Cullen Viaduct Explained

Bridge Name:Cullen Viaduct
Carries:Great North of Scotland Railway (formerly)
Crosses:Burn of Cullen
A98
Locale:Cullen, Moray, Scotland
Material:Stone
Traffic:no
Toll:no
Coordinates:57.6921°N -2.8303°W

The Cullen Viaduct is a former single-track railway viaduct at the Moray Firth in Cullen, Moray, Scotland.[1] Containing eight arches,[2] it formerly carried the Great North of Scotland Railway line between Portsoy in Aberdeenshire and Elgin in Moray. Crossing the Burn of Cullen[3] [4] and the A98, it was built as a result of a refusal by Seafield Estate, to the south, to have the line encroach on its land.[5]

Work on the viaduct was completed in 1886,[6] under the guidance of engineer P. M. Barnett; it is now a Grade B listed structure.

The line closed in 1968, and the viaduct is now used as a recreational path, part of the Moray Firth Trail and the Sustrans national cycle path.

Three other structures are located further to the east: a single span connecting North Deskford Street to the main road, a four-arch viaduct spanning North Castle Street[7] and a four-arch bridge at the foot of Seafield Street (part of the A98), under which vehicles and pedestrians pass.

Notes and References

  1. https://canmore.org.uk/site/79826/perth-west-railway-bridge Perth, West Railway Bridge
  2. Book: Maxtone, G.R. . The Railways of the Banff & Moray Coast. 2005. Keith & Dufftown Railway Association. 0-9547346-1-0 . 38.
  3. Web site: Burn of Cullen from The Gazetteer for Scotland . 2024-08-14 . www.scottish-places.info . en-gb.
  4. Web site: Cullen, Seatown, Cullen Burn Viaduct Canmore . 2024-08-14 . canmore.org.uk . en.
  5. Web site: Cullen Viaduct . 2024-08-14 . en-GB.
  6. http://www.moray.gov.uk/downloads/file113175.pdf Cullen Seatown: Conservation Area Character Appraisal
  7. Web site: Cullen, Castle Street Viaduct Canmore . 2024-08-14 . canmore.org.uk . en.