Rail bridge builder on £20 notes

Kaichi Watanabe, centre, modelling the cantilever principle Enlarge Image

A University of Glasgow graduate who helped build the Forth Rail Bridge is to appear on £20 notes.

Engineering graduate, Kaichi Watanabe, is pictured on the notes alongside an image of the Forth Rail Bridge on which he worked as a foreman.

It is part of a series of new Bank of Scotland notes featuring bridges.

The notes, the first new complete set from the bank since 1995, feature Mr Watanabe modelling the cantilever principle on which the bridge built.

They are said to celebrate some of Scotland's major and most recognisable engineering achievements and "symbolise solidity, stability and continuity".

Mr Watanabe worked as a construction foreman on the Forth Rail Bridge.

Bank of Scotland archivist, Reto Tschan, said: "Kaichi Watanabe played an important role in the development of one of Scotland's greatest icons, so it is only fitting that he gets a place on the new £20 note.

"The image of Kaichi with Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker is one of the most popular design features in the whole Bridges series."

The image shows Mr Watanabe modelling the cantilever principle on which the bridge was built.

Mr Watanabe arrived at the University of Glasgow in 1885 to study Engineering Sciences and graduated with a Civil Engineering and Bachelor of Science degree.