Designed by the Richard Rogers Partnership, it was to be a curved, ramped deck bridge, using a cable stayed compression arch to provide an additional route from Broomielaw to Tradeston.
The Polloc and Govan railway was authorised on 29 May 1830 and it linked Govan with the River Clyde, at Windmillcroft Quay at the Broomielaw, the Glasgow, Paisley and Johnstone Canal and Rutherglen.
Machell had three of Chaplin's horses - Breadalbane, Broomielaw and Hermit - transferred to Bedford Cottage from William Goater’s yard in Findon, West Sussex.