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Solway Viaduct - Solway Junction Railway
Map of the Solway Junction Railway (Aston & Barrie, 1932; p.28)
The Solway Junction Railway was opened in 1869, between Bowness-on-Solway and Annan across the Solway Firth in Scotland. It connected to the Maryport and Carlisle Railway. It was built to carry iron ore from West Cumberland to Scotland, without having to pass through Carlisle.
[edit] History
The construction of the railway necessitated a 1 mile 8 chains (1.8 km) iron girder viaduct across the Solway, the remains of which can still be seen today. It was designed by Sir James Brunlees, took 3½ years to build and cost about £100,000. It had 193 spans with 2,892 tons of cast iron for the piles and 1,807 tons of wrought iron. It was first used by freight traffic on 13 September 1869, and to passengers on 8 August 1870. In 1875 and 1881 the viaduct was damaged by ice, and by altering sediment-carrying currents it caused nearby Port Carlisle to silt up and lose trade. In turn this resulted in the abandonment of the Port Carlisle to Carlisle railway.
It was absorbed by the Caledonian Railway in 1896.
In 1914 the railway was restricted to carrying freight only. In 1921 the viaduct was closed entirely, and in 1934 it was demolished. The section of line between Annan and Kirtlebridge remained in use until 1931.
[edit] The route
The line ran from Kirtlebridge on the Caledonian Railway Main Line, to Annan (where a new station, Annan Shawhill, was built), and a connection with the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway was made. After crossing the Solway, it passed through Bowness-on-Solway and Whitrigg, before connecting with the Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock Company and finally to the Maryport and Carlisle Railway near Brayton.
[edit] Connections to other lines
[edit] Current operations
The line is closed.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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Historical Scottish railway companies: |
| Primary companies: |
Caledonian Railway • Glasgow and South Western Railway • Great North of Scotland Railway
Highland Railway • North British Railway
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| Caledonian lines: |
Aberdeen Railway • Alloa Railway • Alyth • Arbroath and Forfar • Busby Railway • Callander and Oban • Cathcart District • Cleland and Midcalder • Clydesdale Junction • CR Main Line • CR Douglas Branch • CR Hamilton Branch • CR Hamiltonhill Branch • Crieff Junction • Crieff and Comrie • Crieff and Methven Junction • Dunblane, Doune & Callander • Dundee and Perth • Dundee and Perth and Aberdeen • Forfar and Brechin • General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour • Glasgow and Garnkirk • Glasgow Central Railway • Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock • Greenock and Wemyss Bay • Hamilton and Strathaven • Killin Railway • Lanarkshire and Ayrshire • Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire • Leadhills and Wanlockhead • Lochearnhead, St Fillans and Comrie • Paisley and Barrhead District • Perth, Almond Valley and Methven • Polloc and Govan • Rutherglen and Coatbridge • Scottish Central • Scottish Midland Junction • Scottish North Eastern • Solway Junction • Symington, Biggar and Broughton • Talla Railway • Wishaw and Coltness |
| Glasgow and South Western lines: |
Ardrossan Railway • Ardrossan and Johnstone • Ayr and Dalmellington • Ayr and Maybole Junction • Ayr to Mauchline • Ayrshire and Wigtownshire • Barrhead Branch • Bridge of Weir Railway • Cairn Valley • Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction • Castle Douglas and Dumfries • Dalry and North Johnstone • Darvel Branch • Girvan and Portpatrick Junction • Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle • Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr • Greenock and Ayrshire • Kilmarnock and Troon • Largs Branch • Maidens and Dunure • Maybole and Girvan • Paisley and Renfrew • Paisley Canal Line |
| Great North of Scotland lines: |
Aberdeen and Turriff • Aboyne and Braemar • Alford Valley • Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction • Banff, Portsoy and Strathisla • Boddam Branch • Deeside Railway • Denburn Valley • Formartine and Buchan • Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction • Keith and Dufftown • Moray Coast • Morayshire Railway • St Combs Light Railway • Strathspey Railway |
| Highland lines: |
Buckie and Portessie Branch • Dingwall and Skye • Duke of Sutherland • Findhorn Railway • Fortrose Branch • Inverness and Aberdeen Junction • Inverness and Aviemore Direct • Inverness and Nairn • Inverness and Perth Junction • Inverness and Ross-shire • Kyle of Lochalsh Extension • Perth and Dunkeld • Sutherland and Caithness • Sutherland Railway
Independent lines worked by the Highland Railway
Dornoch Light Railway • Wick and Lybster Light Railway
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| North British lines: |
Ballochney • Bathgate and Coatbridge • Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock Company • Coatbridge Branch • Edinburgh and Bathgate • Edinburgh and Dalkeith • Edinburgh and Glasgow • Edinburgh and Hawick • Edinburgh Suburban and Southside Junction • Forth and Clyde Junction • Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh • Glasgow and Milngavie Junction • Glasgow, Yoker and Clydebank • Kincardine Line • Leadburn, Linton and Dolphinton • Monkland and Kirkintilloch • Monkland Railways • Mallaig Extension • North British, Arbroath and Montrose • Stirling and Dunfermline • Strathendrick and Aberfoyle • Slamannan • Slamannan and Borrowstounness • West Highland Railway • Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness |
| Joint lines: |
Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction • City Union • Dundee and Arbroath • Glasgow and Paisley Joint • Glasgow and Renfrew District • Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint • Kilsyth and Bonnybridge • Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint |
| Other lines: |
Brechin and Edzell District • Cromarty and Dingwall Light Railway • Denburn Valley Line • Dundee and Arbroath • Glasgow City and District • Invergarry and Fort Augustus • Lochaber Narrow Gauge • Perth, Almond Valley & Methven • Tranent to Cockenzie Waggonway |
