Part of our Edinburgh retro series, this video looks at incredible photos of the construction and opening of one of Scotland's marvels of engineering, the Forth Road Bridge.
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00:00 Hello, I'm Neil from The Evening News and this video is part of a retro series where
00:05 we look back at historic pictures of Edinburgh. In this video we'll be looking at the construction
00:11 and opening of one of Scotland's marvels of engineering, the Forth Road Bridge.
00:18 Up until 1964, those wanting to take their car between Edinburgh and Fife were forced
00:23 to rely on a centuries old ferry service over the Forth Estuary. The only other option was
00:28 a long road trip to Stirling Old Bridge or post-1936 the Kirkarden Bridge. Here we see
00:35 cars queuing at South Queensferry to board the ferry across the Forth, three months before
00:40 the Forth Road Bridge opened. This picture from 1962 shows a painter walking down the
00:46 centre girder of the Forth Bridge, looking over at the ongoing construction to the Forth
00:51 Road Bridge. Here we see Captain R.A. Mason aboard the Queen Margaret during the final
00:57 ferry crossing of the Forth before the bridge opened in September 1964. This picture from
01:04 1961 shows the construction of the approach road to the bridge near Dalmeny. Working on
01:10 the bridge was not for the faint hearted and having a head for heights was essential for
01:14 those painting the Forth Road Bridge. Here we see a man painting the main suspension
01:19 steel ropes on the Forth Road Bridge in September 1963. By July 1963 the bridge was starting
01:28 to take shape. It would take roughly six years to complete the build using 39,000 tonnes
01:34 of steel and 125,000 cubic metres of concrete. Here we see the bridge nearing completion
01:41 in September 1963, one year before it opened. This picture from April 1960 shows the bridge's
01:49 anchorage in steel ducts through which the supporting wires would eventually pass. Forth
01:56 Road Bridge workers James MacDonald and James MacEwan posed for a picture on the bridge
02:01 the day before it opened to the public. Here we see workmen adding the final touches ahead
02:07 of the opening of the bridge in 1964. Lord Provost Weatherstone greets the Queen and
02:15 Duke of Edinburgh at the opening of the Forth Road Bridge on September 4th 1964. On that
02:23 day members of the Red Cross were some of the first people to arrive at the opening
02:27 ceremony of the bridge. School children from North Queensferry had the best view in the
02:33 house for the opening of the bridge. Here we see another crowd waiting at North Queensferry
02:38 for the Queen's arrival at the official opening of the bridge. To celebrate the event a special
02:44 set of stamps were issued by the Royal Mail that year. Here we see one of the first drivers
02:51 to cross the bridge and pay the toll in 1964. The toll charge would stay in place until
02:57 2008 when it was scrapped by the Scottish Parliament. This picture shows the Scotsman
03:03 News and Dispatch van crossing the Forth Road Bridge for the first time. A policeman can
03:08 be seen here monitoring traffic as they queue to pay the bridge toll shortly after the Forth
03:13 Road Bridge opened. Mr Wilson, the first Forth Road Bridge master, poses for a picture in
03:19 front of the toll booths in 1964. And finally this picture from June 1965 shows the plaque
03:27 that was unveiled by Lord Provis Weatherstone in memory of the seven men who were killed
03:32 during the construction of the Forth Road Bridge. If you'd like to check out more retro
03:40 content you can visit our website at www.edmundnews.scotsman.com and click on the retro tab.
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