Laigh Milton Viaduct - Laigh Milton Viaduct

Laigh Milton Viaduct

The stone viaduct was part of the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway. It has four arches with sandstone ashlar facings and rounded cutwaters: these were later extended to form semi-circular buttresses. The railway carried steam locomotives nine years before the Stockton and Darlington Railway and is believed to be the first passenger steam railway in the world. The viaduct, built in 1811, is the oldest surviving railway viaduct in Scotland, and one of the oldest in the world: therefore having worldwide significance in industrial archaeology. The Causey Arch built on the Tanfield Waggonway in County Durham in 1725 is claimed to be the oldest railway bridge in the World.

The Kilmarnock and Troon Railway was built by William Bentinck, Duke of Portland, to convey coal from pits to the west of Kilmarnock to Troon Harbour. It was the first line in Scotland to be authorised by an Act of Parliament and the first in Scotland on which a locomotive was used. The official opening took place on 6 July 1812. It was built using cast iron plate rails with an inner flange.

There have been three bridges in this general area: furthest north or upstream from Laigh Milton mill the 1811 to 1846 bridge, the approaches to the 1846 to 1865 timber viaduct and furthest south, closer to Gatehead, the present railway viaduct.