Laigh Milton Viaduct
Location type
BridgeName and dates
Laigh Milton Viaduct (1812-1846)Opened on the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway.
Description
The 1812 Laigh Milton Viaduct is thought to be the earliest surviving viaduct built on a public railway. The viaduct is 5 miles west of Kilmarnock. It is a four arch double track viaduct over the River Irvine. The engineer for the viaduct, as for the whole route, was William Jessop.
The viaduct was taken out of use in 1846 when the railway was realigned to the south. On conversion from a 4' 0'' iron plate line to standard gauge railway the viaduct and very tight curve at its east end were replaced with a new timber viaduct built to the south. The new line opened in 1847. Even the replacement route was replaced to ease a curve close to Gateside station and nothing at all remains of the bridge. The third viaduct is further south and remains in use today.
The Laigh Milton Viaduct steadily fell into disrepair with masonry falling from it, water damage to the cutwaters and tree growth along its length.
The western approach to the viaduct did see a reuse as the sidings for Fairlie Colliery No 3 Pit which began to the west at Lathe Mill Siding. Operation of the mine and the bings produced obscure the original alignment of the railway to the west.
To the east was Milton Lye, the junction (and later headshunt) for a mineral line running north to Busbie Colliery. The eastern approach route to the viaduct has been ploughed out although its flat course remains.
The viaduct was category 'A' listed in 1982.
With recognition of the unique nature of the viaduct the Laigh Milton Viaduct Conservation Project was formed. The viaduct was restored between 1992 and 1996. The masonry was repaired and new parapets and side fencing added. The trackbed was cleared and a short section of demonstration track has been laid.
The site can be visited and some parking is available nearby. Access today is via a path alongside the river. The viaduct can be seen from trains on the line to the south, it is on the north side of the present line (right side after leaving Kilmarnock).
Tags
Viaduct A listed River IrvineAliases
Milton ViaductExternal links
Canmore site recordNLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map
10/11/2019
Facilities
Listing: A
| Nearby stations Gatehead Drybridge Springside Crosshouse Dreghorn Riccarton and Craigie Kilmarnock (St Marnocks) Kilmarnock [1st] Kilmarnock Cunninghamhead Kilmaurs Gailes Irvine Bank Street Hurlford Barassie | Fairlie Colliery No 3 Pit Milton Lye Gatehead Colliery Coal Pit Gatehead Colliery Coal Pit Lathe Mill Siding Coal Pit Fairlie Junction Farmfield Pit Thornton Colliery Coal Pit Thirdpart Siding Colliery Busbie Colliery Colliery Busbie Coal Pit Tourist/other Craig Colliery Signal Box |
| Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. | |
Experimenting with a locomotiveThe Kilmarnock and Troon Railway used horses to draw wagons. William Bentinck, the 4th Duke of Portland and owner of the line, had George Stephenson's second Killingworth steam engine tested on the railway in 1816/17, driven by Robert Stephenson. The engine was too heavy for the plateway. This was the first use of a steam locomotive in Scotland. |
News items
| 13/09/2021 | Hit railway TV series showcases history of iconic North East landmark [Network Rail] |
| 10/02/2021 | 7 pieces of architecture that shaped Scotlands Railway [ScotRail] |
