New forth road bridge

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

grober

MB Master
Joined
Jun 22, 2003
Messages
31,622
Location
Perth, Scotland
Car
W204 ESTATE
The new Forth road bridge is due to be opened by the Queen this Wednesday.
Queensferry Crossing to open on 30 August - BBC News

594fef7aeb153-e1503324387255-940x564.jpg
 
Nice to see some capital investment outside of London. Hopefully the newest bridge will prove to be more serviceable than the last one.
 
What the article doesn't say is how simply beautiful the thing is especially when viewed from a distance and just slightly off-centreline. Standing like three giant sails it's breathtaking.
 
The photos look great. Add it to the Severn crossing and the Millau viaduct for aethestic as well as engineering achievement.
 
The old Forth road bridge is a perhaps a classic example of transport infrastructure that increases demand rather than satiating it. No-one back in 1964 predicted that the bridge would effectively open the South of Fife as a commuter belt for Edinburgh for both individuals and businesses. Daily demand on the bridge would increase exponentially and coupled to a marine estuary environment lead to structural problems. Bearing in mind the old girl came from the era of rooms full of engineering draughtsmen with nary a computer workstation in sight she's done pretty well ?? :dk:
 
Last edited:
Bridges fascinate me. The first time I saw saw the Forth road and rail bridges I was captivated and just looked at them for hours, from umpteen different angles. Another reason for me to do the North Coast 500 so I can pass through on my way North.
 
The old Forth road bridge is a perhaps a classic example of transport infrastructure that increases demand rather than satiating it. No-one back in 1964 predicted that the bridge would effectively open the South of Fife as a commuter belt for Edinburgh for both individuals and businesses. Daily demand on the bridge would increase exponentially and coupled to a marine estuary environment lead to structural problems. Bearing in mind the old girl came from the era of rooms full of engineering draughtsmen with nary a computer workstation in sight the she's done pretty well ?? :dk:

I think the original road bridge and others like it are beautiful, elegant and are a credit to the engineers that designed and built them.

However the Achilles heel for the old style suspension bridge is the longevity of the main cables. It's almost impossible to replace them and strand-by-strand failure is inevitable. Hence the bridge is only viable as long as the cables are up to the task.

The new design (which is also impressively beautiful etc.) allows for the support cables to be replaced when necessary as a serviceable item. Hopefully extending the useful service life of the bridge well into the future.
 
I still vividly recall my beautiful, loving grand father taking me (his youngest Grand Son) in his Austin A30 up to view the newly opened Road Bridge in 1964 (I was seven years old).

My Grand Father was an engineer all his life at BMK Carpets in Kilmarnock and had a passion for all things mechanical. The 'new' Road Bridge viewed from the Rail Bridge was a magnificent site to young boy. The bridges were just too big to contemplate. We stood for hours as he explained to me how the rail bridge was constructed, watching the steam trains crossing like tiny toys above us. We then drove over the road bridge just as a very large ship went under us. There was so little traffic, we were able to stop and watch as it slid below us.

His talk, on the famous 365 day never ending cycle of painting, of the rail bridge (this continued for many years) had me spell bound. Watching the men who looked more like ants as they scaled the Rail Bridge.

Somehow it seems now that the world was much a much better place then. I can smell the red leather seats in his Austin and see him as he hand painted the white raised pin stripes on the body work. I was allowed from my youngest memories to sit on his knee and steer the car up and down his driveway. I still remember stretching my arms to be able to grip the steering wheel, which was always warm and smooth to the touch. I couldn't reach the button on the floor to operate the main beam, but was allowed to operate the lever that brought out the semaphore turn signals.

He died in 1968.

To this day think of him and how he would love things like SatNav and automatic cars. I can hear him telling me, as we gazed up at the bow of the QE2, rising above the tenement block roofs "This will be the last big ship you will see built here"

He made his own picnic tray for the Austin that hung over the seat backs. SImple but effective it went everywhere with us.

He would love this bridge. It is indeed a beautiful piece of engineering art.
 
What the article doesn't say is how simply beautiful the thing is especially when viewed from a distance and just slightly off-centreline. Standing like three giant sails it's breathtaking.

I went over to photograph the construction a few times before they completed it and even with most of the cables in place it looked OK but lacked something.

I passed across the Forth four times a couple of weeks ago at different times of the day - and you are exactly right - it looks like three giant sails and if you are offset it shimmers in soft light.

It does look remarkable.

