28 December 1879 Tay Rail Bridge collapses

 

On the evening of 28 December 1879, a violent storm was blowing and usage of the bridge was restricted to one train at a time . At 7:13 pm a train from the headed out onto the bridge but never made it to the other side.

Not only was the train in the river, but so were the girders and ironwork of the supporting piers.  56 tickets for Dundee had been collected  on the train before crossing the bridge and allowing for season ticket holders, tickets for other destinations, and for railway employees 74–75 people were believed to have been on the train. There were no survivors; there were 60 known victims, but only 46 bodies were recovered.

 

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