History in Structure

Tay Bridge, Dundee

A Category A Listed Building in Dundee, Dundee

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Coordinates

Latitude: 56.4389 / 56°26'20"N

Longitude: -2.9886 / 2°59'18"W

OS Eastings: 339143

OS Northings: 727850

OS Grid: NO391278

Mapcode National: GBR VK.3CRF

Mapcode Global: WH7RJ.2F46

Plus Code: 9C8VC2Q6+HH

Entry Name: Tay Bridge, Dundee

Listing Name: Tay Railway Bridge

Listing Date: 30 June 1989

Category: A

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 362084

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB25681

Building Class: Cultural

Also known as: Tay Bridge

ID on this website: 200362084

Location: Dundee

County: Dundee

Town: Dundee

Electoral Ward: West End

Tagged with: Steel bridge Railway bridge Truss bridge

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Description

William Henry Barlow, 1882-87, incorporating parts of the first Tay Bridge by Sir Thomas Bouch, 1871-7. Contractors for the first bridge were Charles de Bergue and Co and Hopkinson Gilkes and Co; and for the second, William Arrol and Co. Railway viaduct principally of wrought-iron. Listing covers the full 10,711-feet (3.264km) length of the bridge, including brick viaducts at Newport and Dundee ends and the downstream piers of the first bridge. From S to N.

a) WORMIT: 4 brick arches and piers, 50' spans, widening to S for diversion of lines to Newport and Edinburgh.

b) SOUTH APPROACH, piers 4-28 are twin wrought-iron cylinders lined with brickwork and filled with concrete below water level. Connecting tie of cast and wrought-iron, brick and concrete at high water level. Hollow superstructure of octagonal wrought-iron plate piers linked by an arch. Girders spanning 129 and 145 feet, arranged in 4s, Barlow's 2 new girders sandwiched between Bouch's re-used girders. Both types are of double-triangular wrought-iron. Corrugated-iron and steel decking. Wrought-iron lattice parapet with wooden rail.

c) NAVIGATION SPANS, 13 spans of 245 and 227 feet, on a similar substructure to that of the South Approach. Parabolic hog-backed girders (all by Arrol), above track level give a clearance for ships of 77 feet. Cast-iron segmental arches on cast-iron piers with dated plaques at entrances to navigation sections.

d) NORTH APPROACH, gradient falling towards Dundee, has 37 spans, Nos 42-53 similar to the South Approach. Nos 54-77 curve towards the station, having narrower spans on trabeated cast-iron piers filled with brick and concrete.

e) ESPLANADE SECTION, piers 78-85: 2 wrought-iron skew arches on brick piers over Riverside Drive, then 4 spans of wrought-iron girders on cast-iron columns, grouped in 4s. Later fish-bellied girders cantilevered out to carry station platform.

f) BR DIVISION CIVIL ENGINEER, TAYBRIDGE, OFFICE AND WORKSHOPS (excluding modern building at track level), late 19th century, in place of 100-foot hog-backed girder over original Esplanade. 3 wide arches, red brick with yellow brick bands to N and S elevations. Wrought-iron footbridge on cast-iron columns approaches pedestrian subway.

g) VIADUCT of original bridge inclines to ground level on 34 arches and a ramp. W-most arch has a parapet.

Statement of Interest

The longest bridge in Britain and perhaps the biggest wrought-iron structure in the world. The high girders of the first bridge blew down on 28.12.1879.

External Links

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