Leamington Lift Bridge Photo, Fountainbridge Union Canal Structure Renovation, Date, Location, Picture

Leamington Lift Bridge Edinburgh

Historic Structure in Lochrin Basin, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland

post updated 28 December 2021

Leamington Lift Bridge Fountainbridge

Images of the renovated Leamington Lift Bridge. The bridge, fully restored by British Waterways in Autumn 2002, dates from the beginning of last century and was originally located on Fountainbridge.

The purpose of the structure is to cross the Union Canal near its terminus at Lochrin Basin in west Edinburgh.

The bridge was moved to its current location at Gilmore Park in the 1920s when the Port Hopetoun (now Lothian House and Excel House) and Port Hamilton (now Scottish Widows’ Headquarters) basins were sold and backfilled.

The bridge was installed around 1906, replacing a previous bridge built in 1869. When the canal was shortened in 1922 to make Lochrin Basin the terminus it was moved to its present site to replace a wooden drawbridge.

It fell out of use by the 1960s, but as part of the Millennium Link project to restore the Union Canal, it required to be restored at least to allow boats to pass. It reopened on 16 May 2002, followed by an official opening ceremony on 24 May of the same year.

No larger images, apologies:
Leamington Lift Bridge Leamington Lift Bridge Fountainbridge Edinburgh Leamington Lift Bridge Edinburgh Quay

The bridge is constructed from a wooden deck that can be raised between two gantries to give a clearance of 9 feet (2.7 m) below. The bridge crosses between Gilmore Park and Leamington Road, but is not open to cars. A permanent lattice girder footbridge allows pedestrians to cross when the deck is raised.

Leamington Wharf, on the Union Canal

No larger images, apologies:
Leamington Lift Bridge Fountainbridge
Edinburgh Quay site progress shots, taken by the Design and Build Contractor – Miller Construction, showing the canal basin drained and the site excavated to enable the construction of the sub basement floor slab.