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River |
Length km |
Length miles |
Description |
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River Tay |
193 |
120 |
The Tay rises in the Highlands and flows down
into the centre of Scotland through Perth and Dundee. It is the
longest river in Scotland and the seventh longest in the UK. |
Full Moon over The River Tay - at Dundee
The Tay
Bridge
The Tay Bridge (sometimes
unofficially the Tay Rail Bridge) is a railway bridge approximately two
and a quarter miles (three and a half kilometres) long that spans the
Firth of Tay in Scotland, between the city of Dundee and the suburb of
Wormit in Fife (grid reference NO391277).
As with the Forth Bridge, the Tay Bridge has also been called the Tay
Rail Bridge since the construction of a road bridge over the firth, the
Tay Road Bridge. The rail bridge replaced an early train ferry.
The original Tay Bridge was designed by noted railway engineer
Thomas Bouch, who received a knighthood following the bridge's
completion. It was a lattice-grid design, combining cast and wrought
iron. The design was well known, having been used first by Kennard in
the Crumlin Viaduct in South Wales in 1858, following
the innovative use of cast iron in The Crystal Palace. However, the
Crystal Palace was not as heavily loaded as a railway bridge. A previous
cast iron design, the Dee bridge which collapsed in 1847, failed due to
poor use of cast-iron girders. Later, Gustave Eiffel used a similar
design to create several large viaducts in the Massif Central (1867).
Proposals for constructing a bridge across the River Tay date back to at
least 1854. The North British Railway (Tay Bridge) Act received the
Royal Assent on 15 July 1870 and the foundation stone was laid on 22
July 1871. As the bridge extended out into the river, it shortly became
clear that the original survey of the estuary had not been competent.
The bedrock, at a shallow depth near the banks, was found to descend
deeper and deeper, until it was too deep to act as a foundation for the
bridge piers. Bouch had to redesign the piers, and to set them very deep
in the estuary bed to compensate for having no support underneath. He
also reduced the number of piers by making the spans of the
superstructure girders longer than before. The first engine crossed the
bridge on 22 September 1877, and upon its completion in early 1878 the
Tay Bridge was the longest in the world. The bridge was opened on 1 June
1878.
The Tay Bridge Disaster
On
the night of 28 December 1879 at 7.15pm, the first bridge collapsed
after its central spans gave way during high winter gales. A train with
six carriages carrying seventy-five passengers and crew, crossing at the
time of the collapse, plunged into the icy waters of the Tay. All
seventy-five were lost, including Sir Thomas's son-in-law. The disaster
stunned the whole country and sent shock waves through the Victorian
engineering community. The ensuing enquiry revealed that the bridge did
not allow for high winds. At the time a gale estimated at force ten or
eleven had been blowing down the Tay estuary at right angles to the
bridge. The engine itself was salvaged from the river and restored to
the railways for service. The collapse of the bridge, opened only
nineteen months earlier and passed as safe by the Board of Trade, is
still the most famous bridge disaster of the British Isles. The disaster
was commemorated in one of the best-known verse efforts of William
McGonagall.
Pictures of the River Tay
View of the River Tay taken from Fingask
View from Fife shows the sun setting over the River Tay
Tay Rail Bridge framing a beautiful winter sunset
Dundee University Night View over the River Tay
The River Tay at Dunkeld
A few boats on the River Tay in Newburgh
Frozen River Tay at Wormit beach
Trees in the River Tay
Sunset over the River Tay
River Tay at Perth
Turbulent Tay
Perth City Centre looking along the River Tay
River Tay Perth Winter Scene
The River Tay meanders down from the North This picture was shot from a microlight aircraft
River Tay from Newburgh
The River Tay at Perth
River Tay FROZEN
Dunkeld path tothe River Tay
Bridge over the River Tay at Perth
River Tay from Newburgh looking east
Reflections in the river Looking across the River Tay from Wormit to Dundee
River Tay by Dundee
River Tay Perthshire
Tay Bridge in the mist
The River Tay at Kinfauns
Kinnoul Hill and the River Tay at sunrise
Panoramic view of the Tay Rail Bridge from the wormit side of the river Lots of floating ice
Frosty Morning By The River Tay
River Tay from the church garden in Dunkeld
Fly fishing in the River Tay at Murtly
Tay Bridge
River Tay by Dunkeld
Banks of the River Tay
Wades Bridge on the River Tay in Aberfeldy
The Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay by William
McGonagall
BEAUTIFUL Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay !
With your numerous arches and pillars in so grand array
And your central girders, which seem to the eye
To be almost towering to the sky.
The greatest wonder of the day,
And a great beautification to the River Tay,
Most beautiful to be seen,
Near by Dundee and the Magdalen Green.
Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay !
That has caused the Emperor of Brazil to leave
His home far away, incognito in his dress,
And view thee ere he passed along en route to Inverness.
Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay !
The longest of the present day
That has ever crossed o'er a tidal river stream,
Most gigantic to be seen,
Near by Dundee and the Magdalen Green.
Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay !
Which will cause great rejoicing on the opening day
And hundreds of people will come from far away,
Also the Queen, most gorgeous to be seen,
Near by Dundee and the Magdalen Green.
Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay !
And prosperity to Provost Cox, who has given
Thirty thousand pounds and upwards away
In helping to erect the Bridge of the Tay,
Most handsome to be seen,
Near by Dundee and the Magdalen Green.
Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay !
I hope that God will protect all passengers
By night and by day,
And that no accident will befall them while crossing
The Bridge of the Silvery Tay,
For that would be most awful to be seen
Near by Dundee and the Magdalen Green.
Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay !
And prosperity to Messrs Bouche and Grothe,
The famous engineers of the present day,
Who have succeeded in erecting the Railway
Bridge of the Silvery Tay,
Which stands unequalled to be seen
Near by Dundee and the Magdalen Green.
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