GC32C27 Victoria Viaduct (Traditional Cache) in North East England, United Kingdom created by Fetch!

This cache has been archived.

Dalesman: This cache has been in need of care and maintenance for some time and as the owner has not responded to recent logs or logged into geocaching.com for some time I am archiving it.

Guidelines:[i] "You are responsible for occasional visits to your cache to maintain proper working order, especially when someone reports a problem with the cache (missing, damaged, wet, etc.). You may temporarily disable your cache to let others know not to search for it until you have a chance to fix the problem. This feature is to allow you a reasonable amount of time - normally a few weeks - in which to check on your cache. If a cache is not being maintained, or has been temporarily disabled for an unreasonable length of time, we may archive the listing."[/i]

If you wish to email me please send your email via my profile (click on my name) and quote the cache name and number.

Many thanks,
DalesmanX

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GC32C27 ▼

A cache by Fetch! Message this owner

Hidden : 8/16/2011

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

A short ponder along the banks of the newly-regenerated River Wear to the Victoria Viaduct.

The Victoria Viaduct originally functioned as both a passenger and freight viaduct to cross the River Wear on the now mothballed 'Leamside Lane' railway track- a railway line providing places like Durham, Penshaw and Washington links to the East-Coast Mainline.

In 1991, the primary user of the line- Freightliner Freight- closed down it's Follingsby Park unit and, consequently, the line and the viaduct was decommissioned and left to fall into ruin.

Originally built in 1836-1838, it was commissioned on 28th June 1838 and named after the new monarch- Queen Victoria. It is believed the design is based upon the roman bridge in Alcántara, Spain. The bridge (as it was known then) did not open until 1939 to traffic however. In the 1950's the bridge officially became known as a Viaduct and it's name changed. The line stopped functioning to passengers following the Beeching Axe- a government strategy at cutting the costs of the railways.

In more recent times, The Leamside Line is increasingly involved in re-opening consultations, meaning that in the future, the viaduct may be recommissioned to carry both freight and passenger services over the River Wear once again.

Also, very recently, the walk along the River has been refurbished to enrich people's views of the river and to try and grab more visitors. The southern path is now hard-pack and is suitable for bikes (you'll still have to negotiate the kissing gates however). Along with this, new drainage has been installed for rainwater streams to flow into the river more naturally.

To the east of the cache there are many exhibits of the tunnels connecting mines to the straithes on the river bank- We always used to walk past these and my grandmother would often say 'don't go in there- there's pirates' to keep us from exploring! You can also see the spring in Cox Green which used to be the villages main water supply for quite some generations until the 1960s.

The cache is the usual tupperware box with plenty of goodies and a FTF Medal (this doesn't require a swap). The cache also has a 2.5 terrain rating as you have to clamber up a small hill to get to the cache- I suggest you do not come up the steep, straight way but along the path. I am terribly sorry about the rubbish in the area- I found the best rubbish-free spot for the cache but thought this huge achievement in victorian engineering couldn't be ignored!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Ybbx orgjrra gur 'I' Va gur snyyra gerr- be gur cvp.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)