GCR -What remains of Brackley Viaduct?

Join me and the team as we visit the site of Brackley Viaduct. After enjoying a coffee in the old station we went exploring trying to find evidence from the south and North of this once great structure.
Spanning the Ouse Valley with 22 arches this was once a incredible structure. It finally met its match in 1978 when its life was cut short as it was demolished. It didn't go down without a fight though as it took 7 attempts to finally flatten this magnificent beast!
The structure was beset with problems through its life mainly from ground shift which meant some of the arches were strengthened. Over the years many plans have been aired to reopen the railway but it was never to be and now the route is strewn with buildings and developments.
Some of the best engineering now lies in ruin and we try to find some bits of it in order to show some respect.

[@daystatesniper01]

Nice video , i remember walking the GCR back in 1975 when most of the route was still intact ,even through Leicester ,and as you rightly say Brackley viaduct was impressive ,this line should never have closed .

[@MiddyExplores]

I am rather jealous! I agree a brilliant line that today would be very busy. Thank you for watching 👍

[@muckle8]

Me too! I’d loved to have seen the section through Leicester intact and to have walked on the viaducts , what a wonderful tourist attraction it would be now at the very least if they had preserved it - alas this country dosent want the past preserved - I’m adamant on that fact

[@markduckworth6643]

Certainly super nostalgic for me, having grown up as a young child, not far from the viaduct where I would regularly play and get up to no good. I remember the line being in use and then one morning (possibly mid to late sixties) noting from our bathroom window, the site of a diesel train taking up the tracks and feeling really quite sad. Other adventures included running up the steep embankment, coming almost nose to nose with a baby adder, otherwise we kids used to surf down the steep embankment on pieces of tin. I’m Slightly more ashamed to admit that I took the original green and red flag from a railway men’s hut between the viaduct and the old Brackley (North) station, but which were later taken off me by someone who wanted them (presumably knowing their collectors value). I share your passion and sadness, for the fact that what was the most incredible feat of engineering was not preserved - I struggle to see the justification even now. Finally, thank you for the video and conveying the spirit of the area and the glory of what was such a wonderful monument in the Brackley environs.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thank you for watching and sharing your story 👍

[@bobsrailrelics]

Cracking find. I had someone ranting at me on Twitter once claiming the whole trackbed and infrastructure of the GCR was intact. They would not accept that Brackly Viaduct had been blown up! Looking forward to more

[@MiddyExplores]

Thank you for watching. This one definitely took some finding. Many new videos from the GCR coming up including another long forgotten viaduct...

[@amandadawson4533]

Thanks for posting this video. I grew up in brackley and had many camping trips on top of the viaduct. The video does not do it justice as to how steep it is. We actually used to sledge down the side of it in the winter. I really wish I had seen it in all its glory. There is also another lovely bridge on the other old brackley line. The line runs through what is now the pocket park , next to the lake. There used to be remains of old track when I was young. Well worth a look if you haven't already seen it. Thank you again for the video and memory lane trip for me.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thank you for watching. The videos never really show how steep things are but yes it certainly is!! I am exploring more in the area ove the next few months 👍

[@mathisurien4031]

the path of one of the old lines is still mostly intact as it's now a so called "pocket park" running down by the old lake, there's a great little bridge over it that i feel is worth a look at. it disappears for a few hundred yards due to modern buildings, the fire-station and police station now sit where the line once went. but what a lot of people don't realise is that the old line continues in the form of a public footpath/bridleway for a few hundred yards, crosses the ring-road and then continues on again for a bit along the old route for a bit before turning off. there's not much there except for the occasional lump of concrete, but it's interesting to see how the line was cut into the earth (it's got very steep embankments) in order to keep it flat. for anyone interested, the line can be accessed by foot from a small footpath leading off Herrieffs farm road, keep going past the fence to the travis perkins yard and take a right, it's a little overgrown most of the time but it is there honest, and it's a public footpath so there's no issue with right of way or anything. also some of the old sheds sat where the new buildings are and if you look hard enough you can occasionally find a glimpse of a piece of rail track still embedded in a concrete slab or two. i could tell you where exactly but it'd spoil the hunt.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thank you and thanks for watching. I am planning a further visit in the future so will have a look for this when I am there. Thanks for the information 👍

[@richardmarshall4322]

Was a fascinating structure. After completion there was movement in the South end so two arches were modfied with steel spans replacing the arches. There were also two large brick circles built into one the modified piers, supposidly for a clock face that was never fitted. Lots of pics of viaduct on internet

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. I have been told the structure was blighted with problems from start to finish which had a hand in it's sad demise as well. Everything was just so much grander and scenic back then!

