Wharncliffe Viaduct, Railway viaduct in Hanwell, United Kingdom.
Wharncliffe Viaduct is a brick structure that carries railway lines across the Brent Valley on eight semi-elliptical arches. The viaduct now holds four standard gauge tracks and forms a prominent part of the landscape with its solid Victorian engineering.
The structure was built between 1836 and 1837 as Isambard Kingdom Brunel's first major engineering project for the Great Western Railway. In 1892 it was modified to shift from the original broad gauge system to standard gauge tracks.
The central pier displays the coat of arms of Lord Wharncliffe, who championed the railway legislation in the House of Lords. It stands as a reminder of the political backing that made Victorian rail expansion possible.
The viaduct is accessible from above via a public footpath that crosses the structure and offers views of its construction. The best way to explore it is by walking along the pathways that run through the Brent Valley alongside the railway.
The viaduct housed the world's first commercial electrical telegraph system, installed in 1839, which revolutionized railway communication. This made it a hub for early experimental communication technology on the railways.
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