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Five great spans cross the Conon on a sharp angle, using staggered narrow arches to solve one of the Highland railway’s most demanding masonry problems.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1860–1862
- Architect / designer
- Joseph Mitchell; Deakin & Company contractors
- Type
- Sharply skewed five-span masonry railway viaduct
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB14903)
- OS grid reference
- NH 53995 55724
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
The stone viaduct is sharply skewed to the river. Each broad span is constructed as a set of staggered narrow arches, allowing the masonry courses to handle the diagonal crossing; a plaque on the north side records patrons and construction details.
Its story
A foundation stone was laid in 1860, and the bridge opened with the Inverness and Ross-shire Railway on 11 June 1862. Joseph Mitchell considered its skew arches exceptionally ambitious, and the line remains active.
Why it is included
Category B listing protects a major work of railway engineering whose unusual arch construction and scale are central to Conon Bridge’s identity.
What to notice
- The diagonal relationship between track and river.
- Staggered narrow arches composing each large span.
- The inscribed plaque on the north side, viewed only from a safe public position.
Reading the surroundings
Stay on public routes and outside all railway land. Riverbanks may be unstable or flooded, and no attempt should be made to inspect the arches closely.
Timeline
- November 1860 A foundation stone marked the start of the principal bridge works.
- 11 June 1862 The railway section and its Conon viaduct opened to traffic.
- 2013 Passenger services again stopped at Conon Bridge after the station reopened.
- Present The viaduct remains part of an operational Highland railway corridor.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
Historic sources vary in abbreviated descriptions of the number of sub-arches; the record follows the more detailed Highland HER account while avoiding a current-condition claim.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Cononbridge Railway Bridge, LB14903 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Highland HER: Railway Bridge, Conon Bridge — Construction history, dimensions, engineering method and continuing railway use.
- ScotRail: Conon Bridge Station — Current operation of passenger services on the railway corridor.
Location
OS grid reference NH 53995 55724 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; an additional source confirms the Place relationship, history or current identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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