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Information - - Bothy's on the Firth-of-Forth Railway Bridge | High Stuff | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Information - Bothy's on the Firth-of-Forth Railway Bridge

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green godess

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Hi folks,

I'm sure many of you railway and high structure enthusiasts north of the border, will know there are three quite substantial 'Bothy's' each built on the eastern side of the three diamonds. They were built not so terribly long after the bridge was opened. There purpose was to serve many primary tasks.

Firstly, to house and accommodate the painting teams that perpetually brushed from north to south, also to guard the bridge at night, whereby watchmen were deployed to stop sailors from the Faslane Naval Base taking a short cut home, after missing their last trains from Edinburgh after a heavy night's drinking and entertainment.

However, in both World Wars the three Bothy's were constantly manned with trained watch-keeper's to look for enemy aircraft; the Forth Bridge being a prize target most definitely on the prize hit-list of the Luftwaffe.

All three are of the same design and are below the level of rail across the bridge. Whilst I have never visited any of them, I believe they are/were all equipped with good facilities - bunk beds, cooking facilities from propane gas stoves, fridges and running water.

I believe the children's programme 'Blue Peter' once covered a visit into one of them and there was also a destructive fire in one of the three structures.

Can anyone add to what I've described, or better still provide photos or an account of a visit?

All of the three bothy's would have served a welcome retreat for personnel working on the bridge, especially in the biting cold and icy north east winds, blowing across the bridge at that height.

Best regards from

G.G.
 

Cuuvin

28DL Colonial Member
28DL Full Member
Here's a couple of interior shots I found on the web ...
132849.jpg
by Lynn Patrick, 1997

132850.jpg
by Lynn Patrick, 1997
From http://www.ssplprints.com/image/132849/patrick-lynn-bothy-interior-at-the-forth-bridge-1997
: "Railway workers inside their canteen or 'bothy' on the Forth Bridge, Fife, by Lynn Patrick, 1997. The Forth Bridge requires continuous maintenance and is covered by 10,000 gallons of paint."

also on the site , they have a more pictures pertaining to the bridge (construction, documents, present day, etc ...) :D

added:
View of a bothy, from a bothy, on the Forth Bridge. 1990
The bothy in view is near the dead centre of the Bridge, the solid girder work cross-member slightly nearer the camera to the one on which the bothy sits is connected to the vertical bracing on each side of the absolute centre of the Inchgarvie tower and seen between the darker, tubular, angled girders. This tower is wider than the ones on either side and is the only one with the central, vertical bracing feature.
th?id=HN.608044237082463402&pid=1.jpg
[email protected]
and another ...
1be5e4c37466196cc249d9cf59b06d80_large.jpg


Katherine
"Perched Bothy
Posted by Katherine (Bristol, United Kingdom) on 25 April 2010 in Architecture.
Still at the Forth Bridges viewpoint! This is actually a pretty vicious crop which I noticed while viewing the original image at 100%. This is much more interesting!"

none of these pictures are mine, they are owned by party in links provided.
 
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Brick_Man

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
The heaters are always on! Kettle/cupasoup facilities in at least two of them available. Bit noisy though, unless you were wrecked doubt you would get any sleep
 

Spam

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Climbed the bridge twice, both times the southern most bothy was in use. We sneakily went right up to one of the windows to see what it was used for as I had always wondered. Nothing special, the spiral staircases in each of the stone tower supports is far more worth a look (if you don't mind pigeons).
 

jimfoz

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
I remember seeing a programme on this - I think the screen shots are from it. They basically spent their working lives painting the bridge. One of the guys I recognised as being an actor from Scotts porridge oats advert being shown at the time - his career painting the bridge is mentioned

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_McCann
 
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