Caledonian Railway Footbridges

[tony brenchley]

During a conversation with a fellow researcher the subject of footbridges came up. This is somet6hing I don't know a lot about myself. Can anybody help with the following:

1. Did the CR cast their own footbridge parts at St Rollox or buy them in from a foundry elsewhere?
2. Were they sent out as a kit of parts for assembly on site?
3. Did the district engineers department assemble them or was there a special team that dealt with footbridges throughout the system?
4. More specifically did the CR provide footbridges for the Dundee and Arbroath Joint Railway at any time?
5. Does anybody have any information about the footbridge at Monifeith? Like most places the original wooden footbridge was replaced by a cast iron structure.

Tony B

[dunalastairv]

Hello Tony, good to hear from you,

I can add one small snippet for your queries: I've recently purchased an oval, cast-iron item, said to be a maker's plate from a C.R. footbridge. It's 10 1/2" x 4 1/2" and reads "P. & W. Maclellan Limited, Clutha Works, Glasgow, 1918". Maclellan's were still making footbridges for B.R. at the time of the 'Blue Train' electrifications; indeed there may still be the odd bridge with one of their plates extant.

Best wishes, Michael.

[David Blevins]

Enclosed are two photographs of the Footbridge at Hartwood Station, on the Shotts Line between Glasgow Central and Edinburgh.
The Cast Plate of the Builders stated A & W Smith & Co.
Engineers
GLASGOW 1887

It was taken away back in July, 1974 escaping from a Boring Office Job at Lunchtime and exploring Caley Lines in Lanarkshire for Fun.

David Blevins.

[John Paton]

Tony,

Here is a photo of the Monifeith bridge.

Best wishes,

John

[tony brenchley]

Thanks John. That's great. Tony

[dunalastairv]

Hello Tony,

Another late one for you: I've just purchased a razor-sharp picture of Addiewell Station which is so clear you can read the maker's name on the plate in the middle of the footbridge. It says "Clayton & Arrol, Engineers, Edinburgh", with a date of either 1882 or 1886. This seems to prove the Caley purchased footbridges constructed by a number of different suppliers.

All the best, Michael.

[dunalastairv]

Correction to my previous post: having made further scans of this picture, my reading of the maker's plate was wrong. It actually reads "Oliver & Arrol, Makers, Edinburgh, 1882", not as I originally said. Sorry.