Forth Bridge World Heritage Site A Short Guide April 2019 NIO M O UN IM D R T IA A L • P • W L O A I R D L D N H O E M R I E TA IN G O E • PATRIM United Nations The Forth Bridge Educational, Scientific and inscribed on the World Cultural Organization Heritage List in 2015 A Short Guide April 2019 A Short Guide April 2019 Contents Introduction This short guide is an introduction to the Forth Bridge World Heritage Site (WHS), its inscription on the World Heritage List and its management and governance. It is one of a series of Site- specific short guides for each of Scotland’s six WHS. Introduction 1 For information outlining what World Heritage status is and what it means, the responsibilities and benefits attendant upon achieving World SHETLAND Forth Bridge World Heritage Site: Key Facts 2 Heritage status, and current approaches to protection and management see the World The World Heritage Site and its Setting 3 Heritage in Scotland short guide. See Further Information and Contacts for more information. Statement of Outstanding Universal Value 5 ORKNEY 1 Kirkwall Managing the Forth Bridge 6 Planning and the Forth Bridge 8 Western Isles Stornoway Further Information and Contacts 10 St kilda 2 Inverness Aberdeen World Heritage Sites in Scotland KEY: Perth 1 Heart of Neolithic Orkney Forth Bridge 6 2 St Kilda 5 3 Edinburgh 3 Frontiers of the Roman Empire: Glasgow Antonine Wall 4 4 New Lanark 5 Old and New Towns of Edinburgh 6 FORTH BRIDGE World Heritage in Scotland World Heritage in Scotland 01 A Short Guide April 2019 A Short Guide April 2019 Forth Bridge World Heritage Site: The World Heritage Site Key Facts and its Setting • Inscribed onto the World Heritage List as • The Forth Bridge influenced engineering THE FORTH BRIDGE The Forth Bridge Company was formed in 1873 a cultural WHS in 2015 – the Bridge’s 125th know-how across the globe. It is the world’s The Forth Bridge is a keystone achievement in to construct a twin suspension bridge designed anniversary year. first major structure made from mild the world history of bridge-building and of steel by Thomas Bouch. But after the disastrous steel, and many other novel technologies collapse of Bouch’s Tay Bridge in 1879 work on • The Forth Bridge is a globally-important construction. A potent symbol of 19th century were used in its cantilever design and belief in human ability to overcome any obstacle, the Forth Bridge came to an immediate halt. triumph of engineering, representing the construction. pinnacle of 19th century bridge construction it is one of the world’s supreme engineering In 1880, English engineers Sir John Fowler and and is without doubt the world’s greatest • A globally-recognised icon of Scotland, it achievements and epitomises the ‘can-do’ ethos Benjamin Baker began new designs based on trussed bridge. still plays a key strategic role in the local and of the high Victorian age born in the Industrial the cantilever principles promoted by Baker, and national transport network. The Bridge is a Revolution. tenders were issued in 1882. Work on the viaduct • When opened in 1890 it had the longest shining example of how historic engineering by pioneering Scottish engineering contractor, bridge spans in the world, a record that The railway crosses the Firth of Forth in the east infrastructure can be sensitively managed to of Scotland, 14 km (9 miles) north west of central William Arrol, began in 1883, overcoming many held for 27 years. No other trussed bridge meet modern needs. challenges in the process. A true marvel when it approaches its perfect balance of structural Edinburgh, leaving Lothian at Dalmeny and arriving in Fife at North Queensferry. The World opened in 1890, construction of the bridge was elegance and strength combined with its made possible by emerging new technologies overall scale. Heritage property boundaries are defined by the original contract let for the construction of such as hydraulically-powered machines the masonry and steel elements of the bridge, and tools. as represented in the original contract drawings. Forth Bridge Elevation and Section 1888. © Network Rail, Sir John Fowler and B. Baker, NRCA110040Sb. The Bridge seen from North Queensferry. 