City Union Railway Bridge (Glasgow)
Also known as Clyde Viaduct, Union Railway, and St Enoch Railway Bridge.
Built across the Clyde in 1898-1902 (or 1897-9) for the extended (now demolished) St. Enoch Railway Station, Glasgow, replacing the original bridge constructed 1864-7 for the City of Glasgow Union Railway. Five steel arches over the river are supported by pairs of piers. The piers are constructed from granite blocks seated on concrete-filled steel cylinders sunk into the river bed. Lattice girder spans carry the tracks over roads adjacent to the river. The presence of the castellated intermediate turrets on the piers gives the impression of a series of separate arches, but in fact the main arched girders are interconnected to provide continuous girders across the river span. These girders are fixed to the two central pairs of piers, with expansion joints at the outboard supports. The inner arch ribs are of relatively lightweight construction.
The Engineer was William Melville. Morrison and Mason were the contractors for the foundations and masonry, and Sir William Arrol and Co for steelwork. The bridge has a complex structure dictated by the need to construct it while keeping the old bridge in use. The bridge has remained in service for an avoiding line. See CANMORE website for the source of the foregoing and much more information, including a location map[1].
William Melville wrote an account of the construction of the present bridge.[2]. See selection of drawings.