Horses & Viaducts
260 views · Published 27 July 2014 · 11:33 · Indexed 11 October 2026
Channel: Simon Douglas · 2014 · Comedy
In this video, I return to the Scottish Borders in order to look at a multitude of viaducts and a short tunnel. First off, I make a return to the infamous Esheils Tunnel. If you remember our last video from the Borders, you'll have noted how much Andrew hates this place. Thanks to archive footage, you'll be able to relive Andrew's horrifying experience inside one of Scotland's shortest tunnels. http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/tunnels/gallery/eshiels.html Next up is the Haughhead Viaduct near Innerleithen. It's almost double the length of the Eshiels Tunnel and although the viaduct looks good, they've added some dodgy wooden fences which detract from the overall structure. If you happen to miss the Haughhead Viaduct, there's a near identical one at Cardrona, called the Horsburgh Viaduct. They're both pretty much the same. http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/bridges/gallery/haughhead.html I made a quick stop at Yair Bridge, which carries the A707 over the River Tweed and it happens to be far more interesting than you might imagine. It also benefits from residing in a beautiful location. We didn't spend more than a few minutes here but if I lived closer, I'm sure it'd be one of those places I visit a lot. http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/54446/details/yair+bridge/ When it came to lunch time, we stopped by Barns Viaduct which is currently undergoing repair works, which scuppered my plans to explore it and climb up to the top. It's only four arches in length but it happens to be fairly tall and a bit of a hidden gem. http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/55164/digital_images/stobs+barns+viaduct/ The final stop of the day was the Shankend Viaduct, which is 15 arches in length (not 14 as I wrongly state in the video). Perhaps I should start writing down a few of the facts so I don't make mistakes in the future? It's the defining feature of the Waverley Line as it strikes a bold course across the bleak landscape it finds itself in. I've driven past the viaduct many times but this was the first time I'd gone for a closer look and it was a really rewarding experience as you can climb inside one of the arches. It basically makes Shankend both a viaduct and a tunnel, in an odd sort of way. http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/bridges/gallery/shankend.html
