•     Introduction
•     Derwenthaugh to   Rowlands Gill
  •     Derwenthaugh Railway Bridge
  •     Derwenthaugh Road Bridge
  •     A1 Bridge at Swalwell
  •     The Hikey Bridge
  •     Swalwell Railway Viaduct
  •     Old Swalwell Bridge
  •     Swalwell Bridge
  •     Cricket Club Bridge
  •     The Damhead
  •     Butterfly Bridge
  •     Derwent Park Bridge
  •     Lockhaugh Railway Viaduct
  •     Derwent Bridge at Rowlands Gill
  •     Rowlands Gill Railway Viaduct
•     Rowlands Gill to   Allensford
  •     Lintzford Mill Bridge
  •     Lintzford Old Road Bridge
  •     Lintzford New Road Bridge
  •     Blackhall Mill Bridge
  •     Blackhall Mill Footbridge
  •     Ebchester Footbridge
  •     Ebchester Bridge
  •     Ebchester Old Bridge
  •     Shotley Bridge
  •     Shotley Bridge Footbridge 1
  •     Shotley Bridge Footbridge 2
  •     Allensford Bridge
•     Allensford to Derwent   Source
  •     Leadmill Footbridge
  •     Eddy's Bridge
  •      Derwent Bridge
  •     The Derwent Reservoir
  •     Carrick Bridge
  •     Blanchland Bridge
  •     Bay Bridge
  •     Hunstanworth Footbridge
•     Derwent Tributaries
•     Former Bridges and   Fords
•     Reference
•     Links
•     Bridges On The Tyne
•     Bridges on the Tees
•     Bridges on the   Coquet
•     Bridges on the   Wansbeck
•     Bridges on the Blyth
•     Bridges on the Aln
•     Bridges on the Wear
•     Bridges on the Tweed

SWALWELL RAILWAY VIADUCT

Built as the first railway bridge to cross the Derwent on the North Eastern Railway's Consett branch, the viaduct had to be approved by the Admiralty since it crossed navigable waters. The bridge linked two considerable lengths of embankment carrying the railway across the Tyne flood plain from Scotswood Bridge to the eastern slopes of the Derwent valley. Constructed of sandstone and with three 60 feet arches, the viaduct has not seen a train since the railway closed completely on November 11 1963, although goods trains continued to run from 1954 when the final passenger services ceased up the valley to Blackhill.

The line was originally single from north of Swalwell station to Lockhaugh Junction at Rowlands Gill (connecting the branch to the Lilley Drift Colliery ), but was doubled in 1908 together with the viaducts at Swalwell and Lockhaugh and the road bridge at Swalwell. Dismantled in 1964/65 the re-claimed railway trackbed became the Derwent Walk in 1972 thanks to Durham County Council. The railway viaduct is still crossable on foot from where there are views up and down the Derwent.

 Swalwell Railway Viaduct