ABBEY BRIDGE Paisley, Scotland 1872-3 NS485 638
Two span wrought iron with cast iron facing ornamental panels and railings. Semi-circular cut-waters extended up to support lamp standards
ABERCHALDER BRIDGE Invernesshire HEW 888 NH 337 036
By James Dredge ABLOUR BRIDGE at Carron, Banffshire Scotland 1863 NJ263 421
One arch span, three rib, cast iron with abutments of ashlar. Each rib was cast in seven parts. X bracing in spandrels. Last cast-iron bridge to carry railway traffic in Scotland.
*ABINGTON BRIDGE near Limerick, Ireland 1818
Cast by J.Doyle
ALBERT BRIDGE Glascow Scotland 1870-71 NS584 644
Made by Bell and Miller. Three span arch bridge with six wrought iron and two cast iron ribs per span. Spandrals and cast iron parapets have gothic tracery and coats of arms.
*AUCHINDREAN BRIDGE nr. Ullapool Scotland ca 1865 NH 196 805
Probably designed by Sir John Fowler. Fish shaped iron truss bridge of 102’6” spanning the River Bloom opposite the entrance to Leal Forest Garden. The truss sits on granite abutments which extend into corbelled pillars. The roadway is hung from vertical lattice girders.
BALLCORACH BRIDGE Nr Tomintoul, Scotland late 19th c NJ 155 265
Spanning the River Avon, engineer unknown, locally called the Silver Bridge. Iron bowed truss bridge on ashlar abutments. A pair of transverse girders in the center extend to form stabilizers. The railings extend beyond the bridge and finish in fence-like posts.
BALLATER BRIDGE Polhollick, Ballater, Aberdeenshire Scotland 1892 NO343 966
Presented to Queen Victoria by Mr. Alexander Gordon. Light truss suspension bridge with lattice-work pylons. Steel wire main cables and suspenders. James Abernethy & Co. builders
BALMORAL BRIDGE Balmoral, Scotland 1854-7 NO 263 949
Commissioned of Brunel by Prince Albert for new approach road to castle. Wrought iron plate girder spanning 129’, 13’ wide roadbed. Girders have simple diamond pattern with the rivets and plates forming a pattern in the design. The granite abutments are set on rocks. Simple, bold, plain design was not to Queen Victoria’s taste. Brunel says he aimed for a design of “perfect simplicity”, and Gillian Nelson observes “It has a spare functionalism and solid plainness that belongs more to our century than the last.” (Highland Bridges, Nelson p. 105)
BELL PLACE FOOT BRIDGE Edinburgh,Scotland Mid 19th c. NT248 750
Unusual looking bridge with riveted-plate span suppored by cast iron columns with rusticated wood railings. CALEDON ESTATE BR Northern Ireland 1845 James Dredge HEW 1856
This bridge on the Caledon Estate is still in daily use over the River Blackwater. It is know locally as 'The White Bridge' after a restoration and paint job. (Information and photos from Frank Robinson)
CALEDONIAN CANAL Scotland 1822 Thomas Telford NN162 826
CAMBUS O’MAY FOOTBRIDGE 1905 Aberdeensh. Scotland NO421 977
Suspension footbridge crossing the Dee River at Cambus o’May which was presented by Mr. Alexander Gordon of Southwood , Hildenborough, Kent. An airy, lattice truss with lattice girder pylons with ball finials. See also a similar bridge also given to the community by Mr. Gordon: Ballater Bridge at Polhollick
*CLYDE STREET FOOTBRIDGE EARLY 1800’s Glasgow, Scotland
A very grand suspension footbridge crossing the Clyde River in Glasgow. Stone triumphal arches with Doric columns act as the towers supporting the wrought iron bar chains.
*CRAIGELLACHIE BRIDGE 1812-14 Lower Spey River, Scotland Thomas Telford NJ285 452
This is the oldest surviving iron bridge in Scotland. In contrast to his many bold stone and masonry bridges in the North, Teleford here took full advantage of the strength of iron to design a bridge that floats in air for 150 feet between two castellated tower abutments. The four cast iron ribs were made in Wales by William Hazeldine and brought to the site by water: over Telford’s Pontcysyllte canal aqueduct and then by sea and up the Spey.
