[Jerome Betts]

Thanks for the update, Graham. I crossed the cantilevered paint-consumer at the age of 13 but have never seen the two others or the upcoming fourth over the Forth.

'Flying mammals of the order Chiroptera erhaps, John?

[Graham King]

Originally Posted by Jerome Betts

Thanks for the update, Graham. I crossed the cantilevered paint-consumer at the age of 13 but have never seen the two others or the upcoming fourth over the Forth.

You are welcome, Jerome!
The visitor centre on the south side had some lovely models of the new bridge in various scales - of the whole environs (both shores and other bridges), of the proposed bridge itself (with very miniature vehicles), and one with a cut-away new tower showing internal elevator and stairway, complete with tiny human figure. I was privileged to attend a talk on this construction project, in the company of my father and his social peer group of retired engineers.
The last I heard, the project was both ahead of schedule and coming in under budget.

Originally Posted by Jerome Betts

'Flying mammals of the order Chiroptera erhaps, John?

Jerome, are you needing a pee? (Please excuse the vernacular!)
"Erhaps" though may be your intent; if so, I find it a pleasant coining: presumably, that which e'er happens? - compared to 'perhaps': that which perchance happens.

[Jerome Betts]

Alas, more likely an irritating quirk of an oriental electronic rodent or an occidental arthritic knuckle.

Hope it won't be one of those bridges too far or far too expensive.

[Graham King]

Originally Posted by Jerome Betts

Alas, more likely an irritating quirk of an oriental electronic rodent or an occidental arthritic knuckle.

Hope it won't be one of those bridges too far or far too expensive.

I think the whole expense was needless;
'Cables rusting by the minute'?
Road-bridge rumour scotched, but heedless
MPs feared 'twould drop them in it;
'What if North from South is sundered?
Lothian cut off from Fife?
Do nought? Then they'll say we blundered!
Where will commerce go, and life?
Plus there's the prestige that comes,
Commanding such a massive project!'
(Spending huge extorted sums,
Regardless of who may object.)
Still, though not their fiscal duty
And at cost some could regret,
It may turn out a thing of beauty -
And we'll grow to love it yet!

[Martin Parker]

May the Sturgeon cease to burgeon
may the Salmond no more spawn.
Cast them off and cheer their sinking,
independent and forlorn.

But let their team play on at Rugger
thus giving proper teams a chance
of winning the Six Nations contest --
just as long as it's not France!

[Jerome Betts]

Lively one, Graham. So that's where Fife is, more or less?

Careful, Martin, you'll have them howling down over the border like blue-arsed Mel Gibsons if you go on like this. Possibly accompanied by some of their old allies the French, I see from your second stanza.

I must say, despite my doubts about whether a Salmond-led split-up
is either beneficial or practicable, I have a soft spot for him as a Caledonian cheeky chappie getting up the nose of our PR PM, the Chancer of Chipping Norton, not to mention those of his obnoxious cronies.