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Kylesku, Caolas Cumhann, Kylesku Bridge
Road Bridge (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Kylesku, Caolas Cumhann, Kylesku Bridge
Classification Road Bridge (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Loch Gleann Dubh; Loch A' Chairn Bhain; Loch Glendhu
Canmore ID 97572
Site Number NC23SW 22
NGR NC 22681 33831
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/97572
- Council Highland
- Parish Eddrachillis
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Sutherland
- Former County Sutherland
NC23SW 22 22681 33831
Kylesku Bridge [NAT]
OS 1:10,000 map, 1992.
ARCHITECT: Ove Arup & Partners, 1984.
(Undated) information in NMRS.
This bridge carries the A894 public road over the Caolas Cumhann, within the inner part of Loch a' Chairn Bhain and 300m W of the Kylesku Hotel (NC23SW 8). It thus spans the boundary between the parishes of Eddrachillis (to the NW) and Assynt (to the SE).
The location assigned to this record defines the midpoint of the curving structure. The available map evidence indicates that it extends from NC c. 22550 33901 to NC c. 22744 33705.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 10 May 2006.
Publication Account (2007)
(Institute Civil Engineers Historic Engineering Works no. HEW 2541)
This bridge carries the A894 road over the entrance to the sea inlet Loch a’ Chairn Bhaine and was completed in 1984. It is a bold and elegant design of three spans in prestressed and reinforced concrete although the geometry of the bridge is such that the three spans are sometimes read as five. The deck is a box girder of constant depth.
The main span is 433 ft and the side spans are 236 ft. The deck is curved in plan and continuous throughout, with movement bearings only at the abutments where they can be easily inspected and renewed if necessary.
The waterway at the bridge is nearly 400 ft with strong tidal currents and is of considerable depth. Because of this the bridge was built without temporary supports in the channel by means of cantilevering from the ends. The foundations of the V-shaped main supports are on rock and on dry land. The central section of the bridge was planned by the contractor to be pre-cast on the shore, floated out, and then lifted into position.
The consulting engineers were Ove Arup and Partners, and the main contractor, Morrison Construction Ltd. The tender price was £234 million although, because of extremely adverse weather conditions, the out-turn price exceeded £4 million. Construction was achieved within the contract period of 102 weeks.
R Paxton and J Shipway, 2007.
Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Highlands and Islands' with kind permission from Thomas Telford Publishers.
