Shin Railway Viaduct

Shin Railway Viaduct
Coordinates	57°55′26″N4°24′04″W / 57.924022°N 4.401109°W / 57.924022; -4.401109
Carries	Far North Line
Crosses	Kyle of Sutherland
Characteristics
Longest span	230 feet (70 m)
History
Engineering design by	Joseph Mitchell and Murdoch Paterson
Construction end	1868
Location

The Shin Railway Viaduct (also known as the Invershin Viaduct or Oykel Viaduct) is a railway viaduct that crosses the Kyle of Sutherland.The viaduct carries the Far North Line between Inverness and Wick and Thurso. ^[1] Invershin railway station is at the north-eastern end of the viaduct, while Culrain railway station is a short distance to the south.

History

It was built for the Sutherland Railway by engineers Joseph Mitchell and Murdoch Paterson. ^[2]

The railway opened to traffic on 13 April 1868. ^[3]

Design

It crosses the river with a single 230 feet (70 m) span, 20 feet (6.1 m) longer than that used at the Dalguise Viaduct by Mitchell four years earlier. ^[1] The deck which carries the track sits on top of rather than between the truss girders. ^[1] There are two semicircular stone arches in the approach viaduct to the south, and three to the north. ^[2]

A footbridge was added to the northern side of the viaduct in 2000. This is now part of National Cycle Network Route 1.

References

1. Paxton, Roland; Shipway, J. (2007). Civil Engineering Heritage Scotland: Highlands and islands. Thomas Telford for the Institution of Civil Engineers. p. 213. ISBN   978-0-7277-3488-4.
2. Hume, John R. (1977). The Industrial Archaeology of Scotland: The Highlands and Islands. Macmillan of Canada. p. 312.
3. "Shin Railway Viaduct". scotlandsplaces.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2015.