From the National Archives
This month marks the 40th anniversary of the opening of
the Forth Road Bridge, which replaced the ferry which
formerly transported cars across the Firth of Forth.
Thousands of commuters drive across it every day to work in
Edinburgh, while tourists use it to cross into Fife and
travel up to the Highlands. To mark the construction of
this suspension bridge the National Archives of Scotland
has selected a number of documents relating to the bridge
from the government files we hold.
This page is an itemised account of the expenditure
incurred in the bridge's construction; from over £8 million
for one of the eleven major contracts to £21,100 for the
opening festivities. In total, the bridge cost more than
£18 million.
The individual contracts are itemised elsewhere on the
file. Contract 2 appears below as an example. The contracts
covered:
Contract one: Substructure
Contract two: Superstructure of bridge
Contract three: Southern approach roads
Contract four: Approach viaducts
Contract five: Northern approach roads
Contract six: Extension of southern approach road and
replacement of Cramond Bridge
Contract seven: Road surfacing south
Contract eight: Road surfacing north
Contract nine: Toll equipment
Contract ten: Road signs
Contract eleven: Administration building
FORTH ROAD BRIDGE CONTRACT No.2
Estimated Final Costs at 31st March, 1965
Part A - Supply and Delivery Estimated Final Tender
Bill A1 Towers
Supply and Delivery £ 878,000
Variations to contract
----------------------------------------
£878,000 £896,000
Bill A2 Saddles
Supply and Delivery £93,000
Variations to Contract
Item 14 Strand Shoes
& Anchor rods. 17,000
------------------------------------------
£110,000 £92,000
Bill A3 Suspended Structure
Supply and Delivery £2,191,000
Variations to Contract
Item 37, Road & Navi-
gation Lighting and
electrical work £60,000
Item 38 Permanent
Telephones. £5,000
-------------------------------------------- £2,256,000
£2,303,000
Bill A4 Protective Treat
ment. £447,000
Contract Work £ 9,000
---------------------------------------------
£456,000 £397,000
Variations of price of labour and Materials.
(as certified by Partners' Auditors) 16,553
Sir William Arrol & Sons 12,480
Cleveland Bridge & Eng. Co. Ltd.
Dorman Long Bridge & Eng. 24,320
Materials 16,500
(i.e. Grip bolts and paints etc.
- less credit on zinc wire)
-----------------------------------------
(£69,853) say 70,000
Total for Part A £3,770,000 £3,688, 000
Estimated Final Tender
Brought Forward 5,207,000 £5,371,000
Variation of Price of
Labour and Materials
Labour 176,000
Materials 40,400
Insurances 31,800
Plant 500
Sundries 500
---------------------------------------------------------------
(£249,800) say £250,000
Total for Part B 5,457,000 £5,371,000
Summary
Part A £3,770,000 3,688,000
Part B 5,457,000 5,371,000
Claims 100,000
----------------- -------------- £9,327,000
£9,059,000
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