Big Water of Fleet Viaduct

Location type

Bridge

Name and dates

Big Water of Fleet Viaduct (1861-1965)

Opened on the Portpatrick Railway.

Description

This is a disused large granite single track viaduct 900ft long and 70 ft high with 20 arches.

Repairs were required many times. The viaduct piers were buttressed from 1926 with the piers being encased in red brick, giving the bridge a striking appearance. During this work there was a halt at the west end. Arches have been braced with old rails.

The line closed in 1965. Unlike the nearby Little Water of Fleet Viaduct (blown up in 1987) the viaduct still stands. Access is fenced off at either end.

The viaduct is east of the former Gatehouse of Fleet station. The cliffs of the Clints of Dromore to the north west are a striking backdrop.

The viaduct is now owned by Sustrans.

Engineer: Blyth and Blyth.

Tags

Viaduct Big Water of Fleet

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67


News items

03/09/2021Man talked down from viaduct after stand-off [Daily Record]

Books


Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Railways (Library of Railway History)
Rails to Portpatrick (Local History Series)
The Port Road: Dumfries to Stranraer, Portpatrick, Kirkcudbright and Whithorn