A recent poll conducted by the Low Carbon Infrastructure Taskforce surveyed over 1,000 Scots to reveal quite conclusively that the 125-year-old The Forth Bridge is still very much the pride of Scottish engineering. In a landslide victory, the recently inscribed Unesco World Heritage site received almost half of the vote share (49 per cent), beating off sturdy competition from the likes of the Glasgow Subway, the Falkirk Wheel and the Glenfinnan Viaduct.
The Forth Bridge set a benchmark in contemporary railway engineering in 1890. As the world’s first major steel structure and longest cantilever bridge, the iconic landmark has clearly stood the test of time. The bridge has undergone a full-scale restoration in recent times but remains a true triumph of civil engineering and was recognised by Unesco for its cultural and scientific significance in July 2015. And it’s not just civil engineers who marvel at the grand old bridge which straddles the Firth of Forth; following the announcement that the bridge had won World Heritage status, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and former Primer Minister, Gordon Brown, were amongst those to share their admiration, describing the Bridge as “unique” and a “monument to innovative industry and engineering”.
Speaking ahead of Scotland Build 2015, Sara Thiam, Chair of the Low Carbon Infrastructure Taskforce and Regional Director of the Institution of Civil Engineers spoke of how the industry can draw on past feats to inspire new engineering projects, stating that: “The bridge is a great example of how engineering expertise can be used to create infrastructure which stands the test of time and shapes the way we live well into the future” before going on to say: “Unfortunately the vital infrastructure which brings heat and water to our homes, protects us from flooding and enables us to travel from A to B is often invisible to people until it fails. Engineers are leading the way in extending the life of our existing infrastructure to ensure it is resilient to climate change and building new low carbon infrastructure that will help us prepare for the future.”
The Institution of Civil Engineering’s newly appointed President, Sir John Armitt CBE, will be discussing the future outlook of civil engineering during his keynote address at the VIP ‘Meet the Engineers’ session taking place on 26 November at Scotland Build 2015 (SECC, Glasgow). ‘Meet the Engineers’ is just one of six VIP sessions taking place during Scotland’s largest construction exhibition, with hundreds of VIPs attending from leading companies working across the construction industry in Scotland and the UK.
For information about ‘Meet the Engineers’ or any of the other VIP sessions taking place at Scotland Build 2015, please contact James Rankin at [email protected] or on 0207 065 5524. Numbers are limited and sessions are proving very popular, so please register an interest at the earliest opportunity to guarantee a place and to avoid disappointment.