Elvanfoot Bridge

Elvanfoot Bridge is sometimes known as Clyde Bridge or Rowantree Pool. It is on the former main road from Glasgow to Carlisle to the north of Elvanfoot. It superceded an earlier bridge (New Bridge), and has been downgraded since the building of the motorway bridge.

New Bridge (Telford Bridge)

The bridge was still on the map in 1955.

The first bridge was designed by Thomas Telford and was 500 yards downstream of the Old bridge. A Tender notice for the 90 foot span bridge (with 18 foot 6 inch roadway) appeared in the Caledonian Mercury of 17 April 1823. A tablet was on the south parapet inscribed "Park's Masons, Thos. Telford Esq. Engineer 1824". The New Bridge is mentioned in 1827 when the Mail Coach could not get through on 14 March due to snow in an adjacent cutting, and had to use the Old Bridge.

The bridge crossed the River Clyde at right angles with sharp bends either side to connect to the north-south road. In 1923, the bridge was classified as part of the A74. Despite the intention for it to be preserved it seems to have been demolished prior to 1962.

Elvanfoot Bridge

The Scotsman of 18 April 1938 stated that it was nearing completion and one lane was in use. A photograph shows the bridge to be dual carriageway. It would have been a narrow D2 by today's standards but had more than adequate room for the vehicles of the time. Contractor was Murdoch Mackenzie.

The 0.6 mile dual carriageway section was reconstructed in 1964 as part of the Telford Bridge - Hectors Bridge scheme, but it is unknown if any alterations were made to the bridge layout. It was converted to S2 and it became the B7076 following the opening of the adjacent Elvanfoot Motorway Bridge in 1993.

Links

• Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historical Monuments of Scotland
• Moffat Town website