Logierait bridge
Logierait bridge
Opened in 1865 by the Inverness & Perth Junction Railway, the bridge at Logierait – often known as Tay Viaduct – comprises two 137-foot spans over the river, each formed of two lattice girders. These weigh a little over 100 tonnes a piece and gave the bridge a working load of 88 tonnes. It features side spans at both ends.
Decorative towers stand at the entrances to the main section of deck, fashioned from cast iron which was manufactured in Inverness and brought by train for assembly on site. The bridge was one of 23 on the 9-mile branch to Aberfeldy from nearby Balluinluig where a junction was made with the main Perth-Inverness line.
The route was closed in 1964 and, three years later, ownership passed to the Kinnaird Estate. It provided a vital link between communities on opposite sides of the river but concerns over its condition prompted attempts to close it in 1991. The community formed the Logierait Bridge Company to secure its future and financed an inspection which found the structure fundamentally sound. A programme of repair work was recommended and, by 2001, £450,000 had been raised for this purpose, allowing it to be reopened.
The trackbed eastwards to the A9 is now used for a road connection. The construction work necessitated the demolition of a similar bridge over the Tummel, prompting the upgrading of Logierait bridge’s listing from Grade B to Grade A.
March 2011