Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Lowlands and Borders
Date 2007
Event ID 602847
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/602847
Almond Valley Viaduct This massive railway viaduct is the longest structure on the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway, designed by Miller as a high-speed trunk line and constructed from 1838–42. The viaduct is in two sections, separated by a high embankment about 1/4 mile in length, and was founded in September 1839 and completed in the short time of 20 months. The eastern section comprises 36 ashlar-faced masonry arches each of 50 ft span, segmental in shape, and up to 70 ft high. It crosses the Almond Valley in a wide sweeping curve of about 112 miles radius. Subsequently the arches have been strengthened by unsightly steel spandrel ties to the arch rings.
The western section of the viaduct is of seven arches of which the centre, and largest, bridges the Edinburgh–
Bathgate road (A898). This arch is of 66 ft span and hasbeen badly affected by settlement caused by shale-oil workings in the past. It has been strengthened by brick cladding to the existing masonry piers, by the insertion of a steel truss under the arch and by tie-rods through the truss to the arch haunches. Other 50 ft span arches adjacent have been strengthened by brick in-filling to prevent distortion.
Although the strengthenings are unsightly, the viaduct is still serving the inter-city express line after 164 years. The contractor was leading bridge builder John Gibb of Aberdeen who completed his contract, which also include Winchburgh tunnel and cutting, at a loss of £40 000 as his estimate, on which the contract was based, contained a mistake, which, although he had discovered it before
tender acceptance, he nevertheless felt bound to honour.
R Paxton and J Shipway 2007
Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Lowlands and Borders' with kind permission of Thomas Telford Publishers.
