Ballochmyle Viaduct
Encyclopedia
The Ballochmyle Viaduct is the highest extant railway viaduct in Britain.
. This railway was the northern part of the line from Glasgow to Carlisle via Kilmarnock. The stone bridge was begun in 1846 and was completed in less than two years (March 1848), but the railway itself was not completed until 1850.
The main arch of 181 ft span carries the rails 169 ft above the River Ayr
near Mauchline
. The arch ring was built of hard stone quarried near Dundee, but local red sandstone
was used for the rest of the structure. On both sides of the main span are three arches of 50 ft span each.
The bridge is still in use.
History
The viaduct was designed by John Miller of Edinburgh for the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr RailwayGlasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway
The Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway was a railway in Scotland that provided train services between Glasgow, Kilmarnock and Ayr. For a short period, it also provided West Coast services between Glasgow and London. Opened in stages between 1839 and 1848, the line ran from Paisley in the...
. This railway was the northern part of the line from Glasgow to Carlisle via Kilmarnock. The stone bridge was begun in 1846 and was completed in less than two years (March 1848), but the railway itself was not completed until 1850.
The main arch of 181 ft span carries the rails 169 ft above the River Ayr
River Ayr
The River Ayr , longest river in what was the old county of Ayrshire of Scotland, is approximately 65 kilometres in length. It originates at Glenbuck Loch in East Ayrshire on the border of Lanarkshire and winds its way through East and South Ayrshire to the town of Ayr, where it empties into the...
near Mauchline
Mauchline
Mauchline is a town in East Ayrshire, Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a recorded population of 4105. It lies by the Glasgow and South Western Railway line, 8 miles east-southeast of Kilmarnock and 11 miles northeast of Ayr. It is situated on a gentle slope about 1 mile from the River Ayr,...
. The arch ring was built of hard stone quarried near Dundee, but local red sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
was used for the rest of the structure. On both sides of the main span are three arches of 50 ft span each.
The bridge is still in use.
See also
- List of railway bridges and viaducts in the United Kingdom
- List of longest masonry arch bridge spans
External links
- Aerial views are found here.