Culloden Moor Viaduct

The Culloden Moor Viaduct, also known the Nairn Viaduct or Clava Viaduct, carries the Highland Main Line, to the east of the city of Inverness, in the Highland council area of Scotland. The viaduct crosses the River Nairn and its valley, and with its 29 arches is the longest masonry viaduct in Scotland. It was designated a Category A listed buildingStructure of particular architectural and/or historic interest deserving of special protection. in 1971.^[1]

The viaduct was designed by Murdoch Paterson, the Highland Railway’s chief engineer. It opened in 1898 as part of the Inverness and Aviemore Direct Railway, built by the Highland Railway, and is now part of the Highland Main Line. It was one of the last major railway engineering works in Scotland.^[1][2]

Culloden Moor railway station was situated at the northern end of the viaduct, but it was closed in the 1960s. Paterson died there in 1897, before the completion of the viaduct.^[2][3]

Architecture

The viaduct is about 1,800 feet (549 m) in length, curving at its southern end to align with the hillside. It is built from rubble and dressed with red-faced ashlarMasonry of squared and finely cut or worked stone, commonly used for the facing of a building.. The arch rings have tooled ashlar details. The arches are all semi-circular with a 50-foot (15 m) span except for the one crossing the river, between the 10th and 11th piers from the north, which has a span of 100 feet (30 m).^[1][2]