Glasgow, Great Western Road, Great Western Bridge

NS56NE 1035 57464 66972

For first and second bridges at this location, see NS56NE 4891 and NS56NE 4892 respectively.

Great Western Road Bridge [NAT]

OS 1:1250 map, 1967.

Kelvin Bridge, Great Western Road: opened 29 September 1891. An interesting cast-iron arch bridge, with two main spans over the Kelvin and a smaller span on each side. The eastern approach span crosses South Woodside Road, to which it is linked by a stairway. The main spans have nine ribs each, the outer ones having the spandrels filled with Gothic tracery and decorated with the arms of Glasgow, while the subsidiary arches have six ribs each.

This bridge replaced a three-arch stone high-level bridge (opened in 1840), which was itself a replacement of a three-arch low level bridge; both survived until the construction of the new bridge.

J R Hume 1974.

Great Western Bridge, 1889-91. Engineer Bell & Miller; contractor Morrison & Mason; iron and steel by Wm. Arrol & Co. A classic of late Victorian engineering, it can be crossed almost unnoticed because its road is level with the streets at both ends, but it is very impressive from the riverside. It is a scaled-up version of the earlier Partick Bridge [NS56NE 1080] by the same engineers, comprising two large cast-iron arches of four-centred profile, each 27.7m (91ft) span and of nine parallel ribs, a 9.4m (31ft) cast-iron arch at each end, and short approaches faced with sandstone. The smoothly-moulded arch segments, spandrel members and bracing units, with three-dimensional bolted connections are vintage structural cast iron. Like Partick Bridge, the spandrels are clad with fascias of decorative cast iron bearing the arms of Glasgow. Parapet mainly of cast iron, but granite to crown the big semi-octagonal turrets of polished red granite on the faces of the bridge over the piers. The road is laid on riveted steel girders (from the firm which just finished building the world's greatest steel bridge across the Forth) and brick jack-arches.

E Williamson, A Riches and M Higgs 1990.

The second bridge (NS56NE 4892) at Great Western Road became a victim of its own success as the increased traffic resulting from the development of Hillhead and Kelvinside showed it to be inadequate, particularly after the introduction of trams. In 1887, only 47 years after its construction, its replacement was recommended by Messrs Bell and Miller, engineers.

The foundation stone of the Third [and present] bridge was laid by Bailie Thomas Cumming on 9 April 1890. The structure was completed on 29 September 1891 when the Lord Provost laid the last cornerstone of the western abutment, and Miss Elizabeth Tennent Fleming of Beaconsfield, Kelvinside, cut the ribbon to open the bridge. The engineers were Bell and Miller, and the contractors Morrison and Mason. The bridge cost about £52,000 to build, and both its predecessors were destroyed during its construction.

The present bridge is a classic Victorian cast-iron arch structure 60ft [18.3m] wide, with two main spans over the Kelvin and a smaller span on each side. The Arms of Glasgow and Lanarkshire and the Crest of Hillhead adorn the spandrels and inner parapets. Also on the parapets are impressive iron light fittings which have only recently been restored to their original condition.

D Boyce 1996.

This bridge carries Great Western Road (which here forms the A82) across the River Kelvin, which here forms the boundary between the parishes of Govan (to the W) and Glasgow (to the E).

The location cited defines the centre of the structure. The available map evidence indicates that it extends from NS c. 57448 66697 to NS c. 57367 66952.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 5 December 2005.

NMRS NOTES

Glasgow, Great Western Road Bridge.

Great Western Road bridge at one point co-incided with the existance of the Old Woodside Bridge, than ran beneath it at an angle. Old Woodside Bridge is depicted on 6-inch 1st edition OS map (1859), but is now demolished.

(Undated) information in NMRS.