright prevents me (I think ) from putting a scan of the photo on here.
Andy

[third-rail]

opened in 1882.see the web site below,for data on disused tunnels and viaducts

http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/stations/index.html