Orchardhall Swing Bridge
Location type
BridgeName and dates
Orchardhall Swing Bridge (1911-1990)Opened on the Bainsford Branch (Caledonian Railway).
Description
This swing bridge crossed the Forth and Clyde Canal and carried the 1911 goods only Bainsford Branch (Caledonian Railway) between its junction with the North British Railway at Bainsford Junction and Fouldubs Junction on the Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal), now owned by the Caledonian Railway.
The swing bridge was controlled by a signal box on the south west side of the line and south side of the canal. The box had an ungainly appearance due to the accumulator for the bridge being built to its rear.
The Falkirk Aluminium Works opened to the west, served from the east. This was to keep the line between the works and Fouldubs Junction open after it closed to the west in 1966. The box had closed in 1965, the canal it had crossed having closed in 1963 and the bridge became fixed. The single track line from Fouldubs Junction fell out of use in the mid 1980s and was officially closed around 1993.
The bridge was removed. The canal, by interesting comparison, was to re-open in the 2000s.
Tags
Swing bridge signal box06/08/2019
| Nearby stations Thornbridge Halt Falkirk Grahamston Grangemouth Falkirk High Falkirk Camelon [1st] Camelon Camelon [1st] Larbert Polmont Kincardine Airth Alloa Junction Birkhill Bonnybridge Manuel | Lock 3 [1st] [FCC] Bainsford Junction Carron Cut Lock 3 [FCC] Lock 4 [FCC] Abbots Iron Works Lock 2 [Sea Lock] [FCC] Falkirk Gas Works Falkirk Aluminium Works Forganhall Galvanising Works TDG Nexus Grangemouth Castlelaurie Iron Works Blue Circle Cement Grangemouth Russell Depot Grangemouth Tourist/other The Kelpies |
| Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. | |
Chronology Dates
| 23/11/1911 | Bainsford Branch (Caledonian Railway) Orchardhall Swing Bridge to Fouldubs Junction opened, completing line. |
