GeoGraph - photograph every grid square

The Forth Rail Bridge was started in 1883 and opened by Edward, Prince of Wales on 4 March 1890. The bridge was constructed by Tancred-Arrol to a design by civil engineers Sir John Fowler and Benjamin Baker.

It was built as three separate double cantilevers and the bridge is balanced by 1000 ton counterweights on the outside of the outer cantilever structures. The towers reach a height of 361ft. Construction involved the use of over 54,000 tons of steel and 6.5 million rivets.

There used to be a continuous program of painting however the bridge is now being repaired and painted. Each rivet is being checked individually and replaced if required. The steel is being sand-blasted and repainted with special paint that has a longer life span than previously. The bridge will take 10 years to repair and paint and the paint will have a 30-year life span.

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Photograph taken by Neil Armstrong.