Editing Firth of Forth (section)

==History==
The [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] reportedly made a bridge of around 900 boats, probably at South Queensferry.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Harrison|first1=Jody|title=Secrets of the Romans' forgotten war against Scotland revealed|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16115154.Secrets_of_the_Romans__forgotten_war_against_Scotland_revealed|access-date=22 May 2018|work=The Herald|date=26 March 2018}}</ref> The inner firth, located between the [[Kincardine Bridge|Kincardine]] and Forth bridges, has lost about half of its former intertidal area as a result of land reclamation, partly for agriculture, but mainly for industry and the large ash lagoons built to deposit spoil from the coal-fired [[Longannet Power Station]] near [[Kincardine on Forth|Kincardine]]. Historic villages line the Fife shoreline; [[Limekilns]], [[Charlestown, Fife|Charlestown]] and [[Culross]], established in the 6th century, where [[Saint Kentigern]] was born.

Construction of the [[Forth Bridge]], a railway bridge, began in 1882 and it was opened on 4 March 1890 carrying the [[Edinburgh–Aberdeen line]].<ref name="u773">{{cite web | title=The history of the Forth Bridge, Fife | website=Network Rail | date=2019-09-25 | url=https://www.networkrail.co.uk/who-we-are/our-history/iconic-infrastructure/the-history-of-the-forth-bridge-fife/ | access-date=2025-02-16}}</ref>

The youngest person to swim across the Firth of Forth was 13-year-old Joseph Feeney, who accomplished the feat in 1933.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news-2-15012/emma-10-aims-to-break-84-year-old-forth-swimming-record-1-4560672|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920161555/https://www.scotsman.com/news-2-15012/emma-10-aims-to-break-84-year-old-forth-swimming-record-1-4560672|archive-date=20 September 2019|title=Emma, 10, aims to break 84-year-old Forth swimming record|website=The Scotsman|language=en|access-date=20 September 2019}}</ref> In October 1936, the [[Kincardine Bridge]] opened.<ref name="l107">{{cite web | title=Kincardine On Forth Bridge | website=Canmore | date=1996-02-21 | url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/48119/kincardine-on-forth-bridge | access-date=2025-02-16}}</ref>

On 4 September 1964, the [[Forth Road Bridge]] opened.<ref name="h343">{{cite web | title=Forth Road Bridge History | website=The Forth Bridges  | date=1964-09-04 | url=https://www.theforthbridges.org/about-the-forth-bridges/forth-road-bridge/forth-road-bridge-history/#:~:text=The%20final%20bill%20for%20construction,fourth%20longest%20in%20the%20world.# | access-date=2025-02-16}}</ref> From 1964 to 1982, a tunnel existed under the Firth of Forth, dug by coal miners to link the Kinneil colliery on the south side of the Forth with the Valleyfield colliery on the north side. This is shown in the 1968 educational film ''Forth – Powerhouse for Industry''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Cooper|first1=Henry (director)|title=Forth – Powerhouse for Industry|url=http://movingimage.nls.uk/film/1820|website=Moving Image Archive|publisher=Campbell Harper Films Ltd.|access-date=15 May 2017}}</ref> The shafts leading into the tunnel were filled and capped with concrete when the tunnel was closed, and it is believed to have filled with water or collapsed in places.<ref>Fraser MacDonald, "Scotland's secret tunnel under the Forth", ''The Guardian'', 30 April 2014.</ref>

In January 1987, the first [[Loony Dook]] event took place and which now takes place annually, during which individuals dive or wade into the Forth on New Years Day.<ref name="v829">{{cite web | title=Loony Dookers take the icy plunge | website=BBC NEWS | date=2009-01-01 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7806037.stm | access-date=2025-02-16}}</ref><ref name="s064">{{cite web | title=Loony Dookers welcome the New Year with icy plunge | website=BBC News | date=2025-01-01 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgl9j4kr8xgo | access-date=2025-02-16}}</ref>

[[File:Theforthbridges fromdalmeny.jpg|thumb|600px|center|Two of the three bridges across the Firth, viewed from [[Dalmeny]], Photo taken before construction began on the [[Queensferry Crossing]].]]
On 27 February 2001, a [[Short 360]] operated by the Scottish airline [[Loganair]] operating as [[Loganair Flight 670A|Flight 670A]] ditched into the Firth of Forth after both of the plane's engines torque went to zero. After a mayday call was initiated the flight went into the water, all happening within the flight's phase of climbing to standard altitude. The only 2 occupants aboard - the captain and first officer, died in the accident. The crash was due to a lack of an established procedure for the flight crew to add engine air intake covers in adverse, windy, weather conditions. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Accident description for Short SD3-60 registration G-BNMT|url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/asn.db/32332|access-date=December 26, 2024|website=Aviation Safety Network}}</ref>

In July 2007, a [[hovercraft]] passenger service completed a two-week trial between Portobello, [[Edinburgh]] and Kirkcaldy, Fife. The trial of the service (marketed as "Forthfast") was hailed as a major operational success, with an average passenger load of 85 per cent.<ref name="hovercraft-trial">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm6PDDj-k_k| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/Lm6PDDj-k_k| archive-date=17 November 2021 | url-status=live|title=Kirkcaldy-Edinburgh hovercraft trial|date=13 July 2007|publisher=The Scottish Executive|access-date=10 January 2010}}{{cbignore}}</ref> It was estimated the service would decrease congestion for commuters on the Forth road and rail bridges by carrying about 870,000 passengers each year.<ref name="hovercraft-2010">{{cite news|url=http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Plans-lodged-for-Forth-hovercraft.5962637.jp|title=Plans lodged for Forth hovercraft|date=7 January 2010 |publisher=Edinburgh Evening News|access-date=10 January 2010}}</ref> Despite its initial success, the project was cancelled in December 2011.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-16113262|title=Council 'killed off' hovercraft|date=9 December 2011|access-date=20 September 2019|language=en-GB}}</ref>

In 2008, a controversial bid to allow oil transfer between ships in the firth was refused by [[Forth Ports]]. SPT Marine Services had asked permission to transfer 7.8&nbsp;million tonnes of crude oil per year between tankers, but the proposals were met with determined opposition from conservation groups.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7221917.stm|title=Forth oil transfer plan ruled out|date=1 February 2008|access-date=1 February 2008|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> In November 2008, construction of the [[Clackmannanshire Bridge]] was completed and it opened to traffic.<ref name="q542">{{cite web | title=10 years of the Clackmannanshire Bridge | website=Transport Scotland | date=2008-11-19 | url=https://www.transport.gov.scot/transport-network/roads/bridges-and-structures/the-clackmannanshire-bridge/ | access-date=2025-02-16}}</ref>

In 2011, construction of the [[Queensferry Crossing]] began and the bridge was formally opened on 4 September 2017.<ref name="g865">{{cite web | last=Johnson | first=Simon | title=Queen opens new Forth crossing 53 years to the day after she opened old road bridge | website=The Telegraph | date=2017-09-04 | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/04/queen-opens-new-forth-crossing-53-years-day-opened-old-road/ | access-date=2025-02-16}}</ref>
[[File:The Firth of Forth and its bridges (geograph 5831088).jpg|thumb|centre|600px|From left to right: The [[Queensferry Crossing]], the [[Forth Road Bridge]] and the [[Forth Bridge]] from the [[South Queensferry]] side]]