City Union Bridge

City Union Railway Bridge. Glasgow, Scotland.

The City Union Bridge is a bridge on the River Clyde in Scotland. It was opened in 1899.[1] It was once a busy main route in and out of St Enoch Station but that terminus closed in 1966 and was demolished in 1977, and since then the bridge is part of a seldom-used freight-only line.

The City of Glasgow Union Railway built the first railway bridge over the River Clyde in the City of Glasgow, opened in 1870. It consisted of twin-lattice parallel iron girders in seven spans; the engineers were John Fowler and J F Blair, and the contractor was Thomas Brassey & co. Deep foundations to the piers required—up to 100 feet (30 m)—and cylinder caissons were lowered to firm rock by the use of a grab type excavator working within; the excavated face was kept under water.

In 1898 the bridge was reconstructed and widened for quadruple track; compressed air excavation for 13-foot (4 m) diameter steel piers were used. The structure consists of two variable depth continuous girders. The visible spandrel braced arches are not primary structural members. There is a decorative cast-iron cornice and parapet, and towers and half turrets in red sandstone. The work cost £67,970.[2] It is a listed building, category B.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Glasgow City Council: City Union Railway Bridge
  2. ↑ Roland Paxton and Jim Shipway, Civil Engineering Heritage: Scotland, Lowlands and Borders, Thomas Telford Limited, London, 2008, ISBN 978 0 7277 3487 7
  3. ↑ Historic Scotland, Listed Buildings, reference 44040

Coordinates: 55°51′12″N 4°14′57″W / 55.8532°N 4.2493°W / 55.8532; -4.2493


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