Craigmore Viaduct

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

This viaduct carries the main Belfast – Dublin double-track railway over the Camlough River valley.

Comprises 18 semicircular arches running across the valley in a gentle curve. Each arch is 18.3m (60ft) in span, and from 21.3 - 42.7m (70 - 140ft) in height above the ground (but at a constant crown height).

Material is rock-faced granodiorite ashlar on the abutments, piers, spandrels and soffits; the blocks are laid randomly to the wing walls. The slender piers have a slight two-way batter and tooled arrises. They are surmounted by finely-dressed granite imposts. The voussoirs to each arch are of rusticated vee-jointed blocks. Two projecting courses of finely dressed stone run across above crown level, with a shallow blocking course above. The line of the lower string course continues as coping on the abutment wings which curve around and down to finish in capped square piers. Between the wing and first arch at each end is a shallow projecting pier.

The Camlough River runs through the sixth arch from the south end. The fourth, fifth and sixth arches from this end retain projecting stones just below spring level on which the arch falsework was positioned. The viaduct also crosses the line of a former millrace to Millvale cornmill, and the Bessbrook – Newry Tramway (1885-1948).

Historical information

Built 1851-2 by Belfast & District Railway Company to designs by its chief engineer, Sir John Macneill. Construction by William Dargan. Costing about £50,000, this was the last major construction on the Belfast- Dublin line. Its completion enabled through running of trains.

Secondary Source:
1. W.A. Mc Cutcheon, 'Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland' (Belfast 1980).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
F. Structural System
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

The scale of this structure, coupled with its open location, elegant design, subtle detailing and high standard of construction make it the one of most impressive railway viaducts in Ireland, second only to the Boyne Viaduct. Its association with Macneill and Dargan gives it added interest.