Forth Bridge facts for kids

The Forth Bridge usually refers to the amazing Forth Rail Bridge in Scotland. It's a famous railway bridge that crosses the Firth of Forth, which is an estuary (where a river meets the sea). This bridge is a true engineering marvel and is even a World Heritage Site!

Sometimes, "Forth Bridge" can also mean other bridges nearby, like the Forth Road Bridge (for cars) or the newer Queensferry Crossing. But when people say "the Forth Bridge," they almost always mean the big red railway bridge.

The Famous Forth Rail Bridge

The Forth Rail Bridge is one of the most famous landmarks in Scotland. It's known for its unique design and its bright red color.

Building a Giant Bridge

Building the Forth Rail Bridge was a huge challenge! It was designed by engineers Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker. Construction started in 1883 and finished in 1890. Imagine building something so big over 130 years ago, without modern machinery!

How it was Built

Thousands of workers helped build the bridge. They used a special type of construction called a cantilever bridge. This design uses strong arms that stick out from towers, supporting the middle sections. You can see this design in the bridge's three large, balanced sections.

Workers had to dig deep underwater to create the foundations for the bridge's towers. They used huge, airtight chambers called caissons. Inside these, workers would dig out the seabed, and then the caissons would slowly sink into place. It was very dangerous work!

Bridge Facts

• The bridge is about 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) long.
• It used over 50,000 tons of steel.
• More than 6.5 million rivets were used to hold it all together!
• It was the first major steel bridge in Britain.
• The bridge was painted "Forth Bridge Red," a special color chosen to protect the steel. For many years, people used to say "painting the Forth Bridge" meant a never-ending job, because it took so long to paint the whole thing!

Why the Bridge was Needed

Before the Forth Rail Bridge, people and goods had to cross the Firth of Forth by ferry or take a very long detour. The bridge made it much easier and faster to travel between the east and west of Scotland, helping trade and travel.

Other Forth Bridges

While the Forth Rail Bridge is the most famous, there are two other important bridges nearby:

Forth Road Bridge

The Forth Road Bridge was built much later, opening in 1964. It's a suspension bridge and was built to carry cars and other road traffic. It runs parallel to the Forth Rail Bridge.

Queensferry Crossing

The newest bridge, the Queensferry Crossing, opened in 2017. It's a cable-stayed bridge and was built to take over from the Forth Road Bridge, which was getting too old and busy for all the traffic.

Forth Bridge in Films

The Forth Road Bridge was the subject of a 1965 documentary film called The Forth Road Bridge. This film showed how the road bridge was built.

Images for kids

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  Close up on the base of one of the three double-cantilevers of the bridge

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  Bouch's proposed bridge (top) along with other proposals on the same principle

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  The original (above) and final (below) designs of the Forth Bridge

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  Illustration of the cantilever principle

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  The southern approach to the Forth Bridge, designed by James Carswell

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  A view from South Queensferry of the bridge's cantilever towers being built in 1887.

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  The cantilever towers are almost finished in 1888.

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  A completed caisson on Inchgarvie with the granite pier

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  The tilted caisson

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  The mode of sinking the South Queensferry caissons

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  A German photograph allegedly taken during the raid

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  A 1913 Railway Clearing House Junction Diagram showing the Forth Bridge Railway (red) and neighbouring lines of the North British Railway (blue)

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  The approach to the bridge from Dalmeny Station

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  Inside the Forth Bridge as seen from a ScotRail Class 158

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  Original rivet from the Forth Bridge

See also

In Spanish: Puente de Forth para niños