Legacy of Professor Roland Paxton MBE, FICE, FRSE
Tabled 4 November 2025 by Dr Scott Arthur
That this House notes with deep sadness the passing of Professor Roland Paxton MBE, FICE, FRSE on 30 October 2025; recognises him as the United Kingdom’s leading civil engineering historian and a tireless advocate for the preservation of engineering heritage; acknowledges his distinguished career, including service with Lothian Regional Council, his appointment as Honorary Professor at Heriot-Watt University, and his prolific research and publications which advanced global understanding of civil engineering history; pays tribute to his leadership as Chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers’ Panel for Historical Engineering Works and his receipt of the ICE Gold Medal; commends his pivotal role in saving historic structures such as the Laigh Milton Viaduct, the world’s oldest surviving railway bridge, and the Union Chain Bridge, the oldest suspension bridge still carrying road traffic; further notes his creation of the ICE Scotland Museum and the Paxton Archive, safeguarding over 400 historical papers; and celebrates his enduring legacy as a champion of engineering heritage whose work will inspire generations to come.