[@NWP_EXPLORING]

The bridge at Radstone was nicely re painting back in 2016. To keep in keeping with the little village of Radstone. Plus on top is a sssi site which I’ve been told not to walk down! You know what I would say ! So a nice little section from there leading to Helmdon with walking when your next back down 👍

[@MiddyExplores]

Glad they have done it though it looks superb. It really is a lovely area and we were going to walk that section a bit but we're running out of time!

[@levelcrossing150]

A great video of one of my favourite railways. Like so many of the structures on the GCR, they were beautifully designed and engineered. What a sad and terrible end it had.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thank you for watching. I totally agree it was so well engineered and the designs were good to look at and structurally sound, they can still be used after all these years.

[@SimonPass230267]

That railway line was our playground when we were kids. Most of it explored from Brackley Bottom Station through to Finmere. I did walk across the viaduct in around 1977/78. It had no sides so was a bit dodgy at that point. It was one of the reasons they dropped it due to safety. Most of demolition was by hand in the end as it was so strong.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching I would have loved to walk over that viaduct!

[@evebeinguniquebeingme6205]

Oh wow love your adventures exploring the line I wish the local council's all took the care and pride in their old railway heritage like south wigston have done would be great to read and see the photo's on all the old station sites 😄

[@MiddyExplores]

Thank you for watching. Yes there is loads and some councils are better than others. Many features on stations coming up , possibly a bonus video today if all goes well👍

[@Mac_Cam]

I was in Brackley the day she came down what a waste of an engineering master piece

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. It must have been some sight and an incredible shame

[@TenderEnginesDontShunt]

There are pictures I found on the Viaduct being built and when it was in its prime, I also found one of the bridge with a Black 5 steam engine going over it

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. Yes there is some lovely pictures online of the old line in its glory, a real loss, particularly around Brackley.

[@Leicesterbusvideos32098]

A brilliant piece of GCR architecture just blown up like it was nothing, it thought heroically against the demolition just goes to show how strong it really was built to be

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. When you see it up close you can tell why it took such a beating. Absolutely solid. A real shame

[@scottblurton7155]

The farmer regularly uses the track bed and bridge in Radstone with his quad

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

Called in here on the way back from Calvert, had a nice coffee at the old station then went in search of the viaduct. I got some cracking photos and had a wander up the track bed, but it got very overgrown so had to abandon that explore.

[@MiddyExplores]

We are planning a return to brackley after being told of another location to visit. Watch this space! I am glad you got to see it the station is a lovely place to stop as well

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

@@MiddyExplores It's funny you should say that because the lad who served me in the cafe' kept talking about a piece of the viaduct that is nearly a complete arch. However, his directions to it would have led me north of the cafe' when the viaduct is actually to the south of it, so I didn't go in search of it as I thought he was confused.

[@MiddyExplores]

@@seamusmcevoy2011 that's what we were told as well, to go the wrong way! Which makes me think it can't be the viaduct as the first arch us where I filmed which is south of the station! I have a funny feeling it's another structure completely...

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

@@MiddyExplores Yep, so did I, that's why I didn't bother. Those arches were bloody enormous, you'd soon know if there was a stray one hanging around!!!!

[@MiddyExplores]

@@seamusmcevoy2011 😂 it would be hard to miss that's for sure

[@TheStephensonGrechFamily]

always wondered what the town would be like now if we still had our station, if you walked up in the new houses the old track bed can be seen

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. I think it would have been a completely different town .

[@PrinceJohn84]

The last railway explore I did, it was a tin of McEwan's Export as opposed to Fosters 😂. Excellent explore as always!!

[@MiddyExplores]

😂 thank you and thanks for watching. Always Foster's!! Glad you enjoyed it👍

[@calmac650]

The rubble from the Brackley viaduct was apparently used as hardcore for a new road in Milton Keynes, not sure if that’s true but that’s what I was always told

[@MiddyExplores]

Thank you for watching. Yes I have been told that as well. What a sad end to this once glorious structure

[@helenthorne8451]

Wow great find there such a shame thanks for sharing 👍

[@MiddyExplores]

Thank you for watching. You are right a real shame 👍

[@only1hawky]

Interesting and informative as always. It also looks like you had quite the workout during this video; maybe you should branch out and start a Keep Fit With Middy channel! Seriously, a really nice watch despite the wanton use of explosives to significantly destroy a piece of living history, and a very nice but equally puzzling find at the end. Right, onto the next one!

