Forth Bridge Afternoon

66102 leaves the south portal and rumbles over the south viaduct with a rake of empty HAA coal hoppers. This is 6R13 1220 Longannet to Hunterston. The following views were taken from the south side of the river at South Queensferry.

A tanker in the Forth Estuary lays down a cloud of clag as 66239 passes north bound on the south viaduct with 7G16 1000 Hunterston to Longannet loaded HAA hoppers.

The remarkable Inchgarvie Island which is located in the middle of the Firth and beside one of the cantilever bases. For more information see good old wiki here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inchgarvie

The rocky outcrop of Inchgarvie Island has been fortified numerous times over the years for various conflicts and now lies in ruins. 66239 passes above with 7G16 1000 Hunterston to Longannet loaded MGR.

An unknown class 170 Turbostar passes high above North Queensferry as it accellerates away from the station stop. The service is 2K01 1245 from Edinburgh to Edinburgh via the anti clockwise Fife Circle.

66239 rumbles over the north viaduct high above the village of North Queensferry. The station is just out of view to the left of the three stone arches.

A few minutes later the set runs over the south viaduct.

A class 170 Turbostar sets out over the mighty bridge in glorious October sunshine with 2G55 1357 off Kirkcaldy to Edinburgh.

The tanker seen earlier has moved further up the river to approach the Hound Point loading terminal just visible below the bridge. The Turbostar passes through the south cantilever with its mass of scaffolding as part of the painting process.

As a class 158 Sprinter passes above with 2G11 1420 Edinburgh to Cowdenbeath, three painters walk out to their place of work using the walkway below the viaduct deck.

A move to a different location and 170459 pauses at Dalmeny just on the south side of the Forth Bridge with 2G10 1426 Cowdenbeath to Edinburgh.

158734 with a 10 minutes late running 2K60 1419 Markinch to Edinburgh, pauses beside 170451 which is forming 2G59 1450 Edinburgh to Edinburgh clockwise Fife Circle.

Turning round as 170451 departs Dalmeny and ventures onto the mighty Forth Bridge. Look carefully in the girders above the stone portal and several orange boiler suited painters can be seen.

The uneveness of the track just to the south of Dalmeny station is shown up by the GNER HST set coming north. The working is 1S12 1030 off Kings Cross to Aberdeen.

The going away shot from the north end of platform 2 at Dalmeny looks straight through the Bridge.

Moving again, this time to the shore at North Queensferry now and the sun glints off the side of a class 158 Sprinter working a class 2 local service to Cowdenbeath, 2G33 1520 off Edinburgh.

The unit passes high above the village of North Queensferry and slows for its station stop.

First ScotRail service 2G12 1526 Cowdenbeath to Edinburgh is formed by a class 170 Turbostar and is running about 6 minutes late as it heads south.

Another class 2 local working, 2G61 1550 Edinburgh to Edinburgh via the clockwise Fife Circle, heads slowly north.

66103 puts out an exhaust train, unusual for a shed, as it takes its empty rake of HAA hoppers over the Bridge. The train is 6R14 1330 Longannet to Ayr Falkland Yard.

66183 slowly comes north with 7G18 1300 from Hunterston to Longannet loaded HAA hoppers.

A few minutes later and the train is passing through the north cantilever and the sun glints off the side of 66183.

And now it is clear of the cantilevers and onto the north viaduct.