Date: 06/09/2018

A viaduct so well built that it survived 40 years of disuse before being pressed back into service on the new Borders Railway line has had a plaque unveiled as the railway celebrates its third anniversary. The event forms part of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) bicentenary celebrations, in which The Borders Railway is named in their top 200 People and Projects which have transformed peoples lives. The masonry 23-arch Newbattle Viaduct across the River Esk near Dalkeith opened in 1849 to carry what became the Waverley Line but remained closed after the last freight train in 1972. It was found to be in such good condition that it served as a haul road for lorries removing spoil during construction of the Hardengreen Viaduct across the Dalkeith Western Bypass before regaining the rails that now carry a half-hourly ScotRail train between Edinburgh and Tweedbank.

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Institution of Civil Engineers celebrate the Newbattle Viaduct - Midlothian View

Midlothian View

The viaduct on the Borders Railway line has had a plaque unveiled as the railway celebrates its third anniversary.

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A plaque will be displayed on the Sun Inn to celebrate the Newbattle Viaduct. The plaque reads 'National Historic Civil Enginering Landmark - Newbattle Viadct - a 23 arch msonry viaduct designed by John Miller with brick arch rings characteristic of Miller's Practice. The easternmost arch over the A7 is a skewed arch. Opened in 1849. It replaced and earlier unique 24 span cast-iron pointed arch and timber structure of 1830 built by the Marquess of Lothian for horse-drawn waons of coal. It carried the Edinburgh and Hawick Railway, which from 1862 became the Waverley Line to Carlisle. Anglo-Scottish expresses went over here until closure in 1969, and after the last freight ceased in 1972 the viaduct was to be without rails until the coming of the Borders Railway, which opened in 2015. Presented 6 September 2018 in the 200th anniversary year of the Institution of Civil Engineers by Bam, Borders Railway Community Partnership, ICE.
Location: Newbattle Viaduct
Company: Edinburgh and Hawick Railway (North British Railway)
06/09/2018 John Yellowlees

A plaque will be displayed on the Sun Inn to celebrate the Newbattle Viaduct. Here Stuart Mackay of BAM Nuttall and Institution of Civil Engineer Past President Gordon Masterton are seen holding the plaque with the viaduct beyond.
Location: Newbattle Viaduct
Company: Edinburgh and Hawick Railway (North British Railway)
06/09/2018 John Yellowlees