BS: The Forth Way

Subject: BS: The Forth Way
From: Emma B
Date: 16 Mar 10 - 08:30 AM

Described as "the one internationally recognised Scottish landmark"
the Forth Bridge is a cantilever railway bridge over the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland

Even today it is regarded as an engineering marvel; the first major structure in Britain to be constructed of steel unlike its contemporary, the Eiffel Tower which was built of wrought iron.

It has passed into everyday language in the form "Painting the Forth Bridge" which is a colloquial term for a never-ending task

A representation of the Forth Bridge appears on the 2004 Issue one pound coin
The 2007 series of banknotes issued by the Bank of Scotland depicts different bridges in Scotland as examples of Scottish engineering, and the £20 note features the Forth Bridge

There is a scene on the bridge in Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 film The 39 Steps

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 16 Mar 10 - 08:32 AM

East Fife Five. Forfar Four.

Pass the tinfoil...

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 16 Mar 10 - 08:39 AM

I've used that very term for painting my outside staircase! Taking me a bloody lifetime to do!

By the way, I recently watched a proggie which told how the wires holding the Forth Bridge up are going PING! PING! at an ALARMING rate!

I'd swim over, if I were you...safer...

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Emma B
Date: 16 Mar 10 - 08:57 AM

You can take the girl out of her railway town but you can't take the love and lure of the railway out of the girl.

Way to go!
film from inside cab travelling over Forth bridge.

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Emma B
Date: 16 Mar 10 - 11:17 AM

Another bit of folklore bites the dust:(

Next year painters are due to finish applying special paint to the forth Bridge which should last for up to 30 years.

A 200-strong team is applying a triple layer of new "glass flake epoxy" paint, which is similar to that used in the offshore oil industry.

It creates a chemical bond to provide a virtually impenetrable layer to protect the bridge's steelwork from the weather.

A spokesman for Network Rail said while most of the bridge would not need repainting for decades, the most exposed areas were likely to need touch-ups more regularly.


BTW, as mentioned in the opening post, the Forth Bridge is a CANTILEVER railway bridge
"(It is often called the Forth Rail Bridge or Forth Railway Bridge to distinguish it from the Forth Road Bridge, although strictly speaking this is incorrect)"

The road bridge over the River Forth however is a SUSPENSION bridge and currently, corrosion is damaging the wires holding it up.

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Jack Campin
Date: 16 Mar 10 - 11:18 AM

The rail bridge is steel cantilever, no wires.

The one going PING is the 1960s road bridge, a suspension bridge by Freeman Fox and Partners (those lovely people who brought you the Yarra River bridge disaster, 35 workers dead) which looks like costing a billion quid to fix.

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: MikeL2
Date: 16 Mar 10 - 11:19 AM

hi

Perhaps they will then start on the Fifth Bridge....lol

regards

MikeL2

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Emma B
Date: 16 Mar 10 - 11:23 AM

I don't think there is Firth of Fifth MikeL2 - just as well it'd be even harder to say :)

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 16 Mar 10 - 11:38 AM

The old Severn Bridge is also going PING! in the same way as the Forth Road Bridge....they're bringing in, or may even have brought in, dehumidifiers for it, as I recall.

??

Not sure I'd travel over either bridge after watching the programme...

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Mar 10 - 11:44 AM

Neat video, beautiful country.

I love riding the train! Lots of neat videos on youtube of Amtrak's Zephyr climbing through the Rocky Mountains. It is a thrilling ride.

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 16 Mar 10 - 11:45 AM

There used to be a lovely ferry across the Forth.

Going back to Hitchcock, have you noticed how the train leaves Waverley, passes through a Highland glen (roughly where Edinburgh Airport should be) and then gets to the Forth Bridge. Still the best film version, and shows what a genius he was, especially if you compare his story to the Buchan book.

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Emma B
Date: 16 Mar 10 - 12:40 PM

Especially for Dave

The Queensferry Passage 100 years of ferry boats across the Firth of Forth with views of the Forth Bridge

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: MikeL2
Date: 16 Mar 10 - 03:19 PM

hi emma

As I used to live in Scotland I know that there is no Fifth bridge. You are right though if there was it would be a tongue twister.

Mind you it wouldn't be quite as bad as the Scottish football result.

