Back to BlogThe Movie Star Bridge

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If you are a fan of the big screen you may have seen this before. The Glenfinnan Viaduct is located at the top of Loch Shiel and is the longest concrete railway bridge in Scotland.  It’s situated on the West Highland line connecting Fort William and Mallaig.

History

Construction of the viaduct began in January 1897, and the line opened on the 1st of April 1901. The massive civil engineering project was taken on by contractors Robert McAlpine & Sons and costs £18,904, around £21,000,00.00 now. The viaduct is built from mass concrete, has 21 semicircular spans, and crosses over the River Finnan at a height of 100 feet.

Movie Appearance

The viaduct has had many staring roles in TV series and Films, most famously appearing in the Harry Potter film franchise.  It is the line that carries the Hogwarts express from platform nine and three quarters in King’s Cross station to Hogsmeade station where the students disembark for Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry.

In 2007 the Bank of Scotland issued a series of notes depicting different Scottish bridges, as examples of Scottish engineering. The Glenfinnan Viaduct is on the back of the ten pound note.

Glenfinnan is situated in one of the most beautiful parts of the Scottish Highlands with scenery and nature that would take your breath away, if you ever find yourself in Scotland – it is well worth taking the time to visit The Movie Star Bridge.

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