THE workforce involved in the construction of the Forth Bridge is set to be commemorated in a memorial at North Queensferry rail station.

The North Queensferry Heritage Trust (NQHT) has received permission to put up nine slate slabs – rescued from the gents' toilets during station refurbishment – engraved with a list of the 45 trades used in the construction of the iconic structure between 1883 and 1890.

In 2014, the Press broke the news about the B-listed station welcoming its first visitors after being closed for 25 years, exactly 124 years to the day it had first thrown open its doors in 1890.

The original public toilets were refurbished as part of the project, which was undertaken by the North Queensferry Station Trust (NQST).

The rescued slabs will now be mounted in a brick base on the southbound platform nearest to the bridge, and visible to trains stopping at the station.

NQHT chair James Lawson, who is also an NQST trustee, explained: “This is a practical recycling opportunity, and it's part of the linking up of various community groups to create an attractive package for visitors.

“The slabs came out the gents' toilets at the back of the station and we were wondering what to do with them, and this idea evolved through discussions with the NQHT.

“It's a memorial for the 45 trades that we have identified were involved as part of the team that built the Forth Bridge. It's a legacy to the team, not individuals.

“This is a practical recycling opportunity and it's met with the approval from everyone we've spoken to, including Abellio and Network Rail, the owners of the station.

“We're hopeful that this idea could be extended to the Forth Road Bridge and the Queensferry Crossing – it would be possible to compare the jobs of 1890, 1964 and 2017 that were required to build a bridge of this magnitude.

“You can see the skills that were required – for example, there were riveters on the Forth Bridge, but you don't have them today, you have welders. There will be similarities and differences.”

Fife Council's report on the proposal said it would “preserve the character and setting of the Category B-listed building, surrounding townscape and North Queensferry Conservation Area”.

It added: “Overall the proposal would enhance the character at North Queensferry Station through its commemoration of the people and process involved in creating a bridge of local and national importance and of significant historic, architectural and engineering interest.”

While the exact wording on the slabs has yet to be decided, the project is anticipated to start in October, all going to plan.

Work is expected to take three or four months, and it's hoped the memorial will be up by spring/summer 2017.

Funding will come from the Fife Environment Trust and the Railway Heritage Trust, with the cost expected to be under £20,000.