Forth Rail Bridge

History and Memorial

Tay Bridge and Forth Bridge

The railway engineer, Sir Thomas Bouch was originally commissioned to build bridges for the North British Railway:

-   over the Firth of Tay (beside Dundee) and

-   over the Firth of Forth (9 miles to the west of Edinburgh).

Work on the Tay Bridge commenced in 1871.  The bridge cost £350,000.  It was opened in May 1878  but collapsed in a fierce storm with the loss of 75 lives in December 1879..  As a result the plans to build a suspension bridge to Bouch's design, across the Firth of Forth were abandoned.

A Cantilever Bridge

Following the Tay Bridge, disaster, the public demanded that the bridge over the wider Firth of Forth should be constructed to a design which they believed would never fall down.

Sir John Fowler and Benjamin Baker designed a cantilever bridge in steel, with three diamond-shaped towers. 

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The bridge was built  by Sir William Arrol.  Constructed started in 1883.  The bridge was opened in 1890 at a cost of £2.5m.  It is still in use today, carrying the railways to the north from Edinburgh.

Forth Bridge Memorial

Queensferry History Group plans to arrange for a memorial to be erected to those who died during the construction of the Forth Bridge. 

The number of deaths has usually been quoted as 57.  However, the group's local historians and genealogists, who have been searching through old newspaper cuttings and death records, believe that the actual death toll is likely to have been closer to 80.

The group is keen to hear from anybody who has information about any of these deaths.  If you can help by providing any names or background details please:

-  e-mail me so that I can pass on details to the group, or alternatively

-  go to the Forth Railway Bridge Memorial web site (new: April 2005) to see a list of names found to date and contact details for the Queensferry History Group.

Thank you.

Queensferry History Group

Queensferry History Group is based at South Queensferry ,at the southern end of the Forth Bridge.  The group was established in 1998.  The group has published:

-  Doon The Ferry - memories and photographs of Queensferry

-  Back Doon The Ferry - more photographic history of Queensferry

-  Walk The Ferry - a guided walk through Queensferry's history

South Queensferry

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