Wharncliffe Viaduct
Brunel's brick viaduct over the Brent valley, finished in 1837.
The Wharncliffe Viaduct carries the railway across the Brent valley between Hanwell and Southall. It was built in 1836–37 to Isambard Kingdom Brunel's design, by the contractors Grissell and Peto, and Historic England says it was the first major engineering work to be completed on the Great Western Railway. It is listed Grade I. (Historic England)
Facts from the listing
- Brown brick, with eight semi-elliptical arches, each spanning 70 feet (about 21 m) and rising 19 feet.
- 886 feet long (about 270 m) and 81 feet (about 25 m) high to the parapet.
- Originally 30 feet wide; widened on the north side in 1877.
- The arms of Lord Wharncliffe decorate the centre of the south face.
- The first railway viaduct to use hollow piers.
Seeing it
A footpath from Ealing Hospital runs under the viaduct into Brent Lodge Park and Churchfields. (Ealing Council) Today it carries the Great Western main line, including the Elizabeth line. (OpenStreetMap)
Sources: Historic England: Wharncliffe Viaduct, list entry 1358811, Ealing Council: Hanwell parks: Brent Lodge Park and Churchfields, Ealing Council: Hanwell local history, OpenStreetMap: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Last checked 24 Oct 2026.