A steel truss span rolls back on curved tracks, preserving one of Scotland’s rare moving road bridges.
Quick facts
- Date
- Built and opened in 1923
- Architect / designer
- Sir William Arrol and Company
- Type
- Scherzer rolling lift road bridge
- Designation
- Listed building, Category A (LB40425)
- OS grid reference
- NS 49364 67837
Architecture and continuing use
The roadway runs along the lower chord of a single steel truss, with bracketed footways at each side. Counterweight, control cabins and a connecting gantry cluster at the east end, where the moving mechanism is most legible.
Its story
Sir William Arrol and Company completed the bridge in 1923 to let road traffic cross while retaining navigation beneath. Refurbishment in 2004 prolonged a structure now described as one of only two surviving Scottish rolling lift bridges.
Why it is included
Category A listing recognises a rare operational type and an unusually complete ensemble of truss, counterweight, cabins and gantry.
What to notice
- Curved rolling geometry at the moving end.
- The counterweight behind the truss span.
- Small control cabins raised on steel supports.
Reading the surroundings
Use only any currently authorised roadway or footway and obey closure, weight and maintenance notices. Do not approach machinery, cabins, river edges or fenced engineering areas.
Timeline
- 1923 The bridge opened on 24 March after construction by Sir William Arrol and Company.
- 1994 Its rarity and completeness were recognised by Category A listing.
- 2004 A major refurbishment addressed the historic crossing.
- 2023 The national record was updated with supplementary information.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
No current operating timetable or confirmed lifting status was located; visitors must rely on on-site road-authority notices.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: White Cart Rolling Lift Bridge, LB40425 — Current designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB40425 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
Location
OS grid reference NS 49364 67837 · Location confidence: High: the current national designation supplies an exact mapped National Grid Reference; public text separately states access and current-use uncertainty. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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