Connel Bridge, Scotland

Built as a railway crossing over Loch Etive in Western Scotland, the Connel Bridge was opened in August 1903 by the Callander and Oban Railway at a cost of £43,000 to carry the Ballachulish Branch Line. In 1914 the bridge was extended by adding a roadway, which is how it remained until the railway line was closed in 1966. When the bridge was used by motor vehicles and the railway, trains had priority and the roadway was closed to road traffic whilst the trains passed over. Despite the railway being removed the bridge is still only used by single lane traffic, with traffic lights enforcing this.

Connel Bridge is cantilever in design and has a span of 524ft, it has a vehicle hight restriction of 14ft. The Falls of Lora are found near to the bridge and because of the strong tidal flow of these the bridge was designed the way it was built. Oban airport can be found just to the north of the bridge which carries the A828 road. www.colingreenphotography.co.uk