Three long wrought-iron box spans carry the railway across the Findhorn on masonry piers and monumental end pylons.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1858
- Architect / designer
- Joseph Mitchell
- Type
- Wrought-iron box-girder railway viaduct
- Designation
- Listed building, Category A (LB8690)
- OS grid reference
- NJ 02078 58684
Architecture and continuing use
Three 150-foot iron box spans rest on masonry piers, with shorter arched plate-girder connections at the ends. Stone pylons and cast-iron plaques give civic presence to an otherwise functional railway structure.
Its story
Joseph Mitchell designed the viaduct for the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway in 1858. Its iron superstructure and masonry supports remain part of the operational railway corridor west of Forres.
Why it is included
Category A status, early iron engineering, strong authorship and continuing transport use give the bridge national as well as local importance.
What to notice
- The depth of the box girders above the river.
- Masonry piers contrasted with the iron spans.
- Dated plaques on the terminal pylons.
Reading the surroundings
The viaduct is live railway infrastructure. View only from lawful public paths or roads, remain outside the railway boundary and never attempt trackside access.
Timeline
- 1858 Dated plaques marked completion for the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway.
- 1865 The route became part of the expanded Highland Railway network.
- 2026 Passenger and freight services continue to cross the Findhorn here.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
Current route evidence confirms an operating line; operational or engineering access is neither implied nor permitted.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Findhorn Viaduct, LB8690 — Designation category, mapped location, construction phases, fabric, authorship and architectural or historical interest.
- Network Rail: Scotland route specification — Operational route context for the Inverness–Forres–Aberdeen railway.
Location
OS grid reference NJ 02078 58684 · Location confidence: High: the statutory designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference and the current source confirms the Place relationship or present 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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