Tomatin Bridge

Designed by Sir Owen Williams in collaboration with architects Sir J. W. Simpson and Maxwell Ayrton and built from 1924–26 by Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons.

R Paxton and J Shipway, 2007.

Findhorn Bridge, Tomatin

Historic Engineering Works no. HEW 1674

In the 1920s the road from Perth north to Inverness, subsequently the A9, was improved and widened, and a number of substantial bridges were constructed; Spey Bridge, Newtonmore and this bridge over the Findhorn,

south of Tomatin (4-44), being the largest. Both were designed by Sir Owen Williams in collaboration with architects Sir J. W. Simpson and Maxwell Ayrton and built from 1924–26 by Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons.

Findhorn Bridge, constructed of reinforced concrete, has twin spans of 98 ft with a roadway 30 ft wide that is carried on the lower booms of 18 ft deep parallel-sided girders somewhat of the Vierendeel type each pierced

with semi-hexagon al openings. This unusual design allows maximum waterway clearance below the spans during floods. The top booms of the girders, although appearing continuous, are broken over the central

support and at the abutments the girders rest on flexible columns permitting horizontal movement. The project formed part of a 78-mile improvement of the Great North Road from near Blair Atholl to Inverness from 1925–28; the most extensive since Telford’s time. These

works, including widening the carriageway from 12 ft to 18 ft using Telford’s hand-pitched foundation, and 61 bridges, were conducted under the direction of R. Bruce, chief engineer, cost £654 476. The works, paid for by government, were primarily undertaken to relieve unemployment, and also included a new road via Rannoch Moor and Glencoe (see Paxton, R and Shipway, J (2007), Civil Engineering Heritage Scotland – Lowlands and Borders, (item 5-39)).

R Paxton and J Shipway, 2007.

Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Highlands and Islands' with kind permission from Thomas Telford Publishers.