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Location notes
Dutton Viaduct is on the West Coast Main Line at the Southern end of Weaver Junction, where the line to Runcorn and Liverpool diverges from the line north to Warrington, Preston and Glasgow.
Railway type and traffic
There is a wide variety of traffic on this stretch of line. Passenger services are Virgin's Voyagers and Pendolinos and Central Trains' class 158 and 170 units, with occasional appearances by Arriva Trains Wales' 158s.
Freight includes Freightliner services from Scotland and from Ditton/Speke, most DB Schenker services operating south from Warrington and DRS flask and intermodal trains.
Freight includes Freightliner services from Scotland and from Ditton/Speke, most DB Schenker services operating south from Warrington and DRS flask and intermodal trains.
Environment
The viaduct spans the River Weaver. The far side of the river is popular with Fishermen, the nearside with walkers. Whilst from the train the vantage point looks an easy climb, in reality it is a steep bank covered in prickly waist high weeds in summer, so it is not recommended to wear shorts and some kind of stick would be advantageous to aid you climbing.
Road directions
From the M56, Junction 10:
Follow the A49 south, crossing the A533. You cross over the Weaver Navigation, and take the next road on the right towards Acton Bridge. This lane joins the B5153 at Acton Bridge station, pass over the bridge and continue to the village of Crowton (about a mile and a half). Turn right in the village and continue to the end of this lane. Turn right again and follow lane to its end. Park car and follow footpath alongside caravan park to the river and proceed east along the banks to the viaduct. Go under the line and on the right is the bank. There is a belt of trees at the foot of this - there is a low barbed wire fence in these, so you have to pick a spot where it is broken/easier to cross. It is important to remember where you did this for when you return. Take care in climbing the bank as it is steep and the brambles are tall and sharp. There is a private field beyond the fence at the top so is probably best to stay below the summit.
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Dutton Viaduct map co-ordinates
Follow the A49 south, crossing the A533. You cross over the Weaver Navigation, and take the next road on the right towards Acton Bridge. This lane joins the B5153 at Acton Bridge station, pass over the bridge and continue to the village of Crowton (about a mile and a half). Turn right in the village and continue to the end of this lane. Turn right again and follow lane to its end. Park car and follow footpath alongside caravan park to the river and proceed east along the banks to the viaduct. Go under the line and on the right is the bank. There is a belt of trees at the foot of this - there is a low barbed wire fence in these, so you have to pick a spot where it is broken/easier to cross. It is important to remember where you did this for when you return. Take care in climbing the bank as it is steep and the brambles are tall and sharp. There is a private field beyond the fence at the top so is probably best to stay below the summit.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Dutton Viaduct map co-ordinates
Parking
You can leave your car at the bottom of the lane providing you leave plenty of room for access to the caravan park and the cottages.
Public transport
Amenities
There are no amenities in the area.
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Dutton Viaduct
Streetmap links
Dutton Viaduct general view map
Dutton Viaduct close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Dutton Viaduct
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Dutton Viaduct
Googly map
Dutton Viaduct general view map
Dutton Viaduct close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Dutton Viaduct
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Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
The sun is best here in a morning until about 11am for trains heading south.
General views - All photographs © Mark Bearton unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking north
Disclaimer
All information contained within this is site is © Trainspots. The images used on this site remain the property of the original photographer, as credited at the top of the page, and are used with their kind permission.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
