1945 plans for second Forth Bridge

[matchmaker]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-37506251

From BBC Scotland News. Wonder what the idea was?

The public is being urged to help solve a mystery involving plans for a second rail bridge over the Firth of Forth.

Two drawings, dating back to 1945, were discovered in an old box file hidden under a desk in Glasgow. But they only came to light recently.

The second rail bridge would have been built downstream of the existing bridge and very close by.

 

[DarloRich]

it seems Crayonism isn't a new thing I assume some kind of relief proposal because of wartime damage?

 

[snowball]

Didn't NR have a press release about this on April 1?

[looks]

Yes they did.

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...struction-blueprints-unearthed-after-71-years

 

[daikilo]

Didn't NR have a press release about this on April 1?

[looks]

Yes they did.

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...struction-blueprints-unearthed-after-71-years

But the article says the blueprints are genuine, albeit on micro-fiche (not available in 1945). Do they still have micro-fiche readers? I Wonder if they can also read 5 1/4 inch floppies and 3 1/2 inch diskettes (I can't so boxes of them have been binned).

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I Wonder if they can also read 5 1/4 inch floppies and 3 1/2 inch diskettes (I can't so boxes of them have been binned).

I can't, but I think I know someone who can although he would have to charge for his time...

 

[snowball]

I'm sure any large library will have microfilm and microfiche readers.

 

[randyrippley]

At a guess, a ferro-concrete cable-stayed replacement bridge could have been self financing through reduction in maintenance costs and reclamation of the steel used in the original bridge.
Post WWII steel for rebuilding bombed cities was at a premium: the Forth Bridge would have provided a heck of a lot of steel lintels or roof beams.
Note the plan is titled "Deviation and reconstruction" of the bridge, so the plans were for a replacement, not an extra bridge

 

[keppoch69]

I'm sure any large library will have microfilm and microfiche readers.

Surely the Mitchell library in Glasgow, or indeed, the National Library of Scotland will still use older equipment for items which are handed in?