*CRATHIE BRIDGE 1856 Crathie, Aberdeensh. Scotland Brunel NO262 941
This may be the first truss and girder road bridge. It is a single span wrought iron pierced plate girder bridge on the approach road to Balmoral Castle. (See Brunel’s Balmoral Bridge of 1854)
*CRATHIE SUSPENSION BRIDGE 1834 Crathie, Aberdeensh. NO267 943
This suspension bridge carries the road across the Upper Dee River which was at the time the main approach road to Balmoral Castle. The chain is of paired flat links suspended from a pair of tapering wrought iron pylons linked by a flat arch with decorative open circles. From each pylon four diagonal rods fan out to support the deck. It was built by John Justice Jr. and Co of Dundee.
CORRIESCHALLOCH SUSPENSION FOOT BRIDGE 1867 Sir John Fowler Corrieschalloch Gorge, Scotland NH 203 780
This bridge spans the 100 foot wide gorge with the cables suspended from abutments in the cliff side. The pylons are two cast iron tubes forming an “A” at right angles to the bridge length from whose apex the cables are hung. Gillian Nelson: “The wire rope cables come up at their anchorage points at an angle to the pylons and then, as they dip to deck level, curve inward and the suspension rods are angled out to fit. It is this combination of diagonals on a dipping curve, along with the solidity and crispness of the pylons and the triangular truss carrying the deck, that gives this bridge its markedly buoyant looks.” (Highland Bridges, Gillian Nelson p 179)
DALKEITH RR BRIDGE Mid 19th c NT327 670 (not visited)
Unusual, slightly curved slender riveted wrought iron plate girders and massive cast iron parapets.
DEMARMOCK RR BRIDGE 1858 NS613 625 (not visited)
Wought iron arched RR bridge by George Graham
DUMFRIES SUSPENSION FOOT BRIDGE 1875 Dumfries, Scotland NX973 757
Light lattice truss span wih flat link chains and iron rod suspenders. Pylons of cast iron Doric columns with entablatures.
DURRES BRIDGE 1862 NO739 958
Built by John Willet, Aberdeen A two span iron lattice girder bridge; an early example.
DRYMAN BRIDGE mid 19th c Kelty Water NS535 963
Curious cast iron truss sides with circular section to a bottom member, cross members are fastened to the side by wrought iron ties
CHAPEL OF GAIOCH BRIDGE mid 19th c. Inveramsay mid 19th c. NJ741 246
A single span , three rib iron arched bridge with a parapet of cast iron plates
*GENERAL’S WELL FOOT BRIDGE 1853 Inverness, Ness Island NH661 436
Iron chains support a wood deck which is 97 feet long which is also of cantilever design as was developed by James Dredge of Bath. There was originally a twin on the far bank called the Island Bank Road Bridge. Both bridges fell down in 1849. This one was re-erected in the Ness Island park. Dredge also designed a much bigger version of this type of bridge, the Oich Suspension Bridge, which is now in ruins.
Dredge’s design is basically a cantilever bridge with the decking stabilized by the suspension rods from the cables. Each rod is linked into the deck at an angle and as one goes along the bridge that ribbon of rods lessons as each descends to the deck level from its companions.
GLENARB BRIDGE 1844 Northern Ireland James Dredge HEW 1857
This footbridge over the River Blackwater was originally built on the Caledon Estate but was in derelict condition when it was completely restored about 1985 and moved to the village a mile away 'on loan'. The piers and columns are new and cast iron was also used to replace broken or missing parts.
The local Council subsequently created a small park around it on both sides of the River Blackwater which has been reasonably successful as a tourist attraction. (Information and photos from Frank Robinson)
GLENISLA SCHOOL BRIDGE 1824 Kirkton NO213 603
John Justice of Dundee designed this small wrought iron suspension bridge. The diagonal suspension rods are linked to the pylons and then to the bridge deck.
*GRIEG STREET BRIDGE 1881 Inverness, Scotland NH664 454
This is one of two bridges crossing the Ness designed by C.R. Manners. It is a suspension bridge with tapered lattice-work pylons supporting the cables which are anchored in the abutment walls of the supporting piers. The combination of the decided camber of the decking, the pointed plylons repeating the triangular church steeple behind them and the openness of the truss construction make this a very pleasing bridge.