Baddengorm Burn Viaduct

Location type

Bridge

Name and dates

Baddengorm Burn Viaduct (1897-)

Opened on the Inverness and Aviemore Direct Railway (Highland Railway).

Description

This is a 26ft single track bridge with mass concrete abutments over the Baddengorm Burn (Allt nan Ceatharnach) north of Carrbridge station and the Dulnain Viaduct [Carrbridge]. The original bridge here was a 15ft arch.

In 1914 the Baddengorm Burn was in spate and the left side of the railway bridge collapsed while a six coach northbound train passed over it. The fourth coach fell into the stream's bed and was destroyed with the roof and one side ripped away. Five passengers died and four survived.

The engine, tender, a horse box and two coaches had crossed successfully, although the driver and fireman felt some movement. Shortly after the accident the right side of the bridge collapsed and the north embankment gave way and as a result the third coach fell onto its left side. The fifth coach ended up with its leading end in the stream and rear up on the embankment.

In evidence Alexander Newlands, engineer in chief of the Highland Railway, described that a vortex, created by the volume of water, eroded the earth behind the bridge's wing wall. The force of the floodwater was sufficient to carry a 7 to 8 ton portion of the bridge 200 to 300 yards downstream. He further described that the road bridge on the Carrbridge-Inverness road about 3/4 of a mile upstream was also destroyed.

The new bridge was built rapidly by Robert McAlpine ('Concrete Bob') known for his work elsewhere such as the Glenfinnan Viaduct.

Tags

Viaduct accident bridge wash out Baddengorm Burn

Aliases

Baddengorm Burn Bridge

External links

NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map

Chronology Dates

18/06/1914Inverness and Aviemore Direct Railway (Highland Railway)
Heavy rainfall causes a bridge washout of the Baddengorm Burn Viaduct (north of Carrbridge). As a result a train crashes down into the riverbed with the loss of life of five passengers.