Wartime plans for new Forth rail bridge unearthed - for real

Second World War designs for a new railway crossing beside the Forth Bridge have been discovered.
Picture: Visit ScotlandPicture: Visit Scotland
Picture: Visit Scotland

Engineers believe the triple-arch structure was planned as a replacement for the bridge if it had been destroyed by long-range German V2 rockets.

The find was confirmed as genuine by Forth Bridge owner Network Rail this afternoon - hours after VisitScotland had based an April Fool on the scheme, claiming it would be built.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Two engineering drawings were unearthed in a microfiche file during research for the planned Forth Bridge visitor centre.

Picture: Visit ScotlandPicture: Visit Scotland
Picture: Visit Scotland

They are dated January 1945 and labelled as “Engineers Department Edinburgh”.

The designs show the arches would be 110m high - the same as the existing rail bridge, with masonry towers of 70m high.

Ian Heigh, a senior project manager for Network Rail, who is developing the visitor centre proposals, said: “It’s amazing that a 125-year-old structure like the Forth Bridge can still offer us new mysteries.

“These plans date from early 1945, towards the end of the Second World War, so we think they may have been drawn up as a contingency plan in the event of a V2 rocket strike.

Picture: Visit ScotlandPicture: Visit Scotland
Picture: Visit Scotland

“To be honest, even Network Rail’s longest serving railway engineers seem to be a bit perplexed by the true purpose of these proposals.

“If this bridge had been built, the entire character of the area would have altered, not just the famous landmark.

“We’d love to know more about these plans, so I’d encourage anyone with more information to get in touch.”