Now entering its final year of construction, Scotland's latest engineering wonder has been taking shape over the Firth of Forth.

These pictures of the new Forth Replacement Crossing by Herald photographer Gordon Terris depict the work over the last twelve months, with 5500 tonnes of steelwork welded on the North Viaduct, concreting completed on all three of the bridge's towers and almost a third of the bridge deck now in place.

The Queensferry Crossing, which is costing between £1.35 and £1.4 billion to build, is expected to open in late 2016.

Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure Keith Brown said: "It seems a long time since 2011 when construction work on the bridge began. Looking out over the Forth now, it is hard to remember what it was like before the Queensferry Crossing started to emerge from the water.

"During 2015 the progress in building the new bridge has been much more noticeable to passers-by the higher above the water the bridge has grown.

"This past year is possibly the one that people will have noticed the most - the towers have gone up and it is now the tallest bridge in the UK, the deck is stretching out from each of the towers, the south viaduct is reaches out towards the main crossing and will soon be joined by its twin on the north side.

"It’s very clear the progress that is being made as we look forward to 2016 and the final year of construction."

Other work carried out on the new bridge in 2015 included the completion of the Ferrytoll Viaduct, roadworks to divert the B800 on to the new bridge over the A90 and the start of final road surfacing on the main carriageways.

Transport Scotland has also attempted to engage the local community in the project, with more than 10,000 school pupils attending information sessions through its education and outreach programme.

The Frame the Bridge campaign also launched in 2015, with people being encouraged to send in pictures of themselves or family and friends with the bridge works in the background.

The images are being made into an online mosaic and almost 700 have already been sent in from both the public and staff working at the site.