RAILSCOT | Banavie Swing Bridge

Banavie Swing Bridge: The midday service to Mallaig crosses Banavie Swing Bridge over the Caledonian Canal in 2013.
Ewan Crawford 27/04/2013

Bridge

Banavie Swing Bridge (1901-)

Opened on the Mallaig Extension (West Highland Railway).
Opened on the Caledonian Canal.

This single track railway swing bridge is immediately north of Banavie station. It carries the Fort William to Mallaig line at the foot of Neptune's Staircase, a series of interconnected locks on the Caledonian Canal.

The bridge was built by Alex Findlay and Co. Originally hand cranked it is now hydraulic. The bridge pivots at the south end, controlled from the nearby modern Banavie signalling centre which is to the south and overlooks the bridge.

It is one of three swing bridges which crossed the Caledonian Canal. The others were at Fort Augustus Swing Bridge (on the Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway, removed) and Clachnaharry Swing Bridge (still open on the Inverness and Ross-shire Railway).

To the north is Neptune's Staircase, a ladder, a series of connected locks on the Caledonian Canal.

Nearby stations Banavie Banavie Pier Corpach Fort William Fort William [1st] Loch Eil Outward Bound Gairlochy Locheilside Spean Bridge Invergloy Platform Roy Bridge Ballachulish Ferry Ballachulish (Glencoe) Kentallen Glenfinnan	Neptune^s Staircase Banavie Junction [2nd] Corpach Basin Lochy Viaduct [Fort William] Tom-na-Faire Depot Inverlochy Footbridge Base Camp Lochaber Aluminium Smelter Ground Frame Tourist/other Tomonie Signal Box Old Inverlochy Castle Corpach Beacon Corpach Pier Ben Nevis Distillery Tom na Faire Viewpoint Inverlochy Farm Level Crossing
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line.

/ /1912	Mallaig Extension (West Highland Railway) Tomonie Signal Box closes and Banavie Swing Bridge signal box becomes a block post.
14/06/1987	West Highland Railway Mallaig Extension (West Highland Railway) New RETB signalling centre opened at Banavie - the first step is to take over operation of the Banavie Swing Bridge as a swing bridge and gate box. Banavie signal box closed.