What Happened When?

The railway line leading up to the Tay Bridge

Read the various theories as to why the Tay Bridge collapsed.

What was the impact of the Tay Bridge inquiry? Find out more about the aftermath.

How was the disaster was investigated by the Board of Trade?

Timeline of events related to the Tay Bridge disaster, part of the BBC/OU's programme website for Forensic Engineering

Event	Date


Dee Bridge disaster	1847
Bouch appointed to the Edinburgh and Northern Railway	1849
First train ferry across Forth	1850
Tay Bridge proposal put to North British Railway	1854
Act passed to approve Tay Bridge	July 1870
Contract signed to build a bridge across the Tay	October 1872
Survey of estuary	December 1872
Start of site work	January 1873
Wormit foundry at south end of bridge built	February 1873
Oxford rail disaster	1874
Hopkins, Gilkes & Co take over construction contract	July 1874
Accident in caisson on pier 54; 6 die	August 1875
Fall of main girder in storm	February 1877
Bridge finished and first train passes over	September 1877
Testing of the bridge by Major-General Hutchinson	February 1878
First passenger train passes over completed bridge	May 1878
Queen Victoria rides over bridge; Bouch knighted	June 1878
Bridge collapses in gale killing 75 people	December 1879
Board of Trade inquiry starts in Dundee	January 1880
Board of Trade inquiry in London to hear expert evidence	April 1880
Final report to Parliament in London	June 1880