Forthside Bridge

Last updated

Forthside Bridge
Glass Bridge - panoramio (1).jpg
Coordinates 56°7′8.04″N3°56′6.36″W / 56.1189000°N 3.9351000°W / 56.1189000; -3.9351000
Carries Pedestrian Bridge
Crosses Stirling railway station
Locale Stirling, Scotland
Other name(s)Spiky Bridge
Forthside Footbridge
Named for River Forth
Owner Stirling Council
Characteristics
Design Cable-stayed bridge
MaterialSteel
Total length113 m (371 ft)
Width4 m (13 ft)
Longest span88.2 m (289 ft)
History
Architect Gifford and WilkinsonEyre
Engineering design by BAM Nuttall
Construction cost£6.5 Million
Opened2 May 2009 (2009-05-02)
Location
Forthside Bridge

Forthside Bridge (often referred to as Spiky Bridge) is a large pedestrian bridge located in the city of Stirling, in the Central Belt of Scotland. Opened on 2 May 2009, the bridge crosses Stirling railway station, a busy interchange station located on the former Caledonian Main Line and connects the city centre with the Forthside Development, a £90 million residential and leisure area on the banks of the River Forth.

Contents

A form of Inverted Fink truss bridge, similar to the Royal Victoria Dock Bridge in London, the construction costs of the Forthside Bridge were estimated at around £6.5 Million. Since its completion, the bridge has become a local landmark and has been praised for its design, receiving a commendation from the Institution of Structural Engineers in 2010. [1]

History and Design

The bridge was constructed as part of the 40-acre Forthside Development plan, an urban regeneration project from Stirling Council, located around the former Forthside Barracks. Construction of the £6.5 million bridge was carried out by Edmund Nuttall Group alongside architects Gifford and WilkinsonEyre (famous for designing the Gateshead Millennium Bridge). [2] Funding for the project was given by the Scottish Government, alongside the European Regional Development Fund. Due to the bridge's complex design, opening plans faced numerous delays and was originally scheduled to open in November 2008. [3]

Forthside Bridge in August 2020. Forthside2020.jpg
Forthside Bridge in August 2020.

The bridge is around 113m long, stands around 6m from the ground and is a unique form of inverted Fink truss with its longest span of 88.2m, over numerous mainline rail tracks of Stirling Station. Glass parapets are fitted along the path over the bridge, which are illuminated at night. For ease of access, the bridge has lifts at either end. [4]

Opening

The bridge opened to the general public on 2 May 2009 and, as a publicity stunt, Stirling Council recruited 6 members of the public named William Wallace to open the bridge. [5]

Vandalism

Since opening, the bridge has suffered numerous acts of vandalism such as graffiti, anti-social behaviour and damage to bridge facilities. During the bridge's initial years, the access lifts were closed for almost three years after persistent damage. The Stirling Observer (Daily Record) received information that "following damage to the lift and glass panels CCTV cameras costing £1031 were installed." [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tower Bridge</span> Bascule and suspension bridge in London, England

Tower Bridge is a Grade I listed combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, built between 1886 and 1894, designed by Horace Jones and engineered by John Wolfe Barry with the help of Henry Marc Brunel. It crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London and is one of five London bridges owned and maintained by the Bridge House Estates, a charitable trust founded in 1282. The bridge was constructed to give better access to the East End of London, which had expanded its commercial potential in the 19th century. The bridge was opened by Edward, Prince of Wales and Alexandra, Princess of Wales in 1894.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stirling</span> Administrative centre and city in Scotland

Stirling is a city in central Scotland, 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Glasgow and 37 miles (60 km) north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its merchants and tradesmen, the Old Bridge and the port. Located on the River Forth, Stirling is the administrative centre for the Stirling council area, and is traditionally the county town of Stirlingshire. Proverbially it is the strategically important "Gateway to the Highlands".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forth Road Bridge</span> Suspension bridge spanning the Firth of Forth in east-central Scotland

The Forth Road Bridge is a suspension bridge in east central Scotland. The bridge opened in 1964 and at the time was the longest suspension bridge in the world outside the United States. The bridge spans the Firth of Forth, connecting Edinburgh, at South Queensferry, to Fife, at North Queensferry. It replaced a centuries-old ferry service to carry vehicular traffic, cyclists and pedestrians across the Forth; railway crossings are made by the nearby Forth Bridge, opened in 1890.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hammersmith Bridge</span> Suspension bridge in London, England

Hammersmith Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the River Thames in west London. It links the southern part of Hammersmith in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, on the north side of the river, and Barnes in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, on the south side of the river. The current bridge, which is Grade II* listed and was designed by civil engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette, is the second permanent bridge on the site, and has been attacked three times by Irish republicans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ebbw Vale</span> Human settlement in Wales

Ebbw Vale is a town at the head of the valley formed by the Ebbw Fawr tributary of the Ebbw River in Wales. It is the largest town and the administrative centre of Blaenau Gwent county borough. The Ebbw Vale and Brynmawr conurbation has a population of roughly 33,000. It has direct access to the dualled A465 Heads of the Valleys trunk road and borders the Brecon Beacons National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges</span> Bridges in London

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyne Bridge</span> Bridge in north east England

The Tyne Bridge is a through arch bridge over the River Tyne in North East England, linking Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead. The bridge was designed by the engineering firm Mott, Hay and Anderson, who later designed the Forth Road Bridge, and was built by Dorman Long and Co. of Middlesbrough. The bridge was officially opened on 10 October 1928 by King George V and has since become a defining symbol of Tyneside. It is ranked as the tenth tallest structure in Newcastle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tees Transporter Bridge</span> Bridge over the River Tees, England

The Tees Transporter Bridge, also referred to as the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge or locally as The Transporter, is a bridge over the River Tees in northern England. The northern side is in Port Clarence and the southern side is in the Middlehaven, the latter an area of Middlesbrough. It is grade II* listed and the longest existing transporter in the world. and its winch house and piers are grade II listed.

