Banavie Railway Swing Bridge Explained

The Banavie Railway Swing Bridge carries the West Highland Line across the Caledonian Canal at Banavie.

History

Construction of the extension from Mallaig Extension Railway began in January 1887, and the line opened on 1 April 1901.

The bridge was manufactured by Alex Findlay & Co. of Motherwell.

Design

The bridge is an asymmetric bow truss, with more reinforcement at the end where it is held.^[1]

Its operation is fully automated and is controlled by Network Rail staff in the signal box located only a few yards away.^[2] It is adjacent to the Banavie Swing Bridge, which carries the A830 road across the canal.

There is a speed limit of 5 mph for trains passing over the bridge.

See also

• Banavie
• Banavie railway station
• Banavie Swing Bridge

References

Sources

• Book: Thomas. John. The West Highland Railway. 1971. Pan Books. 0-330-02479-5.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Caledonian Canal, Swing Bridge (Railway), Banavie . kweimar.de . 1 January 2015.
2. Web site: Caledonian Canal, Banavie Railway Swing Bridge . canmore.rcahms.gov.uk . 1 January 2015.