Brunel's first major work for the Great Western Railway, completed in 1838.
Hanwell Station, Campbell Road, London W7 3EB
In 1833, at the tender age of 27 Brunel was appointed Engineer of the Great Western Railway. His first major work for the railway was this viaduct over the river Brent, just west of Hanwell station. It was built to accommodate two broad gauge tracks. In 1877 the railway company was already operating trains on the standard gauge as well as the broad gauge, and when the growth in traffic called for additional tracks on the viaduct, the structure was widened on the north side and two standard gauge tracks were provided. The viaduct survives, virtually unaltered since then.
Lord Wharncliffe, after whom it was named, had been Chairman of the House of Lords Committee which heard the railway's application for an enabling Act.
Pevsner commented on it by remarking, "Few viaducts have such architectural panache." It is listed Grqde 1.
A footpath can be found at the end of Manor Court Road to the north of the railway in Hanwell. It is also visible from the A4020.
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