Arup is a British multinational professional services firm headquartered in London that provides design, engineering, architecture, planning, and advisory services across every aspect of the built environment. It employs about 17,000 people in over 90 offices across 35 countries, and has participated in projects in over 160 countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Philp</span> British politician

Christopher Ian Brian Mynott Philp is a British politician serving as Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire, a junior ministerial role, since October 2022. He previously served in Liz Truss's cabinet from September to October 2022 as Chief Secretary to the Treasury and then as Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General. A member of the Conservative Party, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Croydon South since 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Lowry</span> Arts centre in Salford, England

The Lowry is a theatre and gallery complex at Salford Quays, Salford, Greater Manchester, England. It is named after the early 20th-century painter L. S. Lowry, known for his paintings of industrial scenes in North West England. The complex opened on 28 April 2000 and was officially opened on 12 October 2000 by Queen Elizabeth II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hastings Pier</span> Pier in Hastings, England

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hampden Bridge, Wagga Wagga</span> Bridge in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales

The Hampden Bridge was a heritage-listed wooden Allan Truss bridge over the Murrumbidgee River in Wagga Wagga, Australia. It was officially opened to traffic on 11 November 1895 and named in honour of the NSW Governor Sir Henry Robert Brand, 2nd Viscount Hampden. The bridge carried the Olympic Highway, formerly the Olympic Way, between 1963 until the bridge's closure to highway traffic in October 1995, replaced by the Wiradjuri Bridge. The Hampden Bridge was subsequently converted to local traffic use, then pedestrian use only, and finally demolished in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Fink</span>

Albert Fink was a German-born civil engineer who worked in the United States. He is best known for his railroad bridge designs, which helped revolutionize the use of iron for American railroad bridge construction. He devised the Fink truss and many truss bridges, especially the Fink-Type Truss Bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackfriars Street Bridge</span> Bridge crossing the North Thames River in London, Ontario, Canada

Blackfriars Bridge in London, Ontario, Canada is a wrought iron bowstring arch through truss bridge, crossing the North Thames River. The bridge was constructed in 1875 and carries single-lane vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians from Blackfriars Street to Ridout Street North.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queensferry Crossing</span> Road bridge across the Firth of Forth, Scotland

The Queensferry Crossing is a road bridge in Scotland. It was built alongside the existing Forth Road Bridge and the Forth Bridge. It carries the M90 motorway across the Firth of Forth between Edinburgh, at South Queensferry, and Fife, at North Queensferry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rowecord Engineering</span> Former Welsh structural steel contractor

Rowecord Engineering Ltd was a Welsh structural steel contractor that specialised in sports facilities, footbridges, and heavy industry. Landmark works include the Olympic Aquatics Centre roof, Mary Rose Museum, Cardiff City Stadium, Liberty Stadium and Newport City footbridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015–16 Great Britain and Ireland floods</span> Flooding in Great Britain and Ireland during the winter of late 2015 and early 2016

The 2015–2016 Great Britain and Ireland floods were a series of heavy rainfall events which led to flooding during the winter of late 2015 and early 2016. 11 named storms produced record level rainfall from November 2015 - March 2016 in both monthly and seasonal accumulation records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunmore Bridge</span> Bridge in New South Wales, Australia

The Dunmore Bridge is a heritage-listed road bridge that carries Clarence Town Road across the Paterson River in Woodville, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Percy Allan and built in 1899 by Morpeth contractor, S. McGill. The property is owned by Transport for NSW. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 20 June 2000.

Madeira Terrace, Madeira Walk, Madeira Lift, and Madeira Shelter Hall are an 865 m long, Victorian cast iron stretch of seafront arches and walkway, with integral former shelter hall and a 3-stage lift tower, on Madeira Drive in Brighton, UK. The complex was built between 1890 and 1897 and designed by the Brighton Borough Surveyor, Philip C. Lockwood. The various structures have a common design style and colour scheme, and form a unified whole. Madeira Terrace, Madeira Walk, the lift tower and related buildings are listed Grade II* on the National Heritage List for England, having been upgraded in 2020.

References

  1. "Forthside Bridge". istructe.gov.uk. The Institution of Structural Engineers. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  2. "Stirling's new Forthside bridge to open this week". www.newcivilengineer.com. New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  3. "New £6m Stirling bridge delayed". www.news.bbc.co.uk. BBC News. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  4. "New £6m bridge provides city link". www.news.bbc.co.uk. BBC News. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  5. "Wallaces open new Stirling bridge". www.news.bbc.co.uk. BBC News. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  6. Rowbotham, John. "Vandalism to Stirling's showpiece bridge has cost council thousands". www.dailyrecord.co.uk. Daily Record. Retrieved 26 January 2021.