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Monday 4 Jul 2022

Forth Bridge welcomes back picnickers

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Network Rail and Balfour Beatty welcomed back North Queensferry Primary School last Wednesday (June 29) for a picnic and to bury a time capsule next to the iconic Forth Bridge.

Items placed within the capsule included a newspaper clipping and photo of the class as well as personalised booklets written and drawn by the children talking about their aspirations for the future.

The picnic area at the bottom of the bridge’s north cantilever, on Battery Road, was re-opened after the iconic structure underwent refurbishment works to the north approach. 

Pupils from P3-5 joined Network Rail and Balfour Beatty’s Forth Bridge refurbishment team, to learn more about the works the team undertook to restore this vital part of the railway network. 

And the British Transport Police attended to help deliver important rail safety messages to the children.

Children from North Queensferry primary school visited the picnic area earlier in the month with North Queensferry Community Council to plant some flowers and a tree to brighten up the area ahead of its’ reopening.  Two new picnic benches and seats have also been installed.

Jeremy Spence, programme manager for Network Rail, said: “We were delighted to welcome back the pupils from North Queensferry Primary School to reopen the picnic area and to bury the time capsule.

“The team was really pleased with the fantastic job the kids did earlier in the month to help make the picnic area a fantastic space for residents and visitors to enjoy the views of this spectacular structure.

“The kids were really interested in hearing about the importance of the bridge and how our teams look after it as well as how to stay safe by the railway.”

Lee Waugh, Acting Head Teacher at North Queensferry Primary School, said: “The children were excited to be invited back to enjoy the new picnic area and were enthusiastic to be involved in burying the time capsule.

“The pupils put a lot of thought into what could go in the time capsule.  We hope this perfectly captures life in 2022.”