This remarkable new video shows progress made in 2014 on constructing the Queensferry Crossing.
Perhaps the most striking developments have seen the main towers rising to 90 metres, the south approach viaduct pushed out to 450 metres and 10% of cable-stayed bridge deck installed.
Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Keith Brown, said the Queensferry Crossing has really started to take its place alongside its illustrious neighbours during 2014.
He said: “Last December I reported that the first sections of the south approach viaduct were ready to be launched.
“The viaduct is now fully assembled and has been pushed out over 450 metres, with only one further pier to cross before reaching its final full length of 543 metres.
“Looking back it is hard now to remember when so little of the towers could be seen as they began to emerge from their foundations.
“Now they each stand over 90 metres high really demonstrating the solid progress that has been made on the job.
“The towers themselves passed the level of the road deck in the summer which allowed the first four sections of the bridge deck to be placed on each tower, meaning that 10 per cent of the cable-stayed steel deck has already been put in place, as we enter the final two years of the project.”
Mr Brown said the work of Taklift 6, a huge 125-metre floating crane capable of lifting 1,200 tonnes, provided another spectacular moment of engineering on this scale.
In just two months the crane has put in place the temporary steel, first deck sections and the range of other equipment on each of the three main towers.
He added: “The progress made this year really helps everyone visualise what the final bridge will look like and demonstrates an inspiring example of civil engineering coming off the drawing board and into real life.
“Currently, around 1,200 people are employed on the project and their hard work and dedication, often in a very challenging environment, is to be applauded as the project remains on schedule, and as announced earlier this year by the First Minister, is now £195 million under the original budget at the start of construction.”