Shin Railway Viaduct Explained

Bridge Name:Shin Railway Viaduct
Carries:Far North Line
Crosses:Kyle of Sutherland
Engineering:Joseph Mitchell and Murdoch Paterson
Complete:1868
Coordinates:57.924°N -4.4011°W

The Shin Railway Viaduct (also known as the Invershin Viaduct or Oykel Viaduct) is a railway viaduct that crosses the Kyle of Sutherland.The viaduct carries the Far North Line between Inverness and Wick and Thurso. Invershin railway station is at the north-eastern end of the viaduct, while Culrain railway station is a short distance to the south.

History

It was built for the Sutherland Railway by engineers Joseph Mitchell and Murdoch Paterson.[1]

The railway opened to traffic on 13 April 1868.[2]

Design

It crosses the river with a single span, longer than that used at the Dalguise Viaduct by Mitchell four years earlier.[3] The deck which carries the track sits on top of rather than between the truss girders.[3] There are two semicircular stone arches in the approach viaduct to the south, and three to the north.[1]

A footbridge was added to the northern side of the viaduct in 2000. This is now part of National Cycle Network Route 1.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Hume, John R.. The Industrial Archaeology of Scotland: The Highlands and Islands. 1977. Macmillan of Canada. 312.
  2. Web site: Shin Railway Viaduct . scotlandsplaces.gov.uk . 2 January 2015.
  3. Book: Paxton. Roland. Shipway. J.. Civil Engineering Heritage Scotland: Highlands and islands. 2007. Thomas Telford for the Institution of Civil Engineers. 978-0-7277-3488-4. 213.