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks David. Yes we walked literally miles for this one including a good walk in completely the wrong direction 😂 very sad end to a magnificent structure. I have just filmed one that survived and is an incredible 59 arches!!! Video soon 👍

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

Tremendous effort again Middy, I swear you and the lads are getting fitter!!!! There was absolutely no vision when they decided to blow this structure up, it was one of the jewels of the line. It looks like you could have walked down the line from the bridge at the end of the video to the viaduct, the trackbed looks very well kept. I think the bridge is on the outskirts of Radstone.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thank you we walked miles that day 😂 the trackbed going north to the station (now a lovely cafe) is well kept the line south is not so good and completely obliterated on places. More coming up from that day soon 👍 thanks for your support

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

@@MiddyExplores Whereabouts in the town is the old station/cafe'? I travel down that way on my way to Swindon several times a year, so would love to call in.

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

@@MiddyExplores Hi, disregard the previous message, I've found it!!!

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

@@MiddyExplores Looking at Google Maps, I reckon you could park at the cafe', have a brew after a long journey, then walk down to the viaduct along the trackbed, as long as there was access from the cafe' end.

[@NWP_EXPLORING]

@@seamusmcevoy2011 it can be done from the cafe but you have to walk around the valley road to get to it. About a 15 min walk

[@whyyoulidl]

Came across your content the other day; must congrats you and the crew for the 'just like being there' feel you portray. I spent hours researching the remains of Brackley viaduct a while back on Google maps but to be there must have been something else! There is indeed an old cine film out there documenting it's demolition (read: shameful destruction) the structure was built so well the planned explosions failed to drop quite a few of the arches. Thanks so much for posting. Ps, did u get to the old Brackley North Station nearby? I think it's now a cafe or tyre shop 👍🏿

[@MiddyExplores]

Thank you for watching and welcome aboard! I have seen the film showing the demolition, awful to watch. Yes we did find the station it's now a really nice cafe. Glad you enjoyed the content loads more coming up 👍

[@laurentivoli1183]

It's very 'brackerly' through there. Such a shame. This area could be made really nice as a pocket park with some care and volunteers.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. As i always say with the old railways, they could have been easily turned into cycle ways and nature reserves with ready made paths but unfortunately most are sold off for development or simply left to rot away. \a real shame.

[@laurentivoli1183]

@@MiddyExplores I suppose there would have to be a trust set up by users of the path, dog walkers etc but the land would need to be bought from the landowner. I'll be watching some more of your videos 👍

[@MiddyExplores]

@@laurentivoli1183 thanks you. There are loads of interesting videos coming up. Glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

I've just watched a video on YT entitled 'The demolition of Brackley Viaduct' , it's worth a look.

[@MiddyExplores]

Yes I saw it one of the saddest films ever ☹️

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

@@MiddyExplores Absolutely.

[@DesigntowinLew]

Tragic and fascinating vid , seen the photos on facebook by Didi . Quite sure an alternative could have been found but at the time they did not care about keeping the history of our country . If they managed to widen the M25 without taking out the Denham viaduct then could have done the same here . Looks like you need to be a mountain goat to walk round there .

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. Everytime I do a video on the GCR I have the same feelings of lack of vision and a total lack of care for the years of hard graft that built this once great line that never really hit full potential. Mountaineering skills were needed !

[@greigs9384]

Steve Banks on Flickr has a good shot just after demolition

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching I will check that out 👍

[@NWP_EXPLORING]

Have you got a link which Steve banks, as there are several. 👍

[@MM0IMC]

Perhaps they painted the bridge to cover over graffiti or had a love of the railway?

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

Yeah, and then some prat did more graffitti on the paint!!!!

[@MiddyExplores]

I am hoping it's a love of the railway. Either way the idiots with spray cans are already making their mark. A real shame as it looked lovely as we drove up to it!

[@smithyhouses100]

What an absolutely disgracefull example of wonton vandalism.If anyone had any thoughts of reopening the G.C.. this ruthless destruction certainly put paid to that. It`s hard to understand the decisions of some of those ignorant politicians of the 1960`s & 1970`s. Overcrowded roads with massive trucks causing fear and terror into anytihng smaller than them.All that freight could have been carried on this railway which if still there would continue on to the continent,as it was all planned to do.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. One of the saddest videos I have ever made. As a team we just stood and looked at what was left in disbelief. They really did a job on this line to make sure it didn't reopen