This is the Forth Bridge, spanning the famous Firth of Forth (on the way to Fife)*. And for Archibald Williams, editor of Engineering Wonders of the World, this was ripping stuff. The bridge still stands today, because it was designed and built by the Scots, who pay attention to every detail and waste nothing. It was the world’s first big steel bridge (except for one rivet, the final, golden one hammered into place by the Prince of Wales) and is much bigger than this painting, too. Today, it looks like this and carries, we are told, “180 – 200 train movements per day.”
(*Geologically, Wikipedia informs us, the Firth of Forth is a fjord. Just so you know.)
[via Old Book Illustrations]