Visit the Forth Bridge Model in London

In August 1873 the North British Railway obtained authority to build a railway bridge across the Firth of Forth and construction of a suspension bridge, designed by Thomas Bouch, began in 1878. However, when Bouch’s original Tay Bridge collapsed during a storm in December 1879, work on his bridge across the Forth stopped immediately pending a full inquiry. 

Bouch’s suspension bridge plans for the Forth were abandoned and designs for a new bridge were invited by the newly formed Forth Bridge Railway Company.  Mindful of the bridge disaster in the Tay, the Board of Trade required the Forth Bridge to be a rigid structure capable of withstanding extreme wind pressure to carry heavy freight and passenger trains.   A new design, by John Fowler and Benjamin Baker, was submitted to the Forth Bridge Company in May 1881. 

The Forth Bridge Railway Company produced a zinc silver-plated 1:480 scale model to illustrate the proposal to a parliamentary committee in the House of Commons.  Subsequently, an Act of Parliament was passed in July 1882 to progress the innovative cantilevered steel structure.

Image: Science Museum Group from the Liverpool Mercury, 6 June 1882 

The Forth Bridge Railway Act included a fold-out photograph of the model shown on a painted backdrop with small boats beneath. 

Image: Historic Environment Scotland 

After the Act of Parliament was passed in July 1882, Baker was reported in the Scotsman in August 1882 to be taking the model to the 52nd annual meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in Southampton where he gave a talk on the new structure.  The “model will be one of the curiosities of the meeting. It is a beautiful piece of workmanship perfect in every detail”. 

Construction of the Forth Bridge began in 1883 and the bridge model was likely shown to prominent visitors who came to the site during construction.  The Bridge was opened by the Prince of Wales on 4th March 1890. 

The pre-construction model later featured in the centenary celebrations for the Stockton & Darlington Railway at an exhibition in Darlington in 1925.  Indeed, the Railway 200 activities in 2025 celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway. 

Image: Science Museum Group from exhibition held at Darlington in 1925 as part of the Stockton & Darlington Railway centenary celebrations.   

Today, the Forth Bridge model proudly sits in Making the Modern World gallery at the Science Museum in London.  Visits to the Museum are free, but pre-booking is required.  

Images: Forth Bridges Forum