Description

Cast iron bridge plate for the Hutton Bridge over the Whitadder Water, Scottish Borders, painted blue indicating: “ERECTED 1837. JAMES JARDINE ENGINEER. RE-ERECTED 1878. D & T STEVENSON ENGINEERS. OLIVER & ARROL CONTRACTORS EDINBURGH.”

The name Arrol, in this case, is not to be confused with Sir William Arrol (1839 – 1913).

The bridge, with three spans of 55 ft over the Whitadder Water (at NT 921 546), was erected in 1837 to a state-of-the art design of James Jardine (1776 – 1858) with iron tension-rod truss spans supported on 50 ft tall, elegant, stone piers. In 1878 the trusses and deck were replaced by the iron-lattice girders and deck made and erected by Oliver & Arrol. The engineers were D. & T. Stevenson. In 1985 this superstructure was in turn replaced by a steel beam and reinforced concrete slab deck under the direction of consulting engineers Babtie, Shaw & Morton. The original piers and abutments were retained. One of two (presumably) 1878 iron bridge plaques was re-erected on site in 1985 (see second image) and the other is on display in the museum.

The company Oliver & Arrol was set up by James Cameron Arrol (c.1851- 1889) and William Oliver, they had a foundry at Leith Walk Iron Works, 29 Leith Walk, Edinburgh. The partnership ceased in 1882. The Post-Office Edinburgh & Leith directory for 1880-81 displays an advert for Oliver and Arrol (see fifth image). It appears that following his association with William Oliver, James Cameron Arrol went into partnership with his brother, Thomas Arthur Arrol, trading as Arrol Brothers. For information on this partnership click here.