A DUNDEE exhibition marking the 125th anniversary of the Tay Bridge disaster has seen countless visitors from throughout Scotland offering stories and objects for display.

Visitors to Dundee Central Library have been enthralled by the collection of contemporary photographs and accounts of the appalling tragedy.

Interest in the internet pages accompanying the exhibition has been intense.

No fewer than 5000 people have accessed the pages on the Dundee City Council site since the beginning of last month, making it one of the council’s most popular sites of historical interest.

Due to the unprecedented interest in the exhibition, compiled by the city council's communities department staff, the display will be extended until late January.

One of the most interesting exhibits is a framed mirror given by Jane McLatchie whose grandfather found it on the shore at Wormit. He made the frame out of wood from one of the carriages.

She said her grandfather lived in Wormit in a house overlooking the river and had an engineering firm that made bolts for the bridge. Her grandparents travelled over the bridge from Dundee at lunchtime on the day of tragedy and “felt a bump at that time.”

“Aunt Lilian came over on a later train at 6 pm and experienced the same thing, commenting that she didn't give much for the bridge’s chances that night,” said Mrs McLatchie. “Knowing the timetables, they went out later to the garden and saw the train go down.”

On the night of December 28, 1879, during a violent storm, a central section of the bridge collapsed, taking with it a train, six carriages and 75 souls to their fate. There were no survivors.

As news of the exhibition spread, people approached the organisers with information regarding forebears who had some connection with the disaster.

Jenny Wood Allen told the story of her aunt, Margaret Kinnear, who was only 17 when she died. Her black straw hat with blue and mauve feather was found at Broughty Ferry on January 17, but it was April 14 before her body was recovered by Captain Menzies of the Abertay Lightship.

Sisters Anne Sturrock and Violet Anderson showed staff the silver watch their grandfather, William Peebles, had with him that fateful day. His father, also called William, who lived in Broughty Ferry and may have been the victim’s intended destination, claimed the watch, which Mrs Sturrock has in her possession to this day.

From Milton Keynes, John White contacted the library to say his father had a section of water pipe from the bridge in his Colinsburgh garden.

The massive 12-inch cast iron pipe was transported with difficulty to Dundee and assumed pride of place in the display. After scepticism about its origins, careful study of photos of the fallen bridge revealed a pipe of these dimensions lying within the fallen girders.

Any inquiries on the exhibition or individual exhibits should go to David Kett, Team Leader Reference Services, on 01382 431516 or david.kett@dundeecity. gov.uk