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The Great Britain Guide

Viewpoints · Central Scotland

Leaderfoot Viaduct

Free admission

Leaderfoot Viaduct is a viewpoint in the United Kingdom.

Stepping stone inscription - geograph.org.uk - 587604

Walter Baxter — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
20 min–45 min
Best time of year
Clear days year-round
Nearest railway station
Tweedbank · 5.2 km
  • Free entry
  • Dog-friendly

About

Leaderfoot Viaduct is a named viewpoint in central Scotland, marked on Ordnance Survey maps for its outlook. It sits within the Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk parliamentary constituency. The nearest railway station is Tweedbank, about 5.2 km away. Postcode area TD6.

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From the Wikipedia article

The Leaderfoot Viaduct, also known as the Drygrange Viaduct, is a railway viaduct over the River Tweed near Melrose in the Scottish Borders.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

The viaduct was opened on 16 November 1863 to carry the Berwickshire Railway, which connected Reston with St Boswells, via Duns and Greenlaw. The engineers of the railway were Charles Jopp and Wylie & Peddie. The railway was severely damaged by flooding during August 1948, with 7 bridges on the line failing, and the line closed to passenger traffic on 13 August 1948. Freight trains continued to run across the viaduct as far as Greenlaw until 19 July 1965. In 1981, the poor condition of the viaduct meant that it was due to be demolished. It was upgraded from Category B to A listing in 1986. Historic Scotland took over control of the viaduct from British Rail in 1996.

Architecture

at the Roman site of Trimontium]] The viaduct stands 126 ft from the floor of the river valley. It is near to the Roman settlement of Trimontium, which is to the south-west of the viaduct. To the east of the viaduct are the Drygrange Old Bridge, a road bridge dating from 1776, and its modern successor. This group of three bridges is sometimes known as Tripontium. To the east of the viaduct, the River Leader flows into the Tweed from the north.

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
55.6033, -2.6760
Postcode
TD6 9DQ
Parliamentary constituency
Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Nearest railway station
Tweedbank5.2 km
Opening
16 November 1863

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Leaderfoot Viaduct?
Leaderfoot Viaduct is in central Scotland, United Kingdom (postcode TD6 9DQ).
Who owns Leaderfoot Viaduct?
Leaderfoot Viaduct is owned by | maint =.
Is Leaderfoot Viaduct free to visit?
Yes, Leaderfoot Viaduct is free to enter.
How do I get to Leaderfoot Viaduct?
The nearest railway station is Tweedbank, about 5.2 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode TD6 9DQ.