Conservation of Laigh Milton Viaduct, Ayrshire

This paper is about an ICE-initiated project to conserve Laigh Milton viaduct in Scotland, the world's oldest surviving public railway viaduct. Between 1992-96, the project's directors raised £1.065 million, bought the viaduct and completed the necessary work within budget on a design-and-build basis. This paper covers all aspects of the project, from initial fund raising and planning to site investigation by radar scanning and structural refurbishment. It will serve as a useful case study for anyone involved in the increasing number of projects now planned and underway to conserve the world's civil engineering heritage.