Indeed, why do they? Well, it’s because the north-east side of the Gallery was used to calibrate land chains. A series of brass plates were embedded in the base of the building to facilitate calibration of land chains manufactured to measure distance in links or feet. For more information on this see here. Addendum […]
Category: Latest News
Professor Roland Paxton: Obituary in The Scotsman 27 November 2025
View The Scotman’s obituary to Professor Roland Paxton here.
BBC’s Last Word: Professor Roland Paxton
Last Word BBC Radio 4’s obituary programme broadcast on 21 November included a piece on Professor Roland Paxton. You can listen to the broadcast here.
Obituary Note: Professor Roland Paxton
Obituary Note: Professor Roland Paxton MBE, FICE, FRSE, Hon DEng, PhD, MSc, Civil Engineer and Engineering Historian and Bibliophile 1932-2025 by Professor Paul Jowitt It is with great regret that I have to inform you of the death of HWU Honorary Professor Roland Paxton, on 30th October 2025, aged 93. Roland was without doubt, the […]
Railway 200 Celebration
Given the current celebrations of the bicentenary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, it is worth noting the Museum has a number of artefacts in its collection dating back to the earliest days of the railways in Scotland. A number of these were uncovered during the restoration works on the Laigh Milton […]
Why do land surveyors have to thank the National Gallery of Scotland?
Indeed, why do they? Well, it’s because the north-east side of the Gallery was used to calibrate land chains. A series of brass plates were embedded in the base of the building to facilitate calibration of land chains manufactured to measure distance in links or feet. For more information on this see here.
Donation of Tellurometers
The museum has just acquired a pair of Tellurometer MRA3 distance measurers used by the British Antarctic Survey in the early 1970’s (see here).
Giant Cranes built by Sir William Arrol & Co Ltd – a Unique List
A unique list of giant cranes built by Sir William Arrol & Company Ltd (titled Sir William Arrol Giant Cranes [undated]). compiled by the late Dr Brian Newman was recently added to the collection. The list provides [Completion] Year, Customer, Max Load, Height of Lift, Working Radius, Slew Roller Path and Remarks. See here.
Enjoy a stay in Dalkeith Water Tower
Dalkeith Water Tower is a significant Scottish historical civil engineering landmark built in 1879. The tower was internally stripped and converted to a dwelling in the late 1980s. Today (2024) it can now be rented as a holiday let. All levels in the tower are accessed by a spiral staircase located on one side of […]
Japanese Visitors following in the Footsteps of Kaichi Watanabe
Dr Manako Yabe from Japan is currently a Research Associate at Heriot-Watt University’s Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies and has taken a keen interest in the Forth Bridge. This interest has been generated by her awareness of Kaichi Watanabe’s association with the Forth Bridge. Professor Paxton on a visit to Japan met a number […]