Storm at Forth Bridges yesterday (South Queensferry)

[craigowl 0]

2 new pix.

1880's, 1960's and 1990's engineering.

[Storm 0]

err bridge fetish going on??? Seek help man. :-)

[chubbybrown 0]

This is as good as I could get on me camera phone

[craigowl 0]

err bridge fetish going on??? Seek help man.

 

?? Not with you there chum :?

 

South Queensferry is 15 mins drive from home. Unfortunately we have to make do with places like that up here as we do not enjoy the luxury of such photogenic places as Slough and High Wycombe. :evil: :wink:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Nice one Mr Owl... I can match that :D

[craigowl 0]

Good one kev. 8)

Nothing kinky about photos near bridges then?

 

Let me know if you are this way again (or any of you forumers) and you can have a cup of tea and bickies and a wee relax. I promise not to say - as they say in Edinburgh to newly arrived visitors [in a hopeful tone] - "You'll've had your tea then?"

[A9X SJ 0]

Think I'll have to get across & get some pics with the bridge ;)

[craigowl 0]

A96 SJ said:

Think I'll have to get across & get some pics with the bridge

 

Fae Fife? - You'll need your ID. :wink: :)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Nothing kinky about bridges at all mate, I only wish my local surroundings were half as picturesque as your region. Always been fascinated by the forth, it's a fine piece if British civil engineering and I'm glad I captured my C next to it.

 

I was up there in 03 on a holiday in the Lake District, but ventured as far as Edinburgh....I wasn't allowed to take the C to Highlands unfortunately as the missus was fed up with driving at that point!

 

Will defo call in and say hi next time I'm up there!

[craigowl 0]

kevhaywire said

it's a fine piece if British civil engineering

 

Health and Safety was non-existent in those days, though. Scores of men died in accidents - some of them only youths. Proper tribute was only paid to them recently.

 

You may know that the Forth (Railway) Bridge's gross over-engineering was a response to the Tay Bridge disaster in 1879. The court of inquiry revealed that, when the bridge was being constructed, to avoid delay, the foundrymen on the shores of the Tay were wont to fill holes and flaws in the girders with a mixture of carbon, iron filings and beeswax, if I recall correctly!

 

A great, very readable book on the subject is "The High Girders" by John Prebble.

 

PS - By the way, it is scorchio here today again (24C at 1020 hours after unusually high night minimum of 17C).

I wonder if the Victorian designers took global warming into consideration 120 years ago. :roll: That bridge must expand a great deal!

[craigowl 0]

kevhaywire said;

I only wish my local surroundings were half as picturesque as your region

A lot of great Scottish (& UK) scenery comes with frequent rotten weather, though.

The things I found good about down south when I went there to work as a 19-year old were:

Despite what you lot down there think, - a great climate. I didnt know what an advantage and necessity short sleeved shirts were till I went to London during a summer so warm that cracks were opening up in the the earth.

Up here, when the temperature reaches 20C we all start talking about it.

 

Great pubs and pub culture - back home, we were still in the dark ages and, IMO, it took about another 20 years for us to start getting civilised pubs.

 

PS - My (English) wife and daughter will probably be in beautiful Bucks, and High Wycombe in particular, on Saturday next - she has close relatives there.

[chubbybrown 0]

twas sitting at a sweltering 82° at Inverness airport yesterday and no wind

:-(

 

I couldnt stop as I was heading another 150 miles North via mossmoran ?

 

I havent read the book Craigowl but studied the accident in detail years ago,

a very sad affair