Gairlochy, Bridge Of Mucomir
Road Bridge (19th Century)
Site Name Gairlochy, Bridge Of Mucomir
Classification Road Bridge (19th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Mucomer Bridge; Mucomir Cut And Bridge; Mucomir Bridge; River Lochy; River Spean; Caledonian Canal
Canmore ID 105565
Site Number NN18SE 10
NGR NN 18360 83824
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/105565
- Council Highland
- Parish Kilmonivaig
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Lochaber
- Former County Inverness-shire
Gairlochy Basin Here can be seen one of Telford's most impressive engineering feats, which raised Loch Lochy 12 ft and diverted its river through a cutting and over dramatic falls to join the River Spean beneath Mucomir Bridge. This allowed the Caledonian Canal to maintain a straight course.
Taken from "Western Seaboard: An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Mary Miers, 2008. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk
NN18SE 10 18360 83824
Bridge of Mucomir [NAT]
OS 1:10,000 map, 1992.
For associated power station (NN 18358 83861), see NN18SE 22.00.
For associated Mucomir Cut (NN 18395 84479 to NN 18353 83797), see NN18SE 27.00.
This bridge was built by Telford 1813 as a result of diverting the river Lochy during the construction of the Caledonian Canal.
(Undated) information in NMRS.
This bridge carries the B9004 public road over the S end of the Mucomir Cut (NN18SE 27.00), immediately above its debouchment into the River Spean. It was rebuilt after construction to span the turbine race and sluice spillage from the power station NN18SE 22.00.
The location assigned to this record defines the midpoint of the structure. The available map evidence indicates that it extends from NN c. 18330 83819 to NN c. 18377 83826.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 13 April 2006.
Build (1813)
Built.
R Paxton and J Shipway, 2007.
Modification (1960)
Channel of the Mucomir Cut (NN18335 83802 to 1841084474) was modified 1960 to allow building of electricity generating station [NN18SE 22.0].
R Paxton and J Shipway, 2007.
Publication Account (2007)
(Institute Civil Engineers Historic Engineering Works no. HEW 0084/06)
Mucomer Cut and Bridge
The half-mile Mucomer Cut, was excavated to allow water to be discharged from Loch Lochy into the Spean and permit the Caledonian Canal to exit from the south-west end of Loch Lochy through a regulating lock at Gairlochy built on the line of the former river bed. As the cut
crossed the line of a well-established drove road, and the rocky channel was deep and unfordable, it was necessary to construct a bridge for the passage of beasts.
The bridge, designed by Telford with John Simpson and John Cargill as contractors, was completed in 1813. It had two 52 ft span segmental arches, constructed of coursed sandstone masonry with decorative mock arrow loops at the abutments and piers, to which a third arch of 24 ft
span was added later. The roadway of the bridge is 264 ft long with a gradient of 1 in 23.
In the 1960s the channel of the cut was modified when a small electricity generating station was constructed to make use of the water being discharged into the Spean. At this time the bridge was strengthened with mass and reinforced-concrete infill to allow access for construction
traffic to the site of the generating station.
R Paxton and J Shipway, 2007.
Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Highlands and Islands' with kind permission from Thomas Telford Publishers.
