Forth Rail Bridge opened 123 years ago on 4 March 1890

Sir William Arrol assists the Prince of Wales to place the last rivet in the Forth Rail Bridge.

On the 4th March 1890 the Forth Rail Bridge was opened by the Prince of Wales.

A public holiday had been declared in the local towns and a mass of people gathered to watch the royal train arrive and cross the bridge.

The bridge was a feat of engineering, designed by Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker, and built by Sir William Arrol. Over 4, 000 men were involved in it’s construction It took 54,000 tons of steel to build and at 2, 467 metres was the longest bridge  in the world when it was completed.

A wonder of it’s age, the Bridge remains today a landmark structure and icon of British engineering.  A nomination for it to be given World Heritage Status has been submitted to  the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and  the decision is expected in June 2015.