Admired around the world for its pioneering design and historic methods of construction, the Forth Bridge is one of the most recognisable features of Britain’s railway.
Opened in 1890 and still holding the record as the longest cantilever bridge in the world, the Forth Bridge was the first major structure in Britain to be made of steel and its construction resulted in a continuous East Coast railway route from London to Aberdeen.
The famous Forth Bridge this week celebrates the 130th anniversary of its opening, a glorious feat and a testament to the innovation of its engineering. Here are a few facts you perhaps didn’t know about the famous Scottish landmark.
1. Original bridge over Firth of Forth collapsed in storm
In August 1873, the North British Railway obtained authority to build a railway bridge across the Firth of Forth and construction of a suspension bridge, designed by Thomas Bouch, began in 1878.
However when Bouch’s original Tay Bridge collapsed during a storm in December 1879, work on his bridge across the Forth stopped immediately pending a full inquiry. The tragedy came three days after Christmas, with the loss of an estimated 75 train passengers.
Bouch’s suspension bridge plans were abandoned in 1881 and designs for a new bridge were invited by the newly formed Forth Bridge Railway Company which had been established jointly by those railway companies who had most to gain from a railway crossing the Forth: the North British Railway, the Midland Railway and the North Eastern and Great Northern railways.
