Holm Forge Bridge

The bridge from below

Holm Forge Bridge is a substantial steel girder bridge which carries the A721 across the South Calder Water between Bellshill and Motherwell. The name has been transferred from the old bridge, which still stands in the parkland a little way downstream, with Holm Forge itself even further down the river. The bridge has several spans, supported by paired stone piers with cross girders between the pier tops then supporting the main structural girders. In order to hide this 'modernity' the parapets are formed from a series of stone piers with metal railings between. There are 11 of these parapet sections, but only appear to be three spans below, the central one spanning the river. The piers over the abutments are, however, enormous, rising high above the road level and at least five metres long. This is presumably to add mass as a form of counterweight and prevent the main bridge structure from moving.

The road over the bridge is a very wide 2-lane carriageway with wide pavements which involved the construction of a long section of new road either side to avoid the old sweeping bends to reach the old bridge. The new structure was opened in 1932, by the Dalness Forge and Engineering Co of Glasgow, although little else is known about it.

Old Bridge

Even less information seems to be available about the old bridge, which lies a short distance down stream. It appears to be a multi arch stone bridge, and remains in use as a footpath and cycle route through the riverside parks.