New bridge's centre tower is a world record holder

Workers on the Queensferry Crossing's centre tower with the Guinness World Record certificate for the building the world's longest free standing balanced cantilever.

The bridge’s central deck is now complete but still free standing and the 644 metre cantilever itself won’t last long.

Soon, it will be connected to the flanking towers and viaducts to form the final superstructure.

However, experts at Guinness World Records have inspected and officially ratified the record while the deck is in this world-record breaking, but still temporary, state.

Since last September each 16 metre, 750 tonne section of deck has been added piece by piece and the central tower deck fan is now fully complete. Each deck section is added ensuring that the cantilever remains balanced, which avoids placing too much stress on the concrete tower by adding deck segments sequentially at alternate ends. Using this method means there can be up to four metres displacement in the deck itself, in the period between one deck lift and the next. While this is entirely normal, it has led the public to ask if the deck fans will actually meet.

Until now the balanced cantilever method has never been used to construct a bridge this big.

Keith Brown, cabinet secretary for the economy, said: “The Queensferry Crossing is a modern marvel and a world-class feat of engineering. It’s only fitting then that the bridge has been awarded a Guinness World Records title.

“This world-record breaking structure is all the more remarkable when you consider the extreme weather conditions often experienced out in the Firth of Forth, especially working up above the water between 60 metres and 210 metres high. Everyone who has worked so hard and skilfully to build this amazing bridge is a world record beater in their own right.

“It won’t be long before the balanced cantilever disappears, when the small gaps between the towers are closed. But the record is still there to be beaten and the Queensferry Crossing will still be the tallest bridge in the UK and longest bridge of its type anywhere in the world.”

Iain Cookson, FCBC manager, Centre Tower, said: “It has been a tremendous team effort ever since we lifted the first deck section in October 2015.”