Bridge in Mountcharles, County Donegal (40847019)

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Triple-arch railway bridge, built c. 1893, carrying road over the former Donegal Town to Killybegs narrow gauge railway line. Railway lines no out of use with tracks removed (c. 1960). Three concrete segmental-headed arches having concrete lining to arch barrels; arch to the east side now infilled with rubble stone. Ground level raised to the north-east elevation. Squared and coursed mildly rock-faced rubble sandstone construction to pier abutments, spandrels and to parapets. Dressed margins to abutments; rock-faced sandstone coping over parapets. Coursed and squared rubble sandstone buttresses to either end of the bridge on the south-west elevation having rock-faced stringcourses at road deck level. Located to the south-east of Mountcharles and to the north-east of the former Mountcharles Railway Station (altered and not in survey). Storage yard adjacent to the north-east.

This former railway bridge retains its original form and character despite the closure of the line in 1960, and the infilling of the arch to the south-east end. The small arches are an interesting and rather picturesque feature, and indicate that this bridge spanned a narrow gauge railway line. The good-quality mildly rock-faced masonry (local sandstone) used in its construction is typical of Victorian railway engineering and architecture. It survives in relatively good condition, despite some alterations, which is testament to the quality of its original construction. It was originally built by the Donegal Railway Company as part of the Donegal Town to Killybegs section of the Derry (Victoria Road) to Killybegs railway line, which opened in August 1893 and closed completely on January 1st 1960. This railway bridge forms part of a group of structures associated with this former narrow gauge railway line in Mountcharles, and is an important element of the built heritage and transport history of County Donegal.

From the Buildings of Ireland (National Inventory of Architectural Heritage) record 40847019

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Photo credits

National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
Maker not stated on source page, www.tripadvisor.com.ph
P L Chadwick, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Maker not stated on source page, readymap.irish
Donegal GAA; photographer not stated, donegalgaa.ie
Maker not stated on source page, www.airbnb.ca
Maker not stated on source page, au.pinterest.com
N Chadwick, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

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