Forth Bridge Facts & Figures

A Marvel of Victorian Engineering.

The Forth Bridge first opened in 1890
The overall length of the Forth Bridge is 2,467 metres
The main structure (portal to portal) measures 1,630 metres
The highest point of the Forth Bridge stands 110 metres above high water and 137 metres above its foundations
53,000 tonnes of steel and 6.5 million rivets were used to construct the Forth Bridge
The Forth Bridge's piers are constructed from 120,000 cubic yards of concrete and masonry, faced with 2 ft thick granite
200 trains use the bridge every day, carrying 3 million passengers each year
The total painted area of the Forth Bridge is 230,000 sq metres, requiring 240,000 litres of paint
There are 1,040 lights installed on the Forth Bridge, using approximately 35-40,000 metres of cable
73 lives were lost during the construction of the Forth Bridge
At the height of its construction, more than 4,000 men were employed
The construction of the bridge resulted in an unbroken East Coast railway route from London to Aberdeen.

1873 Thomas Bouch’s first design for a suspension bridge across the Forth presented

1879 Bouch’s design for the Forth Bridge abandoned following Tay Bridge disaster

1882 Design submitted by John Fowler and Benjamin Baker approved

1883 Construction of Fowler and Baker’s cantilever structure began

1885 Last caisson launched

1886 Pier foundations completed

1887 Three towers completed

1889 Cantilevers completed

1890 Bridge formally opened by Prince of Wales on 4 March 1890

Three men positioned to model the cantilever principle, 1887