Larichmore Viaduct

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Larichmore Viaduct
Larichmore Viaduct and the A830 - geograph.org.uk - 37338.jpg
Coordinates 56°54′44″N5°49′18″W / 56.9123°N 5.8216°W / 56.9123; -5.8216 Coordinates: 56°54′44″N5°49′18″W / 56.9123°N 5.8216°W / 56.9123; -5.8216
Carries West Highland Line
CrossesBrunery Burn
Characteristics
MaterialConcrete
No. of spans3
History
Construction start1897
Opened1901

The Larichmore Viaduct is a railway viaduct in Scotland that carries the West Highland Line over the Brunery Burn.

Scotland Country in Europe, part of the United Kingdom

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Sharing a border with England to the southeast, Scotland is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, by the North Sea to the northeast and by the Irish Sea to the south. In addition to the mainland, situated on the northern third of the island of Great Britain, Scotland has over 790 islands, including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides.

West Highland Line railway line in Scotland

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.

Contents

History

The West Highland Railway was built to Fort William by Lucas and Aird, but there were delays with the West Highland Railway Mallaig Extension (Guarantee) bill for the Mallaig Extension Railway in the House of Commons as the Tory and Liberal parties fought over the issue of subsidies for public transport. This Act did pass in 1896, by which time Lucas & Aird (and their workers) had moved south. [1] New contractors were needed and Robert McAlpine & Sons were taken on with Simpson & Wilson as engineers. Robert McAlpine & Sons was headed by Robert McAlpine, nicknamed "Concrete Bob" for his innovative use of mass concrete. [2] Concrete was used due to the difficulty of working the hard schist in the area. [3] McAlpine's son Robert, then aged 28, took charge of construction, with his younger son Malcolm appointed as assistant. [4]

West Highland Railway

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.

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.

House of Commons of the United Kingdom Lower house in the Parliament of the United Kingdom

The House of Commons, officially the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled, is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster. Owing to shortage of space, its office accommodation extends into Portcullis House.

Construction of the extension from Fort William to Mallaig began in January 1897, and the line opened on 1 April 1901. [5] [6]

It was listed as a Category B listed building in 1980. [7]

Design

The viaduct crosses the Brunery Burn close to the A830 road. [8] [9] It has three arches, with a centre span of 50 feet (15 m), and a radius of curvature of 200 metres (660 ft). [10]

A830 road road in Scotland

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.

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Highland Railway British pre-grouping railway company

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Glenfinnan Viaduct

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Fort William railway station

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Mallaig railway station

Mallaig railway station is a railway station serving the ferry port of Mallaig, Lochaber, in the Highland region of Scotland. This station is a terminus on the West Highland Line, 41 miles (66 km) by rail from Fort William and 164 miles (264 km) from Glasgow Queen Street railway station.

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Events from the year 1901 in Scotland.

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Banavie Pier railway station

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.

Inveruglas was a remote temporary private railway station near the hamlet of Inveruglas, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Opened in 1945 by the LNER, it was built in connection with the construction of the Sloy Hydro-Electric facility and was located on the Ardlui side of the Inveruglas Viaduct and recorded to be out of use by around 1948.

Faslane Platform railway station or Faslane Junction Platform railway station was a temporary private railway station located near the Stuckendoff PoW camp, Shandon, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Opened in 1945 by the LNER in connection with the construction of the Loch Sloy Hydro-Electric facility and was located on the Shandon side of the Chapel Burn and recorded to be out of use by around 1949 in the British Railways era.

References

  1. ↑ Thomas 1971, pp. 92-95
  2. ↑ Miers, Mary (2008). The Western Seaboard: An Illustrated Architectural Guide. Rutland Press. ISBN   978-1-873190-29-6.
  3. ↑ Paxton, Roland; Shipway, J. (2007). Civil Engineering Heritage Scotland: Highlands and islands. Thomas Telford. pp. 186–187. ISBN   978-0-7277-3488-4.
  4. ↑ Thomas 1971, pp. 95-96
  5. ↑ Thomas 1971, pp. 177-178
  6. ↑ Awdry, Christopher (1990). Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies. Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 169. ISBN   1-8526-0049-7. OCLC   19514063. CN 8983.
  7. ↑ Historic Environment Scotland. "Larichmore Railway Viaduct over Brunery Burn  (Category B) (LB292)" . Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  8. ↑ Google (1 January 2014). "Larichmore Viaduct" (Map). Google Maps . Google. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "Larichmore Viaduct". canmore.rcahms.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  10. ↑ Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland (1997). Transactions of the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland. p. 45. ISSN   0020-3289 . Retrieved 1 January 2015.

Sources

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