Laigh Milton Viaduct - Evidence From Ordnance Survey (OS) and Other Maps

Evidence From Ordnance Survey (OS) and Other Maps

John Ainslie's map of 1821 and John Thomson's map of 1828 both show the route of the Kilmarnock & Troon railway and the position of the ashlar-built Laigh Milton viaduct crossing the River Irvine.

The first OS map of 1860 shows the viaduct as part of a track from West Gatehead farm across the Irvine to Cockhill farm and the Craig estate and its other mill, known as Girtrig Mill. A new wooden viaduct (opened in 1846) has replaced the Laigh Milton 'tramway' viaduct and the course of the railway has been altered, the highest point on the bank having been previously chosen (a fluvioglacial terrace), necessitating a pronounced curve in the line at this point. The new bridge required embankments on either side to give sufficient height over the river. On the 'Troon' side the site of the old track has been obliterated by Fairlie Colliery (Pit No.3) and its spoil bings, additionally a mineral line branches off at the Milton Ley, runs at right angles to the viaduct and then across the path of the old track on the Gatehead side and runs up to the Thorntoun and Gatehead collieries.

The 1898–1904 OS map shows a mineral line still running to Fairlie Colliery (Pit No.3), but the mineral lines to the Thorntoun and Gatehead collieries have been lifted. The position of the river crossing and a realignment of the route of the railway through Cockhill farm shows that the old wooden bridge has been abandoned and a new bridge built (opened in 1865) slightly further up river.

The 1911 OS map marks the trackbed alignment of the first and second bridges, whilst the 1860 mineral line to Thorntoun and Gatehead collieries is now shown as a footpath. Fairlie Colliery (Pit No.3) is still active with several sidings and spoil heaps. No track or lane is as yet shown running to West Gatehead farm.

McNaught's map of 1912 shows the colliery siding and indicates the access over the old viaduct to West Gatehead. It is likely that this access across Laigh Milton viaduct to the colliery allowed some coal to be taken off the site by road and allowed workers to get to and from the colliery.

The 1921–28 OS map shows the area as Laigh Milton for the first time. The old ashlar viaduct is still clearly shown as part of the farm track to Cockhill farm from West Gatehead. No sign of the realignment of the railway or the old wooden viaduct are indicated and a saw mill is now marked, possibly the cause of the need for the extra definition of the name of the site.

Cockhill and West Gatehead farms were probably part of the Pollok-Morris's Craig Estate in 1921–28, but Craig House was later sold to Glasgow Corporation as a 'respite home' for mainly Glaswegian children, and many of the farms sold off. Less access by farm traffic was therefore required across the old viaduct, which was past its centenary by this time, out of railway use, and presumably left to care for itself since abandonment. The result was that the viaduct ceased to be used by wheeled vehicles, allowing vegetation to take over, although the well-worn path present prior to the restoration showed that intrepid pedestrians still risked the crossing.

The 1985 1:25000 OS map shows the inter-farm route as still intact; the saw mill is not marked; and Laigh Milton mill had become a public house. The embankments of the old railway line that ran up to the old wooden viaduct are however shown here.