I think the three towers also sort of mirror the three cantilever sections of the Forth Bridge. While the old road bridge is not inelegant I think visually it's perhaps a pity that they didn't plan the new crossing with extra lanes and for the old bridge to be taken down leaving the Forth Bridge and the Queensferry Crossing with an upgrade in capacity.
 
The new Forth road bridge is due to be opened by the Queen this Wednesday.

Sorry got that date wrong - the bridge will open to traffic on the 30th August the formal opening by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will be on the 4th of September.
 
Another superb piece of Engineering albeit by a Consortium of Companies across Europe rather than UK only. Design of the wind barriers is very special and should allow lorries and buses to cross in even at highest wind speeds.

I watched a news article on this last night and it appears that the structure has no movement joints which , if correct , is another interesting feature. Further research ongoing to check if that is true.
 
If it is open at 5-30 ish on the 30th then I will be coming across it from Fife, on my journey back home to Northampton. It will quite a memorable experience using it on the first day it is open.
I wonder if they will be handing out t shirts ? "Virgin Bridge User", " Over The Forth At 207metres", "I Conquered The Queensferry Bridge" or perhaps a sign at the end "Englishman Go Home"
 
Bobby Dazzler said:
Bridges fascinate me. The first time I saw saw the Forth road and rail bridges I was captivated and just looked at them for hours, from umpteen different angles. Another reason for me to do the North Coast 500 so I can pass through on my way North.
If bridges are your bag then if you ever get the chance then go and see the Rio-Antirrio bridge in Greece. It was being built when the Greeks were preparing to host the Olympic helping to totally skint them out. The bridge itself is a real piece of art and an engineering masterpiece.
 
If bridges are your bag then if you ever get the chance then go and see the Rio-Antirrio bridge in Greece. It was being built when the Greeks were preparing to host the Olympic helping to totally skint them out. The bridge itself is a real piece of art and an engineering masterpiece.

Wow, just Googled it, that's an incredible thing to look at, thank you for sharing :thumb:
 
I still vividly recall my beautiful, loving grand father taking me (his youngest Grand Son) in his Austin A30 up to view the newly opened Road Bridge in 1964 (I was seven years old).

My Grand Father was an engineer all his life at BMK Carpets in Kilmarnock and had a passion for all things mechanical. The 'new' Road Bridge viewed from the Rail Bridge was a magnificent site to young boy. The bridges were just too big to contemplate. We stood for hours as he explained to me how the rail bridge was constructed, watching the steam trains crossing like tiny toys above us. We then drove over the road bridge just as a very large ship went under us. There was so little traffic, we were able to stop and watch as it slid below us.

His talk, on the famous 365 day never ending cycle of painting, of the rail bridge (this continued for many years) had me spell bound. Watching the men who looked more like ants as they scaled the Rail Bridge.

Somehow it seems now that the world was much a much better place then. I can smell the red leather seats in his Austin and see him as he hand painted the white raised pin stripes on the body work. I was allowed from my youngest memories to sit on his knee and steer the car up and down his driveway. I still remember stretching my arms to be able to grip the steering wheel, which was always warm and smooth to the touch. I couldn't reach the button on the floor to operate the main beam, but was allowed to operate the lever that brought out the semaphore turn signals.

He died in 1968.

To this day think of him and how he would love things like SatNav and automatic cars. I can hear him telling me, as we gazed up at the bow of the QE2, rising above the tenement block roofs "This will be the last big ship you will see built here"

He made his own picnic tray for the Austin that hung over the seat backs. SImple but effective it went everywhere with us.

He would love this bridge. It is indeed a beautiful piece of engineering art.

I really enjoyed reading your post, thank you for sharing :thumb:
 
View from Linlithgow last weekend, and from the air in the distance flying into Edinburgh - it is a beauty
 

Attachments

  • image-3791601539.jpg
    image-3791601539.jpg
    49.8 KB · Views: 32
  • image-2996277156.jpg
    image-2996277156.jpg
    27.9 KB · Views: 30
  • image-2075014773.jpg
    image-2075014773.jpg
    30.6 KB · Views: 31
Last edited:
Bobby Dazzler said:
Wow, just Googled it, that's an incredible thing to look at, thank you for sharing :thumb:
You're welcome. For some reason it never seems to get the recognition it deserves. For a relatively poor nation such as Greece it was a surprise it ever got built. I made a special journey to cross it.
 
flat6buster said:
Would it be wrong to mention the Millau?
Beautiful piece of work. The TV documentary about Eddie Stobart did a programme about a number of their lorries crossing the bridge for a photo shoot.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom