Alison

Enjoying Essex ~ Chappel Viaduct, Wakes Colne, Colchester ~

Continuing with my trips to towns and villages in Essex, we drove out to see the viaduct at Wakes Colne. I had seen the massive brick structure on other websites and google and decided to take a look myself.

It is the largest brick structure in the country and was completed in 1849. The River Colne runs under it and trains are still crossing over it today. The line links Marks Tey in Essex to Sudbury in Suffolk.

The view is amazing as you drive around the bend into Wakes Colne and the structure seems so out of place.

Seven million bricks were used in the construction of the viaduct. It consists of 32 30-foot semi-circular spans, with tapered piers; it is 1,060 feet long and rises to a maximum height of 75 feet. Source: Wikipedia

Looking through the semi circular piers
One of the piers

Archway Views
Outside the arch, always there seemed another arch. And beyond the remotest echo, a silence – E.M. Forster
River Colne

There seemed no position to take a photo from above, unless I used a drone, which I don’t have!

One of the WWll Pillboxes that are underneath the viaduct

A short walk from the Viaduct is the East Anglia Railway Museum. We enquired about going to look around but decided not to as we only had around an hour of daylight left and it costs £8 per head. There is a great deal to see inside with many old trains and platforms still intact and it would be a great way to spend a morning or afternoon and worth entrance fee.

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Before we arrived at Wakes Colne we stopped for a bite at a very quaint tea room which was also licenced!

🍺 Heading in for a pint 🍺

This place is well worth the drive out if you are interested in historical structures other than castles. It’s very picturesque and you pass through some lovely little villages along the way.

“Until the next village – Cheerio”

15 comments

  6. Hi Ali..I’ve actually been into that railway museum in the old station at Marks Tey, wandered in there one day whilst on a work trip in Essex years ago. Glad you’re enjoying exploring the county of your birth, it’s a cool thing to do.

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