SIR William Arrol founded Dalmarnock Iron Works in 1871 after training with a Paisley blacksmith and working as a foreman at a Glasgow boiler works.
Following the collapse of the original Tay Bridge in 1879, which claimed the lives of 75 people, he was commissioned to build a new bridge and began working on a double-track design in 1883.
Its construction, which involved 25,000 tonnes of iron and steel and three million rivets, was completed in 1887. Fourteen men lost their lives during its construction.
Sir William was also commissioned to build the Forth Bridge in the same year as the Tay Bridge. The bridge, which has gigantic girder spans measuring 1710ft, is recognised as one of the great feats of Victorian engineering.
It was completed in 1890 at a cost of £3.2 million.
Sir William was also commissioned to build one of his most recognisable constructions, Tower Bridge in London, in 1884.
It took eight years and the relentless labour of 432 construction workers to complete the complex bridge, which was originally operated by hydraulics using steam to power its enormous pumping engines.
Today, the bridge – which remains an icon of London and one of the great engineering marvels of its age – is still operated by hydraulic power, but since 1976 the pumps have been driven by oil and electricity rather than steam.
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