Network Rail has announced that it is to spend £7.5 million on upgrading a Peak District railway viaduct.

The viaduct is 160 years old and has fifteen arches. It is used by freight trains carrying stone, cement and limestone from four major quarries in Derbyshire to destinations across the UK.

These materials are used in the construction sector, including in building homes, roads and railway infrastructure upgrades such as HS2.

The structure is one of Chapel Milton’s twin Victorian viaducts.

Trains carry an average of 25,000 tonnes of quarry material across the viaduct each day, meaning that it has to be kept strong and free of faults. Workers will be upgrading the viaduct by:

• fill in voids across each span, which will to strengthen the structure
• repairing brickwork
• reinforcing the parapets
• install new waterproofing and drainage systems
• installing handrails and guardrails to improve workers’ safety
• replacing and realigning railway track.

Network Rail has today (Friday 13 June) released footage filmed by drones, which shows the scale and structure, and also gives an impression of the beauty of the iconic viaduct.

When contractor AmcoGiffen carries out work, the Great Rocks freight line will close for nine days. The closure will run from Friday 29 August and Sunday 7 September. Workers will remove the track and replace it once they have completed the work.

Network Rail aims to minimise disruption to freight traffic, and is working closely with the freight companies to achieve this. Engineers are already carrying out preparatory work in the area.

Local residents will have the opportunity to find out more about the work at an information event on Wednesday 18 June between 4pm and 7pm at Chinley Chapel. Members of the project team will be present, and will answer any questions about the work and the impact it is expected to have on the local community.

Quarrying is an important industry in Derbyshire, and railways are essential for carrying quarried materials away from the sites for distribution. Six years ago, Network Rail increased the capacity for freight operators to work with quarrying in the county.

“Chapel Milton viaduct is the only route allowing freight services to transport aggregate from four major Derbyshire quarries to serve the construction sector.

“It is a Grade II listed Victorian structure and requires a modern touch to make sure freight trains can pass over it safely and efficiently for generations to come.

“Around 25,000 tonnes of material is transported across the viaduct every day. Each train takes about 76 wagons off the roads. The longevity of the viaduct is essential to the success of the economy and reducing the carbon footprint of the construction sector.”

David Hunter, Network Rail’s senior freight manager for the North West and Central region