Riddings Junction Viaduct
Riddings Junction Viaduct | |
|---|---|
 Bridge across the River Liddel | |
| Coordinates | 55°04′17″N 2°55′27″W / 55.0714°N 2.9242°W |
| Crosses | Liddel Water |
| Locale | Cumbria, Dumfries and Galloway |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Arch |
| Material | Red sandstone |
| Height | 23 metres (75 ft) |
| No. of spans | 9 |
| History | |
| Opened | 1864 |
| Closed | 1967 |
Listed Building – Category A | |
Official name | Riddings Junction Viaduct, Over Liddel Water |
| Designated | 2 August 1971 |
| Reference no. | LB3533 |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
Official name | Riddings Junction Viaduct |
| Designated | 31 October 1996 |
| Reference no. | 1268307 |
| Location | |
 Interactive map of Riddings Junction Viaduct | |
Riddings Junction Viaduct (or Riddings Viaduct) is a disused cross-border railway bridge over Liddel Water between Kirkandrews, in Cumbria, north-western England, and Canonbie in Dumfries and Galloway, south-western Scotland. It is a listed building in both countries; the Scottish section is category A listed,[1] and the English section is Grade II*.[2]
Description
[edit source]The viaduct consists of nine semi-elliptical, depressed arches on an unusually sharp skew, crossing the river in a sweeping curve. It is built from local red sandstone and faced in bullnosed (rounded) ashlar. The arches have channelled voussoirs, a pattern which continues along the soffits, and spring from prominent impost bands. They are supported on tapering rectangular piers at the base of which are narrow cutwaters. The stonework has decorative channelling which continues diagonally through the soffits. A brick parapet and iron handrail were added in the late 20th century.[1][2] The viaduct is 60 feet (18 metres) high and 160 yards (150 metres) long, each arch having a span of 44 feet (13 metres).[3][4]
History
[edit source]The viaduct was built for the North British Railway at the very beginning of its branch from Riddings Junction on the outskirts of Carlisle to Langholm in Scotland, part of the Waverley Route. The viaduct runs from the south bank of Liddel Water in Kirkandrews-on-Esk in Cumbria to the north bank near Rowanburn, in the parish of Canonbie, Dumfries and Galloway. It opened on 18 March 1864 and closed, with the rest of the line, on 18 September 1967 as part of the Beeching cuts; the viaduct has been disused ever since. It carried a single track for its entire operational life; the rails were removed when the line closed.[1][2]
The viaduct is now part of the Historical Railways Estate and maintained by National Highways. Restoration works were undertaken in 2024[5] and completed in 2025, the bridge having fallen into disrepair since closure. Work included repairs to the railings and stonework, using materials matched to the originals to preserve the bridge's appearance and ensure its stability, though it remained disused.[6][7]
See also
[edit source]References
[edit source]- 1 2 3 Historic Environment Scotland. "Riddings Junction Viaduct, Over Liddel Water (LB3533)". Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- 1 2 3 Historic England. "Riddings Junction Viaduct (1268307)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- ↑ Biddle, Gordon (2011). Britain's Historic Railway Buildings: A Gazetteer of Structures (second ed.). Hersham: Ian Allan. p. 663. ISBN 9780711034914.
- ↑ McFetrich, David (2019). An Encyclopaedia of British Bridges (Revised and extended ed.). Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. p. 251. ISBN 9781526752956.
- ↑ "Project profile: Riddings Viaduct". National Highways. 15 October 2024.
- ↑ "Border-spanning Riddings Viaduct restoration complete". BBC News. 14 March 2026. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
- ↑ Hakimian, Rob (11 March 2026). "National Highways completes restoration work on 19th century Riddings Viaduct". New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
- Bridges in Dumfries and Galloway
- Stone bridges in Scotland
- Arch bridges in Scotland
- Category A listed bridges
- Category A listed buildings in Dumfries and Galloway
- Grade II* listed railway bridges and viaducts
- Grade II* listed buildings in Cumbria
- Viaducts in Scotland
- Railway bridges in Cumbria
- Railway bridges in Scotland
- Bridges completed in 1864
- Anglo-Scottish border
- North British Railway