Dollis Brook Viaduct, Railway viaduct in Finchley, United Kingdom.
The Dollis Brook Viaduct is a brick railway viaduct in Finchley, in the London Borough of Barnet, made up of thirteen arches that carry the Northern line across the Dollis Brook valley. It connects the stations of Mill Hill East and Finchley Central, rising well above the valley floor to keep the track level.
The viaduct was built in the 1860s as part of a new railway line pushing north from London into what were then largely rural suburbs. The structure was designed to carry trains across the Dollis Brook valley, which posed a natural obstacle to the route.
The brick arches have become such a familiar part of the Finchley landscape that most locals walk past without giving them a second thought. Visitors arriving from outside the area tend to notice them more, especially when seen from the valley floor below.
The viaduct is best seen from the footpaths along the Dollis Brook, which pass through the valley directly beneath the arches and are open to walkers. Keep to the public paths since the railway above is still in active use.
Although it carries Underground trains, this point on the Northern line is one of the highest on the entire London Underground network, which surprises many passengers who do not expect such elevation on a system known for tunnels. The trains here run fully in the open air, well above the valley below.
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