Willington Dene Viaduct

Willington Dene Viaduct is a railway bridge with seven iron girder arches that spans across the Wallsend Burn valley. The structure today carries the Tyne and Wear Metro service, connecting stations between Newcastle and North Shields with its imposing masonry piers.

John and Benjamin Green designed the bridge in 1839 for the Newcastle and North Shields Railway, initially built with laminated timber on stone pillars. Between 1867 and 1869, engineers replaced the timber components with wrought iron while keeping the original form intact.

The viaduct remains embedded in the daily routines of commuters who cross it regularly without much thought. It stands as a marker of the Victorian engineering that shaped and connected the industrial region.

The viaduct is viewable from the rail line itself or from certain vantage points near the Wallsend Burn valley, but direct access to the structure is not possible. Your best view comes from riding the metro train that crosses it or observing from nearby ground level.

Benjamin Green received the silver Telford Medal from the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1841 for the viaduct's innovative design. This award was a rare recognition of engineering excellence during that era.

Location: North Tyneside

GPS coordinates: 54.99404,-1.50480

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:05