Some fact and figures about the Forth Rail Bridge. The bridge was started in 1883 and finally completed on 4th March 1890 when HRH Edward Prince of Wales tapped into place a 'golden' rivet.

It is 1.5 mile in length and is the worlds first major steel bridge, with it's gigantic girder spans of 1710 feet.

The bridge was designed by in the aftermath of the Tay Bridge disaster by civil engineers Sir John Fowler and Benjamin Baker. The main crossing comprises tubular struts and lattice-girder ties in three double-cantilevers each connected by 345 feet 'suspended' girders resting on the cantilever ends and secured by man-sized pins. Each of the 361 feet high double-cantilevers is supported on well-founded granite piers.

The bridge's construction involved the employment of 4.600 men at times, the use of 54,000 tons of steel and 6,500,000 driving rivets. It's total cost was £3,200,000. During construction rescue boats where stationed under each cantilever saving at least 8 lives, but 57 men still lost their lives.

The continuous painting painting of the bridge for the first 100 years, is now being done by state-of-the-art paint regime which lasts for 20 years.

It is Scotlands biggest 'listed' building and continues to form a vital artery in Railtracks East Coast railway system.