You're never going to believe this, but painting the Forth Bridge is almost licked

IT WAS known as the job that never ends, but the project to paint the Forth Bridge is finally nearing completion. Rail officials are due to announce today that painting the bridge is to be finished faster and far more cheaply than expected.

Network Rail chiefs will reveal substantial savings have been made on the £180 million project and it will be completed a year early, The Scotsman has learned.

This would mean painters on the bridge could lay down their brushes in four years' time – and not have to return in force for at least a quarter of a century.

The original repainting scheme, costing £40 million, which should have been completed in 2001, was terminated early following a series of problems. The project was also found to have underestimated the scale of the work required.

Previously, Railtrack – Network Rail's predecessor – spent only about £500,000 a year on painting the bridge. New coats were applied on top of existing paint – but in areas where they were needed rather than as an end-to-end process. The paint lasted six to ten years.

By contrast, Network Rail said a new "glass flake epoxy" formula being used creates a chemical bond which provides an almost impenetrable layer to protect the bridge's steelwork from the weather.

The news is likely to be welcomed by tourists and residents as it will mean early removal of scaffolding which has shrouded sections of the 118-year-old landmark to ensure none of the old or new paint falls into the Forth.

It is also likely to be hailed by rail officials as such early finishes are unusual amid many projects running late and over budget.

Iain Coucher, Network Rail's chief executive, is expected to announce details of the breakthrough at a rail conference in Edinburgh to be addressed by John Swinney, the finance secretary, and other industry chiefs.

A spokesman for the firm told The Scotsman: "Mr Coucher will be officially announcing a new contract which will see the works on the bridge completed earlier than anticipated and with significant savings."

The move comes months after Ron McAulay, Network Rail's Scotland director, announced the painting team had achieved "significant efficiency savings" and maintained a first-class safety record. Overall costs have fallen by 27 per cent over the last five years. Last year, no official date for the completion of the project was announced in case funding had to be diverted to more urgent work elsewhere.

Network Rail said at the time that some 70 per cent of the job was finished. It has involved up to 200 workers.

Mr McAulay said once the work was finished "a complete repaint of the bridge will not be required for many, many years".

The current £13 million-a-year contract, which began in 2002, involves stripping the paint using high-powered blasters and replacing it with the new formula designed for North Sea rigs.

THE BRIDGE BY NUMBERS

£13 million
Current annual spending on painting the bridge

£500,000
Previous annual painting spending

118
Age of Forth Bridge in years

2013
Expected completion of the paint job

1997
Start of original painting contract

25
Expected lifespan of new paint in years

3
Layers of paint in new glass flake epoxy process

200
Number of workers painting bridge

50,958
Tonnes of steel used for the bridge

4,600
Number of workers who built the bridge