The oldest surviving Clyde Bridges were built in the 1850's. By then Britain had become the workshop of the world. In 1851 Britain smelted 2.5 million tons of iron which was five times as much as the USA and ten times as much as Germany.
In 1850 the great world powers were at peace, although soon to go to war in the Crimea, the California gold rush was in full flood, the Napoleon dynasty ruled France and Sir Robert Peel was British Prime Minister, Japan was still closed to the West (the first foreign squadron would not sail into Japanese waters until 1853) and the USA was within 10 years of its civil war.
In 1851 British steam engines could produce 1.2 million horsepower which was more than the rest of Europe put together. Britain owned half of the World's ocean-going ships and contained half of the world's railway mileage. This huge economic supremacy was celebrated in the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London's Crystal Palace.
Around 1900 Glasgow reached the height of its prosperity and influence, living up to its claim to be 'the second city of the Empire'. In 1900 there were 23 cities in the world with populations greater than half a million, six of them were in Britain and London, Paris and Berlin were the largest cities in Europe, the fourth largest was Glasgow.
The story of Glasgow's Clyde Bridges in many ways reflects the development of Glasgow. Glasgow may not have grown beyond a quiet monastery town had it not also been the lowest fordable point on the Clyde.
As the city flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries, the demands for better communications resulted in bridges being built which, in turn, encouraged further trade and prosperity. So bridges both nurtured and reflected the growth of the city.
The story of Glasgow's bridges also reflects the story of transportation, from the pedestrian and horse traffic of the middle ages, through railway mania in the 19th century to the 20th century age of the motor car. It also reflects the story of civil engineering.
Developments in engineering materials and knowledge can be traced in the techniques used to construct the Clyde bridges. Timber and stone, cast iron, wrought iron and steel, reinforced and pre-stressed concrete, were all used in Glasgow's Clyde bridges.
Virtually all bridge types are represented on the Clyde
A walk from Dalmarnock Bridge to the Millennium Bridge will take you past exhibits of over 150 years of bridge engineering history.
Acknowledgements:
The Institution of Civil Engineers
The Babtie Group.