Newbattle Viaduct
{{Short description|Railway bridge in Midlothian, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox bridge
| bridge_name = Newbattle Viaduct
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| image = Lothianbridge viaduct01 2000-05-28.jpg
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| carries = Borders Railway
| crosses = River South Esk
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| engineering = John Miller
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| material = Stone
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| spans = 23
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| complete = 1847
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| coordinates = {{coord|55.872|-3.077|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
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The Newbattle Viaduct, sometimes also called the Lothianbridge, Newtongrange or Dalhousie Viaduct, carries the Borders Railway, which opened in 2015, over the River South Esk near Newtongrange, Midlothian, Scotland.
Original viaduct
The original viaduct was built by the Marquess of Lothian to extend the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway from Dalhousie Mains to his coal pits at Arniston.{{cite book|title=The Topographical, Statistical, and Historical Gazetteer of Scotland: I-Z|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XWMPAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA433|year=1842|publisher=A. Fullarton}} It was constructed of stone piers to support the wooden structure of the bridge, and had a total length of around {{convert|1200|ft}}. To cross the river it used three cast iron spans in the form of Gothic arches, each {{convert|65|ft}} long, with the main one being {{convert|70|ft}} high. It opened in 1831.{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB14544|desc=Lothianbridge, Newbattle Viaduct|cat=B|access-date=28 March 2019}}
History
The present viaduct was opened in 1849 by the Edinburgh and Hawick Railway to carry the Waverley Line, running between Edinburgh and Carlisle. The viaduct was designed by John Miller.{{cite web |url=http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/bridges/gallery/newbattle.html |title=Newbattle Viaduct |publisher=forgottenrelics.co.uk |access-date=24 September 2014}}
It was closed to passenger traffic in 1969 as a result of the Beeching cuts, and to freight in 1972. It was reopened in 2015 for the Borders Railway line between Edinburgh and Tweedbank.{{cite web |url=http://www.bordersrailway.co.uk/news/2015/september/rail-services-make-historic-borders-return.aspx |title=RAIL SERVICES MAKE HISTORIC BORDERS RETURN |author= |date=2015-09-07 |website=www.bordersrailway.co.uk |publisher=Borders Railway Project |access-date=2015-09-07}} Some work was required on the viaduct to prepare it for the reopening of the railway, although it was still structurally sound.{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/victorian-viaduct-will-avert-city-road-chaos-1-2963362 |title=Victorian viaduct |work=The Scotsman |date=12 June 2013 |access-date=24 September 2014}}
Design
It has 23 nearly semicircular arches, with 14 spans of {{convert|39|ft}}, seven of {{convert|38|ft}}, one of {{convert|44|ft}} and one of {{convert|43|ft|10|in}}.{{cite web |url=http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/143953/details/newbattle+viaduct/ |title=Newbattle Viaduct |publisher=rcahms.gov.uk |access-date=24 September 2014}} The piers are {{convert|8|ft}} thick at the foundations, tapering to {{convert|6|ft}} at the springing of the arches. The arches are lined with three layers of bricks. Most, but not all the arches are reinforced with iron strapping, as are nearly all of the piers. The long pier which sits in the river has a large cutwater.
The last arch at the south end is a skew arch to accommodate the A7 public road, which runs parallel to the viaduct before cutting underneath it.{{Google maps |url=https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.8716918,-3.0762179,920m/data=!3m1!1e3 |title=Newbattle Viaduct |accessdate=24 September 2014}} The viaduct is nearly straight, but with a slight curve at the northern end where it crosses the river.{{cite book|title=Reports from Commissioners: Fourteen Volumes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UnZbAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA1-PA119|year=1848}} To the south of the viaduct is a caravan park.
References
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