As part of this year’s Edinburgh Doors Open Day event the museum will be opening its doors on Sunday 27 September. On offer are four guided tours of the museum at 12.00, 13.00, 14.00 and 15.00 which are bookable in advance. Information regarding the event and online booking can be viewed here. As there are […]
News
Edinburgh’s Cockburn Association pays Tribute to Professor Roland Paxton
The Cockburn Association (Edinburgh Civic Trust) in its June 2026 Newsletter published a tribute to Professor Roland Paxton. It can be viewed here.
Crush Area in the William Arrol Building renamed in Honour of Professor Roland Paxton
At the Celebration of Life Memorial Event for Honorary Professor Roland Paxton held on 20 May 2026, Professor Richard Williams Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University was able to announce that the crush area on Level 1 of the University’s William Arrol Building is to be renamed in Roland’s honour as the Roland Paxton Lounge.
Celebration of Life Memorial Event for Honorary Professor Roland Paxton
On 20 May 2026 a Celebration of Life Memorial Event for Honorary Professor Roland Paxton was held in the William Arrol Building at Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh Campus at Riccarton. It was attended by some 70 invited guests. There were five speakers including the Professor Richard Williams Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University. Professor Williams spoke […]
Why do land surveyors have to thank the National Gallery of Scotland? Update
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 […]
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 […]
Laigh Milton Viaduct
A short video highlighting the Laigh Milton Viaduct referencing some objects held in the collection (6:09 minutes)
The Forth Bridge in Postcards
A short video showing postcards held in the ICE Scotland Museum collection featuring the Forth Bridge (3:16 minutes)