Lockwood Viaduct
Lockwood Viaduct is a stone railway bridge that carries the Huddersfield to Penistone Line across the River Holme, in West Yorkshire, England. The viaduct is noted for its height, (being an average of  high, but at its maximum, to the top of the parapet level, it is ), leading one journalist to describe it as "One of the most stupendous structures of ancient or modern times." One local challenge has been to "lob" a cricket ball over the viaduct, with some claiming that they have. The viaduct was completed in 1848 and is now a grade II listed structure. History 
Lockwood Viaduct is a stone built railway viaduct that straddles the River Holme, the B6108 and the A616, in the village of Lockwood,  near Huddersfield in West Yorkshire. The viaduct was built between 1846 and 1848 by the Huddersfield and Sheffield Junction Railway (to a design by John Hawkshaw) carrying their railway south to Penistone and the branch to Holmfirth. The viaduct consists of 32 stone arches, the tallest of which is  in height to the rail level, with a skew arch at either end. Each of the 32 arches is  across, whereas the two larger skew arches are  and . The rock and spoil for the viaduct came from cuttings dug out for the railway to the south of the viaduct; Taylor Hill cutting, which is  long and  deep. A description by Hawkshaw himself describes the sandstone varying from  to  in thickness. The viaduct cost £33,000 in 1849, (), £3,000 of which was spent on the timber frames for the masonry. The viaduct is shown as being  long, straddling the River Holme, and whilst it was built for two tracks, only the northbound track is in use for both directions. The 36-arch viaduct has been described as "soaring", especially when viewed from the ground level looking up. George Searle Phillips (a Huddersfield journalist in the 19th century), described it as being "One of the most stupendous structures of ancient or modern times. The impression is almost irresistible that it is the work of demi-gods and giants." The height from river level to the top of the parapet of the viaduct is . The entire width of the viaduct at rail level is , with the internal width being . Cricket ball lobs 
One historical challenge regarding the viaduct is that of succeeding in throwing (or lobbing), a cricket ball over the viaduct. The challenge of the viaduct's height and width ( and  respectively), means that the lob must be thrown to a height of  to succeed. Some stories relate a train arriving at  with a cricket ball on the train that had come in through an open window (or smashed through). However, a railway historian cast doubt on this, and the local paper, in the interests of health and safety, dissuaded readers from trying to emulate the feat. See also 
Denby Dale Viaduct, another viaduct on the same line

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External links 
Lockwood Viaduct on Huddersfield Exposed

Grade II listed buildings in West Yorkshire
Railway viaducts in West Yorkshire
Bridges completed in 1850