02 World Heritage in Scotland World Heritage in Scotland 03 A Short Guide April 2019 A Short Guide April 2019 Mild steel was used for the first time on a MANAGING THE SETTING OF THE BRIDGE large-scale European construction project, Setting is a key factor when considering the Statement of Outstanding thanks to the Siemens-Martin process that protection of WHS. In the case of the Forth made the delivery of consistently high-quality Bridge, the potential impact on Outstanding Scottish and Welsh steel economically possible. Universal Value (OUV) of developments close to Universal Value Approximately 54,000 tons (55,000 tonnes) of or in adjacent areas around the Firth of Forth has mild steel was used. The bridge is 2,529 metres been subject to rigorous study using computer- Each WHS has a Statement of Outstanding Criterion (i): Represent a masterpiece of human (8,297 feet) long and the two largest spans generated analysis and physical investigation Universal Value (SOUV), which provides a clear creative genius each reach across 521 metres (1,710 feet). The of many viewpoints. While recognising that the understanding of the reasons for the Site’s cantilevers were designed so as to balance each bridge is conspicuous at great distances, nine inscription on the World Heritage List and what The Forth Bridge is a masterpiece of creative other during construction - once they met, each of the most valued inland views have been built needs to be managed in order to sustain the genius because of its distinctive industrial main span comprised two 207 metres (680 into the development planning systems of local OUV for the long term. The SOUV describes the aesthetic, which is the result of a forthright, feet) cantilevers with a 107 metre (350 feet) authorities on each side of the Forth. WHS and its importance, lists the criteria for unadorned display of its massive, functional suspended span between them. inscription on the World Heritage List, explains structural elements. The ‘Bridgehead Zone’ provides protection for how the WHS satisfies UNESCO’s requirements When completed these were the longest spans the area immediately surrounding the Bridge. Criterion (iv): Be an outstanding example of a type in the world, and the Bridge held this record for Authenticity and Integrity, and summarises of building, architectural or technological ensemble It comprises, Dalmeny, Queensferry, and North the management requirements. See Further until 1917 when it was surpassed by the Quebec Queensferry, in management decisions affecting or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) Bridge in Canada, a much smaller bridge, but Information & Contacts for a link to the full in human history their bridge. It comprises the waters between SOUV document for the Forth Bridge. with a longer single span. However, the perfect Hound Point and the Queensferry Crossing, balance of structural elegance and strength The Forth Bridge is an extraordinary and shoreline and land that combines existing CRITERIA impressive milestone in the evolution of bridge represented by the Forth Bridge has never been statutory protection for the built environment matched. To be inscribed onto the World Heritage List, design and construction during the period when (such as Conservation Areas, Listed Buildings railways came to dominate long-distance land and Scheduled Monuments) and for the natural sites must meet at least one out of ten selection criteria, as explained in UNESCO’s Operational travel, innovative in its concept, its use of mild environment (such as wetland Ramsar Sites and steel, and its enormous scale. Sites of Special Scientific Interest). Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention. The Criteria under which the Forth Bridge is inscribed are: The three Forth Bridges from the air looking west. © Craig Allardyce Human cantilever demonstration with engineer Kaichi Watanabe in the View showing the construction of the Bridge. centre, 1887 © Institution of Civil Engineers. 04 World Heritage in Scotland World Heritage in Scotland 05 A Short Guide April 2019 A Short Guide April 2019 Managing the Forth Bridge Managing the Forth Bridge THE FORTH BRIDGE WORLD HERITAGE MANAGEMENT GROUP THE MANAGEMENT PLAN Nomination of the Forth Bridge was overseen THE PARTNERSHIP MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT The Forth Bridge WHS Management Plan sets out by the Forth Bridge World Heritage Nomination a prioritised list of agreed actions for the first six Steering Group, a sub group of the Forth Bridges Conservation, maintenance and operation of years of inscription as a WHS. Its principal aim Forum. Following inscription, the Forth Bridges the Forth Bridge WHS remains the responsibility is to maximise the benefits of inscription whilst Forum set up a similar subgroup to take forward of Network Rail. Agreement on changes to the mitigating any negative impact that might ensue. the Management Plan – the Forth Bridge World Bridge, from routine maintenance to more Heritage Management Group. This group brings substantial alteration that requires planning Actions in the first years are geared towards together representatives from: consent, is facilitated via the Partnership information-gathering, project development, Management Agreement (PMA) between and establishing the essential mechanisms for Network Rail, Historic Environment Scotland engagement with