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Forth Rail Bridge facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

For the nearby road bridge, see Forth Road Bridge.

Forthrailbridgefromsouthqueensferry
The Forth Bridge, seen from South Queensferry.

The Forth Bridge is a famous railway bridge in Scotland. It crosses the Firth of Forth, which is part of the River Forth. This amazing bridge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, meaning it's recognized as very important to the world.

Building the Forth Bridge

The Forth Bridge was finished in 1890. It's a special type of bridge called a cantilever bridge. This design uses strong arms that stick out to support the main part of the bridge.

How Big is the Bridge?

The bridge has three main sections. Each section is about 1710 feet (521 meters) long. The whole bridge stretches for 8296 feet (2529 meters). That's over 1.5 miles long! It stands about 150 feet (46 meters) above the water.

Trains and Materials

Around 190 to 200 trains cross the Forth Bridge every single day. Building it took a lot of materials. Workers used more than 55,000 tons of steel. They also used 18,122 cubic meters of granite and over eight million rivets.

Speed and Weight Limits

Trains have speed limits when crossing the bridge. Passenger trains can go up to 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). Freight trains, which carry goods, must go slower, at 20 miles per hour (32 km/h). The heaviest a train can be on the bridge is 1,422 tonnes (about 1,442,000 kg).

The Workers Who Built It

Building such a huge bridge was a massive job. About 4,600 workers were involved in its construction. Their hard work created this incredible landmark.

Related pages

Images for kids

  • Close up on the Forth Bridge, Scotland arp

    A close-up view of the base of one of the bridge's three double-cantilevers.

  • Forth Bridge (1890) Figs. 2 and 3, Page 4

    Early ideas for the bridge, including Bouch's proposed design (top).

  • Forth Bridge (1890) Fig. 4, Page 5

    The first design (above) and the final design (below) of the Forth Bridge.

  • Cantilever bridge human model

    An illustration showing how a cantilever bridge works.

  • Forth bridges 2005-06-17 06

    The southern path leading to the Forth Bridge, designed by James Carswell.

  • Forth Bridge - General view from back of Newhalls Inn, South Queensferry

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

  • George Washington Wilson

    The cantilever towers are nearly finished in 1888.

  • Forth Bridge (1890) Fig. 53, Page 30

    A completed caisson (a watertight chamber) on Inchgarvie with the granite pier.

  • Forth Bridge (1890) Fig. 46, Page 26

    The tilted caisson during construction.

  • Forth Bridge (1890) Fig. 51, Page 28

    How the South Queensferry caissons were sunk into place.

  • Are these "just a few splashes", Mr. Churchill?

    A German photograph, possibly taken during a raid.

  • Forth Bridge RJD 129

    A 1913 Railway Clearing House diagram showing the Forth Bridge Railway (red) and nearby lines (blue).

  • The Forth Bridge seen from Dalmeny Station

    The approach to the bridge from Dalmeny Station.

  • InsideTheForthRailBridge 19990822P0001

    Inside the Forth Bridge, seen from a ScotRail Class 158 train.

  • ForthRivet

    An original rivet from the Forth Bridge.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Puente de Forth para niños

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Forth Rail Bridge Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.