Described as "The one internationally recognised Scottish landmark".

At 2.5 km in length, with three 340 ft cantilever structures, several mammoth spans and foundations constructed under compressed air the Forth bridge is not to be taken lightly. At its peak, approximately 4,600 workers were employed in its construction and by the time the Prince of Wales hammered the final rivet in on the 4th march 1890 almost 100 workers had died and over 500 had been injured.

This was not the first attempt we had at the Forth, as just four months prior we had attempted to do battle. Our attacks were all but in vain and we were forced to retreat back to the car, miserably defeated. The Forth won due to an ally we had not foreseen. Mother nature, and boy was she on the rag that night. So with our heads hung low we headed home, vowing to return.

After an ass battering nine and a half hours on the Megacramped i arrived in Edinburgh. The skies were clear and apart from a bitterly cold wind we were all set. Myself, Loops and Snappel stood wide eyed, the red monster lay before us again. Adrenaline pumping through the veins at rapid speeds, pumping faster as trains went past. We were ready. Three, two, one, GO!

We leapt from our cover and bolted for the bridge. We had a good 300 meters to cross to safety and we knew if a train came, it meant the end. Slowly but surely the first cantilever tower grew bigger and bigger, the brick structure now looming overhead, almost there. Made it. We dashed into an open doorway and up onto the roof. Gasping for breath the first feeling of success swept over me. Things were looking up, Literally. With my heart now beating faster than i thought possible we had to keep moving. Back down onto the tracks we headed further across and clambered onto the first set of scaff. I slung the camera in the bag and began to climb, level by level, before triumphantly reaching the top.

So here we stood, masters of our own kingdom, staring at the common folk from our red castle of steel. The thunderous rattling of a train beneath seemed insignificant. We were at the top and nothing could touch us. I wanted to take some photos but for now i was content with the view. The chilled atmosphere was not to be messed with and so we took it in.

Eventually the camera emerged from the bag and i attempted to capture some record of the event. With an hour past and the night coming to a close we began our descent. One ladder, two ladder, three ladder, four. All was going well when out of the corner of his eye Snappel spotted an lone orange clad worker. We hit the deck and followed his movements as he slowly disappeared from view. Two minutes later he remerged on the other side. Although this time accompanied by two others. Hmmm.

Crack, ping. The scaffolding was illuminated in a golden glow from the previously dormant flood lights. Again we hit the deck. This was getting worrying, we had supposedly timed this to perfection. What were they doing?. Another glance down revealed a larger group of workers loitering around the jetty. Seconds later a loud whirring and clanking sound rang out through the structure. I looked at snappel and if emotions were visible there would have been a huge Uh-Oh stamped on his forehead.

It was the workers lift connected to the frame of the bridge, they were coming up and we were still at the top!. If they reached the tracks before us it was game over, but we have several other problems . We were now extremely exposed, lit up like an exhibition piece, and now had to clamber down the remaining scaff while trying not to alert the remaining workers. As we hastily crept down through the metal and wood yet more workers showed up, and even worse some had already reached track level. We were screwed.

So plan of action then?. We had only one option, make a break for it, hope for the best, and run like hell. It could go wrong in so many ways. Trains, workers and death being a few. We sat, waiting for the right moment. Suddenly the workers all entered into the security cabin. This was it, all or nothing, RUNNNNNNNNNN!

We vaulted onto the tracks, turned and ran. Had they seen us?, we seemed to be in the clear as we made it onto the home stretch when we saw a light coming towards us. "OH F***, TRAIN!, BACKKKKK!!!!!". We dived into the nearest archway as the train tore past us. The driver had to have seen us?. We didn't give him the chance to act and ran back out and down the line, quickly stopping for one final shot before exiting out and down the road, each grinning harder than the cheshire cat ever could.

I could taste blood in my mouth, i was out of breath and my legs felt like they had been stabbed, but i had never felt better in my entire life. All the time and effort had finally paid off. The Forth was finally defeated, the nagging failure earlier in the year wiped clean and as we looked back at the red monster we turned to the right. Hmm road bridge anyone?.