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.
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.