Randalstown Viaduct: From Railway to Green Haven
In the heart of Randalstown, County Antrim, a remarkable transformation has taken place. The imposing eight-arched railway viaduct, designed by the famed architect Sir Charles Lanyon and built by engineer William Dargan in the 1850s, has been revitalised into a beautiful urban green space. This is an example of an historical structure being reclaimed from its industrial past and potential decay or ruin, to become something positive for current and future communities. The viaduct, spanning the River Maine, carried its last trains in the 1950s, after which the tracks were lifted and a linking bridge over the main road removed. However, community efforts starting in the 1990s breathed new life into the structure, replacing the road bridge and clearing the overgrown viaduct to become a crucial part of a footpath and cycleway linking two ends of the town. During the 2020s, it has been further transformed into a community garden, offering a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of da...