History
The viaduct was designed by Sir James Brunlees, took 3½ years to build and cost about £100,000. It had 193 spans with 2,892 tons of cast iron for the piles and 1,807 tons of wrought iron. It was first used by freight traffic on 13 September 1869, and opened to passengers on 8 August 1870. In 1875 and 1881 the viaduct was damaged by ice, and by altering sediment-carrying currents it caused nearby Port Carlisle to silt up and lose trade. In turn this resulted in the abandonment of the Port Carlisle to Carlisle railway.
The first chairman of the company was Alexander Brogden. Alexander Brogden was effectively head of John Brogden and Sons, who had already successfully promoted and completed the Ulverston and Lancaster Railway, also with James Brunlees as engineer.
This railway was absorbed by the Caledonian Railway in 1896.
By 1910 there were only three return crossings per day and a 20 mph speed limit was in force. In 1914 the railway was restricted to carrying freight only. On 1 September 1921 the viaduct was closed entirely. Coal imports from overseas had reduced the demand for the route. After it closed, the viaduct had a guard's hut and gates installed to prevent its use on Sundays by pedestrians crossing from Scotland into England, where the alcohol licensing laws were less strict.
In 1934-35 it was demolished. The section of line between Annan and Kirtlebridge remained in use until 1931. The remains of the viaduct can still be seen.
Read more about this topic: Solway Junction Railway
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