Forfar four East Fife five.....lol

I used to live on the Moray Firth - no tongue twists there.

regards

MikeL2

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Micca
Date: 17 Mar 10 - 05:27 AM

I dont know,MikeL2, maybe we can parody instead

"Ye Barbys and Grillers
Oh whisht and be still
They ha ta'en the Eel of Moray
and laid it on the Grill

He was a silver fishey
a swimming up and down
now the bonney Eel of Moray
is slowly turning brown"

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Folkiedave
Date: 17 Mar 10 - 05:28 AM

the most exposed areas were likely to need touch-ups more regularly.

I can go with that.

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Folkiedave
Date: 17 Mar 10 - 05:31 AM

And as I look across the valley from my front window I see Wadsley Hall (now divided into flats) which reminds me of Sir John Fowler, who was one of the people who designed and built the bridge.

See this link.

http://www.chrishobbs.com/johnfowlerforthrail.htm

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: MikeL2
Date: 17 Mar 10 - 07:24 AM

hi Micca

Thanks for that..I feel better now...lol

I used to swim in the Moray Firth but never saw a brown eel.

Kind Regards

MikeL2

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Folkiedave
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 05:51 AM

You swam in the Moray Forth? Maximum respect.

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: MikeL2
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 07:09 AM

hi dave

Yes we used to sweim there regularly.....couldn't afford to pay to go to the pool. In those days I was young and foolish.

Now I am........OK OK OK   ....I know....lol

cheers

MikeL2

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 07:21 AM

I fell in the Irwell once.

Could explain a lot...

:D

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: MikeL2
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 07:55 AM

hi dave

I bet you could swim in there. It has been cleaned up a lot lately..but sometimes years ago it looked as if you could walk on it....lol

I've peed in it on more than one occasion !!!

Cheers

MikeL2

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Micca
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 08:37 AM

Daavve a shipmate of mine fell in the Manchester Ship Canal, it took him 2 minutes to sink, and the pumped his stomach and kept him in Hospital for 3 days!!!!!
MikeL2 MAX respect for swimming in the Moray bits of that part of the North Sea used to come on board "to visit" on a taanker I served in as we were headin up to Stavanger and it was frigging COLD even in July!!! aand you VOLUNTARILY immersed yourself in it!!!! Brave but Foolhardy!

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: MikeL2
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 10:37 AM

Hi Micca

It was in Summer and the temperatures were not bad.......brrrrrr lol

Seriously, where we swam at Ardersier and Nairn it was reasonable. At Ardersier we did have to scramble doen the rocks but Nairn has a nice sandy beach.

A large Scotch or two soon put the colour back in the cheeks...lol

Never been to Stavager but sounds b....y cold to me !!!

regards

MikeL2

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 01:32 PM

Translate for the poor stranger: What is "East Fife five, Forfar four"?

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Emma B
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 01:40 PM

Sadly that football score is a myth .........

Nearly but not quite.

The Fifers visited Station Park during the 1963-64 campaign in the old Scottish Second Division and scored four.
Their hosts still won, the final score being... Forfar 5, East Fife 4.

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 08:01 AM

Oh.

I guess you had to be there.

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: bubblyrat
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 08:05 AM

When I visited Edinburgh in 1968,after a big NATO exercise,I was often taken ashore by boat to South Queensferry,which necessitated passing underneath the Forth Bridge ( the ship was moored downstream from it,as we were,like another aircraft carrier,from Canada,too big to pass underneath ourselves). I always found it an awe-inspiring experience,whilst fervently hoping that nobody took a dump or a leak from a passing train above.

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: akenaton
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 08:23 AM

Is that you, way down in that anorak "Em"??

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 06:15 PM

Cromarty, Firth, Forth, Fith, Sixth.
Iceland, Shetland, and the Ponies.....
Dogger, Fisher, Germans Bite.
North Woopsirer. South Woopsirer....
One thousand and ten.....Falling slowly.....

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: GUEST,Ross Campbell abroad
Date: 20 Mar 10 - 07:02 AM

If it's the same programme I saw,some of the local residents almost under the approach arches had more than an awe-inspiring experience on discovering rusty bits of bridge in their gardens every time there was a high wind. There is now a hammock of fine wire mesh strung under the bridge deck to prevent similar occurences (but what happens when the weight of the collected debris becomes too much for the wire mesh?)

Ross

Subject: RE: BS: The Forth Way
From: bubblyrat
Date: 20 Mar 10 - 03:38 PM

Bits used to fall on peoples' heads at HMS LochinvAAAAARGH !