Laigh Milton Viaduct
Coordinates: 55 ° 35 ′ 56 ″ N , 4 ° 34 ′ 2 ″ W.
| Laigh Milton Viaduct | ||
|---|---|---|
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| use | Railway bridge | |
| Convicted | Kilmarnock and Troon Railway | |
| Subjugated | Irvine | |
| place | Gatehead | |
| construction | Stone arch bridge | |
| overall length | 82.3 | |
| width | 5.8 | |
| Number of openings | 4th | |
| Longest span | 12.2 | |
| Arrow height | 7.6 | |
| Pillar strength | 2.7 | |
| start of building | 1809 | |
| completion | 1812 | |
| closure | 1846 | |
| location | ||
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The Laigh Milton Viaduct is a railway bridge near the Scottish town of Gatehead in the East Ayrshire council area . In 1978 the structure was included in the Scottish monument lists in the highest monument category A. It is believed to be the oldest surviving passenger railway bridge in Scotland; possibly even the oldest in the world.
history
The viaduct was built between 1809 and 1812 at the behest of the Duke of Portland as part of the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway . The architects are the civil engineers William Jessop and Thomas Hollis . L-shaped steel profiles were used as rails, which formed a track for the unprofiled wheels of the horse-drawn wagons. Although the railway was primarily used to transport coal, it was also opened for passenger transport early on. In 1846 the operating company changed. Since the route should be changed to avoid a sharp curve, a bridge was built further south and the Laigh Milton Viaduct was decommissioned in the same year. However, it was used as a pedestrian and carriage bridge for a long time.
Due to the lack of maintenance measures, the condition of the structure had deteriorated so much by 1992 that it was classified as in danger of collapse. The great importance of the bridge led to the establishment of an association to maintain it. After donations were raised, the club's chairman bought the bridge for two pounds and began restoration work. The executing company needed an electricity connection on site. In order not to destroy any historically valuable traces of the bridge construction, the monument authorities rejected the proposal submitted to set up the connection. A furrow one meter deep had to be created in which the cable now runs. The work was completed in 1996.
description
The Laigh Milton Viaduct is a stone arch bridge that crosses the Irvine with four arches west of Gatehead. It is 82.3 m long and 7.6 m wide. The ashlars of the layered masonry are embossed in the area of the arches . The arches have a clear width of 12.2 m, with the pillars 2.7 m thick. The arrow height is 7.6 m. It has not been conclusively clarified whether the bridge once had a parapet.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ a b Entry on Laigh Milton Viaduct in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
Web links
- Entry on Laigh Milton Viaduct in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database