Forth Road Bridge Opening Ceremony

As we near the 60th anniversary the Forth Road Bridge, here's a look back at the detailed programme for the opening ceremony which took place on 4 September 1964.

10.50am The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will leave the Royal train at Dalmeny Station, West Lothian, by car for the Forth Road Bridge via Dolphinton Flyover. 

11.00am Her Majesty and His Royal Highness will arrive at the southern approaches to the Bridge where they will be received by Colonel Henry M. Cadell (Lord Lieutenant of West Lothian). 

A party of the Queen’s Bodyguard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers, together with Rothesay Herald (Colonel H. A. B. Lawson) and Unicorn Pursuivant (Don Pottinger, Esq.) will be in attendance at the Royal dais.  

The Lord Lieutenant will present guests.  

11.10am On the Royal dais, the Chairman of the Board will call upon the Minister for South Queensferry to offer a prayer, following which he will invite Her Majesty to speak. 

The Queen will declare the Bridge open.  

11.15am A Royal Salute of 21 guns will be fired from eight ships of the Royal Navy. 

Flags will be broken from the towers of the Bridge.  

11.17am A formation flypast Salute by Royal Air Force aircraft from five Units in Scotland. 

The Chairman of the Board will invite Her Majesty and His Royal Highness to sign the Visitors Book and Portraits for the Board.  

11.20am After leaving the Royal dais, the Chairman of the Board will present guests. 

The Chairman of the Board will invite Her Majesty and His Royal Highness to inspect an obelisk commemorating the opening of the Bridge and recording the names of those responsible for its design and construction.  

The Lord Lieutenant will take leave. 

11.30am Depart by car across the Bridge. 

11.35am Her Majesty and His Royal Highness will arrive at St. Margaret’s Head, Fife, and will be received by The Earl of Elgin and Kincardine (Lord Lieutenant of Fife). 

The Lord Lieutenant will present guests.  

The Vice-Chairman of the Board will invite Her Majesty and His Royal Highness to inspect a plaque commemorating the first crossing of The Forth Road Bridge and will present guests.  

11.40am Depart by car for North Queensferry, via Admiralty Road Flyover and Ferry Toll Junction. 

11.55am Arrive at the Pier, North Queensferry. 

The Lord Lieutenant will present guests. 

Dr. John Mason will present a bound copy of his book, “The Story of the Water Passage at Queensferry” to Her Majesty. 

The Lord Lieutenant will take leave. 

12 noon Depart by the “Queen Margaret” ferry, underneath the Forth Road Bridge and round the Beamer Rock, for South Queensferry. 

12.30pm Arrive at Hawes Pier, South Queensferry, and depart by car for Edinburgh (via A90 for Dolphinton Flyover and the southern approach roads). 

1.00pm Arrive at the Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh.  

THe Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will be received by the Right Honourable the Lord Provost of Edinburgh and Chairman of the Forth Road Bridge Joint Board (Duncan M. Weatherstone, Esq.). 

1.15pm Her Majesty and His Royal Highness, will be entertained to luncheon by the Forth Road Bridge Joint Board. 

2.50pm Depart by car for the A.B.C. Cinema, Lothian Road. 

2.55pm Arrive at the A.B.C. Cinema where The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will be received by the Chairman of the Forth Road Bridge Joint Board who will present guests. 

3.00pm Her Majesty and His Royal Highness will attend the first performance of a Fantasia on Four Scottish Tunes by Cedric Thorpe Davie specially commissioned for the occasion by the British Broadcasting Corporation and played by the B.B.C. Scottish Orchestra, leader Trevor Williams, conducted by the composer; and the premiere of a film presented by Shell and B.P. Scotland in co-operation with the Films of Scotland Committee as a tribute to those who planned and built The Forth Road Bridge. 

4.20pm Depart from the A.B.C. Cinema by car for Waverley Station. 

4.25pm Arrive Waverley Station. 

The Lord Provost of Edinburgh will take leave. 

4.30pm Her Majesty and His Royal Highness will leave Edinburgh in the Royal Train.  

If you have any memories of the day or commemorative artefacts, we'd love to see them - please post on Facebook using #ForthRoadBridge60 so that we can share with others and add to our digital archive.