Tow Railway Viaduct, Fairhill Street, Ballycastle, Co Antrim

A robust railway viaduct of the late 19th century, this is a good example of a small, four-arch structure built on a slight curve within the Tow valley, making a vigorous visual statement. The viaduct crosses the River Tow, with the river passing under the second arch from the south. It is constructed from coursed basalt with chamfered, tooled margins and rockfaced voissoirs. The springing line of the arches begins approximately 4 metres high, and the viaduct is 36 metres long, with 3½ metres between parapets. A subtle lengthwise curve and weathered sandstone coping are also present. The soffit of the arches is in coursed rubble. Embankments are formed on either side of the viaduct.

The viaduct was built as part of the Ballymoney to Ballycastle narrow gauge railway, which received Royal Assent on 22 July 1875, with a gauge of 3 feet. Construction of the railway began in January 1879, and traffic commenced on 18th October 1880. Due to financial difficulties, the original contract, awarded to Messrs Connor and Manisty, was transferred to Messrs Butter & Fry. Work on the viaduct likely began in 1879 and was probably completed around mid-1880 to facilitate the railway’s progress. The engineers and architects were J E McKinnon and John Lanyon, son of Sir Charles Lanyon. The viaduct is of industrial archaeological interest and is located within a conservation area.