Two, no, THREE bridges over the River Ayr

A pic I grabbed some time ago, and had really expected to catch up on my backlog by the time I got to it, but obviously am now hopelessly behind.

This matters here because I can’t refer to some more detailed pics and history for the subject material, so I’m hoping embarrassment will force me to dig out that material, and get those posts done.

For now, I’ll just do a short post with this one pic, and leave the full stories (or what little I may have found) for later, when I do individual posts on these bridges.

What I will say is that despite spending decades in annual visits to Ayr, I only set foot on Turner’s Bridge a year or two ago, while I wouldn’t even know about Cage Walk had I not seen the name on a map, and dug into what I thought was a mistake.

The two obvious bridges in this pic looking east along the river Ayr, from the Auld Brig, are Turners’s Bridge in the foreground, a steel and iron footbridge from 1900, funded by Mr Turner who wanted to provide an easy route across the river for the workers in his brewery, and the rail bridge which leads to Ayr Railway Station, just to the right of this view.

I just realised the title could have referred to FOUR bridges in the title, as I was checking the pic. The fourth I noticed was the road bridge, carrying Station Road over the river – it’s the grey structure (with sheeting over works on the right-hand part) visible through the arches of the rail bridge.

However, the THIRD bridge intended to be referred to in the title can be found at the top (platform) of the rail bridge, and is picked out in red – and that turned out to what was identified as Cage Walk on my map.

It’s a footbridge attached to the side of the rail bridge, and barely two people wide.

In fact, if you meet someone going the other way, you really have to be polite to one another, and turn side on to pass without bumping or colliding.

So, now I HAVE to go find those previous pics and do those missing posts on these bridges.

New Renfrew Road Bridge (soon)

After the arrival of the new Govan Footbridge, it seems there’s relatively little time to wait until the arrival of the new Renfrew Road Bridge.

Having caught it by accident a few months ago, I’d forgotten about it since it’s not really being installed in a place I come across by chance, and have to make a special trip to see.

I was reminded when I came across a new item regarding a successful test of the bridge’s operation, so it was time to take advantage of the fact that the bus which passes my door also goes to the bridge site (and a lot further too). Described as similar to the Queensferry Crossing, it features a twin-leaf design with each leaf opening and closing horizontally.

I wasn’t sure where it could be seen from, so started at the old Yoker ferry, and walked the rest of the way. It should have been a straight walk along the river, but there’s a small housing development being built beside the path, and the builders have blocked the route with security fencing, to keep people out, and I had to find a way around.

There’s a fine view from the area near the old ferry, which is still running. I make that point since a visit there earlier in the year found the ferry site locked up, with no ferries running, or fares posted. When I looked it up online, the website seemed to be dead, and there was no info. All I could find was a Facebook page stating there were no disruptions.

It seemed very odd. Last time I was there, or looked online, there were numerous notices posted around the sure regarding the service and fares, and a detailed website with operating times and fares.

Back with the new road bridge, there was a nice view from the road next to the flats at the old ferry.

Less obvious is the fact that even though the bridge operation had been reported as successful, there are no approach roads connecting to the bridge at the moment, It’s surrounded by a building site,

I walked along to the other side of the bridge (downriver side), but discovered there was no access to, or view of the bridge from that side.

In fact, it’s an area of boatyards and related works. Although the bridge is yet to be caught on aerial views, the bridge location is already marked, and a look at the aerial views show why the bridge can’t really be seen from the downriver side.

As noted, although the bridge operation has been tested, the rest of the site is still a building site, with a lot of road building to be completed if the bridge is going to open in late autumn, as reported by the media – these pics were taken toward the end of September.

Here’s what the approach road looked like at the Yoker end.

I have no idea how the other side looks, but don’t think it had the existing roads that Yoker already had in place for the business that were already in place.