Banavie Railway Swing Bridge | |
|---|---|
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| Coordinates | 56°50′39″N5°05′50″W / 56.844273°N 5.097086°W Coordinates: 56°50′39″N5°05′50″W / 56.844273°N 5.097086°W |
| Carries | West Highland Line |
| Crosses | Caledonian Canal |
| History | |
| Fabrication by | Alex Findlay & Co. |
| Opened | 1901 |
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The Banavie Railway Swing Bridge carries the West Highland Line across the Caledonian Canal at Banavie.
Construction of the extension from Mallaig Extension Railway began in January 1887, and the line opened on 1 April 1901. [1] [2]
The bridge was manufactured by Alex Findlay & Co. of Motherwell. [3]
The bridge is an asymmetric bow truss, with more reinforcement at the end where it is held. [4]
Its operation is fully automated and is controlled by Network Rail staff in the signal box located only a few yards away. [3] It is adjacent to the Banavie Swing Bridge, which carries the A830 road across the canal. [5]
There is a speed limit of 5mph for trains passing over the bridge.
The Caledonian Canal connects the Scottish east coast at Inverness with the west coast at Corpach near Fort William in Scotland. The canal was constructed in the early nineteenth century by Scottish engineer Thomas Telford.
The West Highland Line is a railway line linking the ports of Mallaig and Oban in the Scottish Highlands to Glasgow in Central Scotland. The line was voted the top rail journey in the world by readers of independent travel magazine Wanderlust in 2009, ahead of the notable Trans-Siberian line in Russia and the Cuzco to Machu Picchu line in Peru. The ScotRail website has since reported that the line has been voted the most scenic railway line in the world for the second year running.
The A830, also known as the Road to the Isles is a major road in Lochaber, Scottish Highlands. It connects the town of Fort William to the port of Mallaig.
Rannoch railway station, on the West Highland Line, serves the area of Rannoch in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. Its remote location on Rannoch Moor is picturesque and makes it attractive to walkers. The station has a tea room and visitor centre. In 2017, Simon Jenkins reported it to be one of the best 100 stations in Britain.
Crianlarich railway station is a railway station serving the village of Crianlarich in Scotland. It is located on the West Highland Line. The routes to Fort William/Mallaig and Oban diverge after this station. Access to the platform is via a flight of stairs from a subway that runs underneath the tracks, from the car park which is slightly lower than the station itself.
Spean Bridge railway station is a railway station serving the village of Spean Bridge in the Highland region of Scotland. This station is on the West Highland Line.
Banavie railway station is a railway station on the West Highland Line serving the village of Banavie, although it is much closer to Caol, Scotland. To continue on to the next station at Corpach, trains must pass over the Caledonian Canal at Neptune's Staircase, a popular tourist attraction.
The West Highland Railway was a railway company that constructed a railway line from Craigendoran to Fort William and Mallaig. The line was built through remote and difficult terrain in two stages: the section from Craigendoran to Fort William opened in 1894, with a short extension to Banavie on the Caledonian Canal opening in 1895.
Banavie is a small settlement near Fort William in the Highland Council Area of Scotland. One of the closest villages to Ben Nevis, it is about 2.5 miles (4 km) northeast of Fort William town centre, next to Caol and Corpach.
The Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway was a branch-line railway built in Scotland, connecting the named places with the main line at Spean Bridge. It opened in 1903.
The Mallaig Extension Railway is a railway line in Highland, Scotland. It runs from Banavie Junction (New) on the Banavie Pier branch of the West Highland Railway to Mallaig. The previous "Banavie Junction" closer to Fort William was renamed "Mallaig Junction" upon opening of the Mallaig Extension Railway. The line is still open as part of the West Highland Line.
The Alloa Railway was intended to bridge the River Forth linking Alloa with the south without using a ferry.
Fort William Junction is a railway junction on the West Highland Line in Scotland, located to the east of Fort William railway station. It is where the railway to Mallaig connects with the Glasgow to Fort William railway.
The Morar Railway Viaduct is a railway viaduct that carries the West Highland Line over the River Morar.
The Loch nan Uamh Viaduct is a railway viaduct that carries the West Highland Line.
The Borrodale Viaduct is a railway viaduct that carries the West Highland Line over the Borrodale Burn.
The Arnabol Viaduct carries the West Highland Line over the Arnabol Burn.
The Larichmore Viaduct is a railway viaduct in Scotland that carries the West Highland Line over the Brunery Burn.
The Banavie Swing Bridge carries the A830 road across the Caledonian Canal at Banavie.
Banavie Pier railway station was the terminus of a short branch and was at first known as Banvie, opened by the North British Railway in 1895. The station's location was just above the impressive flight of locks on the Caledonian Canal known as "Neptune's Staircase", Banavie, Highland council area, Scotland.
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