Inventory / Structures / ST-01
ST-01Bóbr viaduct, Bolesławiec
The largest surviving masonry railway structure in the region, blown up in 1945 and back in traffic two years later.
Record
| Type | Masonry arch viaduct |
|---|---|
| Line | LN-04 — Lower Silesian–Mark Railway |
| Built | 1844–1846 |
| Designer | Frederick Engelhardt Gansel |
| Principal dimension | 490 m |
| Spans | 35 |
| Status | In service |
Dimensions and design
The viaduct carries the line across the Bóbr on 35 spans over a total length of 490 m. Construction began on 18 June 1844 and was complete in July 1846. The design is attributed to Frederick Engelhardt Gansel.
For a structure of this date the interest is less in any single span than in the discipline of the whole: an unbroken arcade of that length, on a river with a serious flood regime, built in under twenty-six months.
War damage and repair
The central span was destroyed by retreating German forces near the end of the war in 1945. Repair was carried out quickly and the bridge was returned to service in 1947. The rebuilt section is visible on close inspection, but the match is good and the join is easy to miss from the valley floor.
Recent work
Floodlighting was installed in 2006, using 58 projectors mounted on the piers. A renovation programme completed around 2009 brought the structure up to a permitted 160 km/h, which is a striking figure for masonry laid in 1845.
Access
Best seen from the right bank downstream, where the full arcade opens out. There is no public access to the deck; the line is live and busy. The riverside path is informal and muddy after rain.