New Tay Bridge 125th Anniversary

125th anniversary of the New Tay Bridge. Railway collectable showcasing the commissioned painting by artist John Wigston with Union Jack stamp and Railways label, postmarked Dundee  13th July 2012 for the anniversary.

The Tay Bridge carries the railway across the Firth of Tay in Scotland between Dundee and the suburb of Wormit in Fife. Its span is 2.75 miles. It is the second bridge to occupy the site.

Plans for a bridge over the Tay to replace the train ferry service emerged in 1854, but the first Tay Bridge did not open until 1878. It was a lightweight lattice design of relatively low cost with a single track. On 28 December 1879, the bridge suddenly collapsed in high winds while a train was crossing, killing everybody on board. The incident is one of the worst bridge-related engineering disasters in history. An enquiry determined that the bridge was insufficiently engineered to cope with high winds.

It was replaced by a 'New Tay Bridge' constructed of iron and steel, with a double-track, parallel to the remains of the first bridge. Work commenced on 6 July 1883 and the bridge opened on 13th July 1887.