With the closure of the Blantyre Suspension Bridge on 4th May 1949, thoughts had firmly turned to a replacement crossing by 1950. In Springtime 1950, the new site had been chosen, which was to be further downstream beyond the weir, much closer to Shuttle Row.

By April 1950, workmen had marked out the site with Black and white tape, allowing gangs of exploratory workers to come in and probe the ground to find solid rock foundations.

Pictured is the scene in April 1950 with the David Livingstone Memorial Bridge site marked out and workers in holes trying to find a good solid base for foundations.

The new bridge cost £20,000 and was built by Lanark County Council spanning the River Clyde from Bothwell to Blantyre. That second bridge was opened on 4th October 1952 by John Main, C.B.E. Convenor of Lanark County Council and was unveiled as The David Livingstone Memorial Bridge.

It wasn’t particularly well built though and was demolished in 1999 BEFORE the Millennium.