The appearance of many bridges on this scale have been altered by later alteration and engineering works. The largely unchanged appearance of the Erskine Bridge contributes to its special interest.
The Erskine Bridge was designed from and built between and It was part of a strategic and highly ambitious expansion of the new motorway network in Scotland, which had become the devolved responsibility of the Scottish Office after , and formed part of the United Kingdom's major post-war infrastructural investment in the new road and motorway networks.
An integrated road network was seen as a priority in and near Scotland's largest areas of population where the use of private cars and the need for commercial road transport was pressing. The most important scheme in the west of Scotland during this period was the opening of the M8 in , completed through Glasgow and further connecting the Greater Glasgow area to the west through to the airport at Abbotsinch, on to Greenock and then back over the Clyde at Erskine.
The infrastructure scheme for the M8 and the Clyde, which included the building of the Kingston Bridge, the Erskine Bridge and the Clyde Tunnel, were, along with the Tay Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge in the east of Scotland, the most significant projects of the time. This strategically important north-south link was part of a blueprint for the industrial revitalisation of the central belt, at a time when the Upper Clyde was still considered a major shipping channel.
Hunterston Power Station in North Ayrshire was a focal point for this industrial activity. It was agreed that a span of metres and a clearance height of 45 metres was required so that larger ships, including the Queen Elizabeth II liner then under construction at the Clydeside shipyards, could pass beneath. The Erskine Bridge was officially opened by Princess Anne in The cost on completion was Cable-stayed bridge construction, in its modern form, was pioneered in the mids.
The technology allowed spans greater than metres to be traversed without the super-structural cost associated with suspension bridges. The interest in the cable-stayed bridge type has increased steadily and it is now a common choice for medium to long road bridges.
The majority of large post-war cable-stayed road bridges use harp or fan formations, due in part to the opportunity for visual variety in the way the cables and pylons can be configured. The minimalistic mono, or single-cable, configuration is one of the lesser-used classes and has been very rarely used for large spans on the scale of Erskine Bridge. With a main span of metres, the Wye Bridge was one of the earliest anywhere in the world to use a mono cable in a single plane.
Replacement cables were later added to the Wye Bridge and the pylons were heightened in the late s as part of a strengthening programme. During construction of the Erskine Bridge, four box girder road bridges partially collapsed giving rise to concern on the reliability of this bridge type.
Following a formal inquiry, the reason for its collapse was cited as a failure in construction not in design. In , a government committee headed by Sir Alec Merrison identified the need for more stringent codes of practice and independent design checks for box-girder bridge construction.
As a result, many box girder bridges in the United Kingdom were strengthened to reflect the findings of the Merrison Report. Regardless of actual need, an eighteen month programme of strengthening works was carried out at Erskine Bridge, including reinforcement of critical box girder members and restressing the cable stays, without changing the appearance.
While road bridges are not a rare building type in Scotland, the Erskine Bridge is one of only three with a main span exceeding metres making it an important bridge-building landmark. At the time of its completion in it had the longest cable-stayed span of its type in the world Manser, p. Since then, mono cable-stayed bridge design has rarely been used for road bridges on this scale and it is therefore an unusual example of its type.
The general linear plan form of the Erskine Bridge is typical of its building type. It has a gentle curving alignment to the north and south approaches which also adds to its design interest. The slender and aerodynamic diamond-plan supporting piers were designed specifically for this bridge by W. This wind reducing measure is a significant element of the broader design, adding to the special interest of this bridge.
The Erskine Bridge is both a monumental and elegant design that has sensitively used modern materials and applied civil engineering to great aesthetic effect. It is also a substantial technical achievement within the context of the development of bridges in Scotland and the United Kingdom.
At the time of its design, the Erskine Bridge had the longest span of its bridge type in the world. It continues to play an important role, carrying over 35, vehicles every day.
The Glasgow Motorway Archive , in collaboration with Transport Scotland, is releasing a number of previously unseen photos of the Erskine Bridge. Skip to main content. This site uses cookies to store information on your computer. Some of these cookies are essential to make our site work and others help us to improve by giving us some insight into how the site is being used.
Home News. Erskine Bridge turns 50 Update your cookie preferences to view the video. Accessibility options: read a transcript for the video celebrating 50 years of the Erskine Bridge A series of unseen photos is being released to mark the 50 th anniversary of the Erskine Bridge.
Caption text Visual Today we're celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Erskine bridge. Sections weighing up to tonnes were launched by cantilevering them from previously built steelwork in a carefully controlled sequence using specially designed, temporary launching girders. The ceremony was attended by several hundred people with commemorative plaques unveiled on the west footpath.
During its first weekend of operation thousands of vehicles made journeys across the new bridge. They were joined by intrigued locals enticed by the stunning views available from the bridge's footways. The bridge was opened by Princess Anne in a ceremony attended by several hundred people.
The crowds included workers, politicians and local people from both sides of the River Clyde. Until March , users of the Erskine Bridge were required to pay a toll charge. Tolls were introduced on many new major bridges at this time as a way of recovering the enormous costs of their construction.
At Erskine, a toll plaza was constructed at the southern end of the bridge, opposite the administration building. Four toll booths were in place on each carriageway. Day to day running of the bridge was to be entirely self sufficient. To enable this, the administration building would be one of the most advanced in the UK with staff facilities, CCTV control, toll computer systems, maintenance workshops, a fire engine, road sweeper, snow plough and patrol vehicles.
The designers even included a narrow tunnel that would allow personnel to cross the dual carriageway safely. Though a variable toll had been planned, when the bridge opened in the charge was a flat rate of 15p for all vehicles. This had increased to 60p by and remained at this level till , with exemptions for motorcycles.
The removal of tolls encouraged more people to use the bridge. It is estimated that more than million vehicles have used the bridge since it was completed. On the 4th August , the Erskine Bridge was seriously damaged when a 6, tonne oil rig being towed downstream struck its underside. Damage measuring 10 metres long and 30 centimetres wide was left in the steel box girder forcing the bridge to close to traffic and pedestrians.
What was then the Scottish Office was later reimbursed for the cost of the damage. Historic Environment Scotland listed the bridge as a Category A structure in November , recognising its unique architectural and technical features.
The bridge is a key link in the Scottish trunk road system and a series of multi-million pound projects are planned to ensure it remains operational for decades to come. The bridge deck was refurbished in the s and new inspection gantries and access points were installed between and Since , works have been undertaken to replace the parapet and barrier systems as well as upgrade the lighting and electrical systems.
A programme of steelwork painting is currently underway. This will be completed in along with works to resurface the bridge deck. The anniversary was covered widely on TV and in the national press. To mark the occasion the Glasgow Motorway Archive produced a special podcast and, with Transport Scotland's help and support, a booklet featuring new and unseen images from the archive.
Printed copies of the booklet are available at our Online Shop. The Scottish Development Department now Scottish Government , commissioned Films of Scotland to produce a film charting construction of the bridge. The film was released in A copy of the film was donated to the Glasgow Motorway Archive in and we are delighted to present it here. With special thanks to Transport Scotland. This article was first published in June Connecting Routes.
Related Articles. A special podcasting celebrating the 50th anniversary of the bridge was released in July It can be heard below. Key Data. Location A, Erskine, Renfrewshire. Consulting Engineer Freeman Fox and Partners.
0コメント