Refurbishment of Edinburgh's North Bridge 'now in the end game' - but the work is not finished yet
A time capsule has been buried inside Edinburgh’s North Bridge to tell future generations about the huge restoration project which has been under way on the landmark structure over the past seven years.
But the work is not finished yet - the latest timetable is for the major works to be completed by spring 2026, meaning both carriageways and both footways would be fully back in use.
And the whole project is due to be wrapped up by summer 2026, with all the scaffolding removed.
The project has taken far longer than expected and the final cost is expected to be around £86 million, many times the original estimate.
Traffic has faced major disruption with the bridge operating as a one-way system for prolonged periods, while pedestrians have been forced onto one pavement.
It was in February 2017, as council leaders were preparing the annual budget, that they revealed an extra call on the city's coffers - major repairs to North Bridge.
Problems had been discovered during a routine inspection of the bridge in late 2016. Water had got into cracks in the concrete, they explained. Work was going on to establish the scale of the problem, but they planned to put aside £12m in order to get the bridge into a long-term sustainable condition.
But it turned out the problems were far more extensive than first thought and the cost and timescale would increase again and again as the project proceeded.
Rory McFadden, project director for contractors Balfour Beatty, said: "When discussions began in 2017, none of us could have anticipated the challenges ahead— especially the bridge’s condition, which was far worse than expected."
He said the refurbishment had aptly been compared to "dentistry on a massive scale" with meticulous care and precision required to return the bridge to its former glory.
However, Mr McFadden added, through determination, innovation, and teamwork, they had delivered "something truly special".
He said: "We can take immense pride in restoring this historic structure, ensuring its preservation for generations. In fact, the structure will be significantly improved, in better condition than when it was built because of innovation, the increased civil engineering knowledge and the application of new technologies and techniques."
North Bridge, which links Edinburgh's Old and New Towns across the valley where Waverley station is sited, was opened in 1897, replacing an earlier structure.
The current work is the first major refurbishment of the bridge since 1933. It has included structural strengthening, essential repairs, restoration of the 1906 memorial to the King's Own Scottish Borderers and comprehensive repainting.
Transport convener Stephen Jenkinson said: "It has caused a lot of disruption and it has taken longer than anybody would like, but I think there is generally an appreciation of how complex the project has turned out to be and also how important the bridge is.
"The bridge has never been closed - it's been one-way traffic and so on, but it has remained in use.
"We are in the end game now. The time capsule is another milestone, so we're getting towards the end of the project."
A time capsule was buried at some stage during the construction of the bridge between 1894 and 1897 and although it has been located by scanning the structure, it is too inaccessible to retrieve without major disruption and expense.
The new time capsule has been placed in an easier-to-reach part of the bridge. Among its contents are:
- A letter from the Lord Provost Robert Aldridge and Council Leader Jane Meagher to the future citizens of Edinburgh.
- A paint brush used by the Transport and Environment Convener Stephen Jenkinson to hand finish the cast iron façade.
- A Balfour Beatty high visibility vest.
- A Glengarry Cap from the Kings Own Scottish Borderers regiment.
- The school prayer of St Augustine’s High School etched in glass.
- A photograph of the Historic Environment Scotland grants team on a site visit.
- Three books created as part of the North Bridge Refurbishment Project Legacy Arts Programme.
Balfour Beatty’s Mr McFadden said: “I think about those who will open this time capsule years from now. Will they be as impressed by our restoration as we are by its original construction? I believe they will - and I hope they’ll appreciate the labour of love that went into preserving this iconic landmark.”