Loch nan Uamh Viaduct | |
|---|---|
 The viaduct carrying The Jacobite | |
| Coordinates | 56°53′32″N5°43′50″W / 56.8923382°N 5.7306558°W |
| Carries | West Highland Line |
| Crosses | Allt a' Mhama |
| Characteristics | |
| Material | Concrete |
| Longest span | 50 feet (15 m) |
| No. of spans | 8 |
| History | |
| Engineering design by | Simpson & Wilson |
| Construction start | 1897 |
| Opened | 1901 |
| Location | |
 | |
The Loch nan Uamh Viaduct is a railway viaduct in Scotland that carries the West Highland Line.
The West Highland Railway was built to Fort William by Lucas & 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]
Construction of the extension from Fort William to Mallaig began in January 1897, and the line opened on 1 April 1901. [5] [6]
The viaduct has eight concrete arches of 50 feet (15 m) span, four each side of a large central concrete pylon. [7] The reason for this design is not known. [7]
The viaduct crosses the Allt a' Mhama, or Mama Burn, just before it flows into Loch nan Uamh, a sea loch to the north of the Ardnish peninsula. [8] [9]
Immediately to the north of the viaduct is a short tunnel. [9] [10]
In 1987 Roland Paxton, from Heriot-Watt University, investigated the legend that a horse had fallen into a pier during construction of Glenfinnan Viaduct in 1898 or 1899. [11] [12] However, after inserting a fisheye camera into boreholes made into the only two piers large enough to accommodate a horse, no animal remains were found. [12] In 1997, on the basis of local hearsay, Paxton investigated Loch nan Uamh viaduct using the same method but found only rubble as well. [11] [12] In 2001, he returned to Loch nan Uamh with radar equipment and found the remains of a horse and cart within the viaduct's central pylon. [7] [12]
Glenfinnan is a hamlet in Lochaber area of the Highlands of Scotland. In 1745 the Jacobite rising began here when Prince Charles Edward Stuart raised his standard on the shores of Loch Shiel. Seventy years later, the 18 m (60 ft) Glenfinnan Monument, at the head of the loch, was erected to commemorate the historic event.
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 Glenfinnan Viaduct is a railway viaduct on the West Highland Line in Glenfinnan, Inverness-shire, Scotland, built from 1897 to 1901. Located at the top of Loch Shiel in the West Scottish Highlands, the viaduct overlooks the Glenfinnan Monument and the waters of Loch Shiel.
Loch Shiel is a freshwater loch situated 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of Fort William in the Highland council area of Scotland. At 28 kilometres long it is the 4th longest loch in Scotland, and is the longest to have retained a natural outflow without any regulation of its water level, being 120 m (393 ft) deep. Its nature changes considerably along its length, being deep and enclosed by mountains in the north east and shallow surrounded by bog and rough pasture in the south west, from which end the 4 km River Shiel drains to the sea in Loch Moidart near Castle Tioram.
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. The station building is Category C listed. ScotRail, who manage the station, operate most of the services.
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.
Inverness-shire is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. Covering much of the Highlands and Outer Hebrides, it is Scotland's largest county, though one of the smallest in population, with 67,733 people or 1.34% of the Scottish population.
The Jacobite is a steam locomotive-hauled tourist train service that operates over part of the West Highland Line in Scotland. It has been operating under various names and with different operators every summer since 1984. It has played an important role in sustaining a scenic route.
The River Morar is a river that flows from Loch Morar in the west Highlands of Scotland. It flows from the western end of the loch to the estuary of Morar Bay, an inlet of the Sound of Sleat. It is one of Scotland's shortest rivers, and is known for its white sands beaches where it flows through Morar Bay.
The Morar Railway Viaduct is a railway viaduct that carries the West Highland Line over the River Morar.
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 Railway Swing Bridge carries the West Highland Line across the Caledonian Canal at Banavie.
The Creag-an-Arnain Viaduct is a railway viaduct that carries the West Highland Line.
Glen Douglas Halt railway station was known as Craggan in the line's construction reports, also Glen Douglas Siding, Glen Douglas Platform (Private), Glen Douglas (Private) and finally Glen Douglas Halt. Opened by the North British Railway in 1894 or 1895 its status has changed several times along with its official name. The form Glendouglas was also sometimes used, such as on the platform name board.
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.
The Loch Maree and Aultbea Railway was one of several branch railway-lines proposed for the North-West Highlands of Scotland in the early 1890s. Although a full survey was conducted in 1892 and a Private Bill was submitted to the Westminster Parliament on 18 November 1892, the necessary Act to permit construction did not receive approval and the plan was dropped.
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