Showing posts with label Victoria Swing Bridge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Victoria Swing Bridge. Show all posts

Thursday 7 January 2021

Skulferatu #13 - Victoria Swing Bridge, Leith Docks, Edinburgh

 

Today’s Skulkferatu ended up somewhere a little bit different, on a structure from the industrial past of Leith – the Victoria Swing Bridge.  This crosses the water of Leith just down from the popular area of The Shore, where there are many restaurants and eateries.


Shore Leith with the ship Ocean Mist and Victoria Swing Bridge in background by Kevin Nosferatu for Skulferatu Project
View down Water of Leith

Victoria Swing Bridge, Leith  by Kevin Nosferatu for Skulferatu Project
Victoria Swing Bridge, Leith


The bridge was built between 1871 and 1874 and is constructed of wrought iron.  It is a swing bridge, meaning it could swing open to allow passing boats through.  It was hydraulically operated and the power for this was supplied from a small power station building that sits nearby.  Originally a railway track and a private road ran down the middle of the structure and there was a walkway on both sides.  The bridge no longer swings open and is nowadays solely for pedestrian use. 


Victoria Swing Bridge and old Whaling Harpoon by Kevin Nosferatu for Skulferatu Project
Victoria Swing Bridge and old Whaling Harpoon

View down Victoria Swing Bridge by Kevin Nosferatu for The Skulferatu Project
View down Victoria Swing Bridge

Unfortunately, the bridge is now in a state of disrepair and though there have been various campaigns to have it restored, nothing has yet been done.  It is currently on the Buildings at Risk register.

 

I left a Skulferatu balanced on a rivet in one the beams of the bridge.


Skulferatu #13 by Kevin Nosferatu for The Skulferatu Project
Skulferatu #13

Skulferatu #13 on Victoria Swing Bridge, Leith Docks, Edinburgh by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project
Skulferatu #13 on Victoria Swing Bridge, Leith

Google Map for Skulferatu Project
Google Map showing location of Skulferatu #13


The coordinates for the location of the Skulferatu are:

Latitude 55.978708

Longitude -3.170241