What is a viaduct?
A viaduct is a bridge consisting of a series of spans or arches that is used to carry a railway / railroad, or road over a wide valley. In terms of a railway viaduct these are usually built to join two areas of equal height to allow the railway to remain level and thus to allow for the fast running of trains. Where as it is easy for a train to turn left or right it is not easy for a train to go up or down. Trains can only cope with a gradual gradient change. This is why railways often meander through the countryside following the contours of the land as well as avoiding natural obstacles like rivers. The Great Western Railway probably the most famous railway in the world, built buy Isambard Kingdom Brunel was given the nickname the “Great Way Round” due to the fact that it’s routes were not the most direct because they followed the contours of the land giving the railway the most level and smooth ride possible. It is a testament to how level and smooth the railway line was that today i
