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Summary

Description

Orr, Watt & Co Ltd, 1914 for Peeblesshire County Council. 4-span bridge of painted steel truss construction with heavy steel rivets on ashlar piers and cutwaters; droved ashlar wing walls.

E AND W ELEVATIONS: to far left and right, pair of curved wing walls with segmental coping and terminating in slightly higher squared piers with chamfered caps (walls also support outer spans of bridge). Main bridge comprising 4 main spans with bowed trusses: each span subdivided into 12 sections, the outer 4 sections each having one diagonal riveted support running toward the centre, the central 4 sections each having 2 riveted supports forming a diagonal cross for strength; 5 triangular supports projecting from inner uprights of each span providing extra strength. Outer spans supported on pair of circular masonry piers; centre of bridge supported by rectangular masonry pier resting on diamond cutwater. Manufacturer's shield shaped plaques sited at various points of the bridge reading ORR, WATT & CO Ltd. 1914. MOTHERWELL.

Statement of Special Interest

The bridge was paid for by Peeblesshire County Council and was constructed to replace the smaller footbridge linking the railway station (to the south of the Tweed) with the main village to the north of the Tweed. This new bridge was something of a revolution in Walkerburn as it carried not only foot passengers but also vehicles. This meant a journey with a horse and cart or motor vehicle did not have to go via Innerleithen (where there was a bridge) or over the Bold Ford, which was sometimes impassable due to flooding of the Tweed. The building of the village had never really passed to the south bank of the river, with the only reason to go across being to access the farms sited there (such as West Bold and Juniperbank) or to reach the road from Elibank to Innerleithen and Traquair. In 1866, however, the Edinburgh and Peebles Railway extended from Innerleithen to Galashiels and a railway station was built to serve Walkerburn, on the S bank of the river. Passengers for the new station had to be ferried across for a year until a new footbridge was built in 1867. This bridge remained in place until the council paid for the Orr, Watt and Co Ltd bridge in 1914 (The company were specialists in the manufacture of steel bridges). Listed as a good example of a 4-span steel bridge by a well-known Scottish company.

References

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