[1] Built by Joseph Locke and A. S. Jee for the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway,[1] the foundation stone of Broadbottom Viaduct was laid by John Chapman on 17 February 1842.

[3] The viaduct itself was originally of a laminated timber construction with three arches (of unequal lengths) supported on piers of locally quarried stone.

The timberwork deteriorated, and was replaced with hollow wrought iron box girders which were fabricated on-site by contractors William Fairbairn & Sons while the viaduct continued in use.

[1] Railway historian Gordon Biddle described the wrought iron construction as "less majestic" than the original, but "still impressive".

[2] Further remedial work was carried out in 1919; by then, the weight of modern trains necessitated the strengthening of Broadbottom and Dinting viaducts.