1878 The Tay Bridge

 
By the end of the 1860’s decade, North British Rail had recovered its aplomb, under the new board. In Scotland, there was an ongoing struggle for expansionist supremacy between the Caledonian Railway, which controlled the South-West, for the route north and the North British, which had become the power in Central and South-East Scotland. The East-Coast line sought to bridge the Forth and Tay estuaries, in order to envelop northerly industrial and passenger outlets. In the short term, John Stirling, and his North British board of directors, opted to take over and improve ferry-boat facilities at Queensferry in 1867.

In September 1869, accompanied by his engineer Thomas Bouch, he travelled to Dundee in order to woo and win over the town council and harbour trustees. The journey was fruitful, and by June 1878, the two miles long bridge was spanning the Tay.

The Queen awarded Bouch with a knighthood the following year.

Bouch’s knighthood announcement – from The Scotsman, 25 June 1879