UK operator Network Rail has initiated restoration efforts on the Ouse Valley Viaduct in Sussex, aiming to preserve the railway structure for an additional 180 years.  

The Grade II-listed viaduct, located between Balcombe and Haywards Heath, is undergoing stone and brickwork repairs to prolong its structural integrity.  

This maintenance work is intended to sustain safe and reliable train services. 

Built between 1839 and 1842, the Ouse Valley Viaduct comprises 11 million bricks and was first traversed by a train on 12 July 1841.  

The viaduct stands 29m tall, with 37 arches extending 450m across the Ouse Valley and the River Ouse.  

Network Rail has engaged a conservation expert and is collaborating with English Heritage and West Sussex County Council's conservation team to ensure the restoration respects the viaduct's heritage. 

The current phase of the project involves Network Rail's engineers and specialist stone masons repairing and restoring the stone and brickwork of the first eight arches.  

Approximately 2,600 bricks and 40 tonnes of stone are being used in this phase.  

The bricks are custom-made and locally sourced from a business in Haywards Heath while the stone, Richmont Crème, is a French limestone from a quarry near Poitier, France. 

The repairs at Ouse Valley Viaduct are part of a broader, long-term programme that includes recasing, fracture repairs, and other maintenance works.  

Network Rail Sussex route director Lucy McAuliffe said: “It’s really pleasing to see the ongoing progress by our teams to restore and repair Ouse Valley Viaduct to enhance the overall life of this structure. 

“This work is part of a wider long-term programme to keep passenger and freight services moving over the viaduct safely and reliably for another 180 years, as well as ensure it is safe to welcome the considerable number of visitors each year.” 

In August this year, Network Rail announced a £3m ($3.92m) modernisation project for the Rannoch Road bridge in Killiecrankie, Scotland.