Sites and Monument Record: Kincardine Bridge (SMR 894)

Description
Steel girder swing bridge across the Forth Estuary from Higgins Neuk to Kincardine.
Designed by Scottish engineer Sir Alexander Gibb in 1930-31. Work began on the structure in 1933 and it opened to traffic on 29 October 1936. At that time it was the largest road bridge in Britain and the largest swing bridge in Europe with a span of 364ft. When open it provided twin openings of 150ft each. It only required 2hp to turn the span. Ten approach spans of 62-100ft stand to the north and 16 spans to the south. The south approach ends in a piled reinforced concrete viaduct 265ft long, making the total length of the bridge 2696ft. The main contractor was the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Co Ltd of Darlington, who subcontracted some work to Wm Arrol & Co.
The bridge became a fixed link in 1989 when it was opened for the last time. The shipping clearance at high water is 30ft.
Listed as Grade A in 2005.

Object detail

Site type
building
bridge
Site status
Listed A
Site history notes
In 1919 Messrs Mott, Hay and Anderson produced a scheme for a road bridge at Alloa to relieve traffic on Stirling Bridge and in 1923 James Inglis Ker proposed a suspension bridge at Queensferry. Mott, Hay and Anderson undertook a survey in 1928, but the Government was unwilling to pay the entire cost of either bridge. Instead, the burghs of Stirling, Falkirk, Dunfermline and the county councils of Stirlingshire, Fife and Clackmannanshire contributed to the cost of a bridge at Kincardine. This was completed in 1936 and opened in 1937. It became known as "the Silver Link" from the aluminium paint used to maintain it. The bridge was designed by Sir Alexander Gibb as a steel girder bridge. At the time it was the longest road bridge in Britain and the swing bridge with the largest span in Europe. In order not to impede shipping the swing span was built in the open position and then closed for traffic to use it. The swing span is 110m and weighs 2000 tons, providing two 45m openings for navigation. The swing turned 90 degrees on a roller path mounted on a steel cylinder over the central jetty, operated from the central pier above the bridge – the original plant for which is still present today. The bridge is 822m long, comprising a series of spans of various forms of construction supported on reinforced concrete piers. The central swing spans (111m long), were originally designed to swivel at the centre with cantilevered
spans to either side. Timber jetties, located on each of the three central piers of Kincardine Bridge, acted as navigational guides to boats during the operation of the swing spans. Flanking the swing spans are seven identical steel spans on each side. At the southern end of the bridge are nine reinforced concrete spans and the piled viaduct.
Fifty years later, in 1987, it was decided that the swing element could be dispensed with and left permanently in the closed position.
2009: Demolition and reconstruction of piled viaduct section of the bridge, replacement of temporary safety barrier, refurbishment of timber jetties, replacement of bridge drainage system and general maintenance including bearing maintenance, replacement of sliding plates at bridge half points, concrete repairs, swing span repainting and resurfacing and re-waterproofing.
Site conservation date
1934
Site grid ref
NS 9253 8715
Conservation status
inter-war

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