Roads and Bridges

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0:00:20 > 0:00:24This story belongs to Leo and his Papa Jim.

0:00:32 > 0:00:36It's a tiny tale about Papa Jim's life

0:00:36 > 0:00:38and the things he used to do.

0:00:40 > 0:00:43Now it's time for him to share his memories

0:00:43 > 0:00:46and take Leo on a journey of discovery.

0:00:53 > 0:00:56So, what exciting things are in store for Leo?

0:00:56 > 0:00:59Let's find out!

0:01:05 > 0:01:08Uh-oh, there's a traffic jam up ahead.

0:01:08 > 0:01:10You're going to have to stop.

0:01:10 > 0:01:11And look, this traffic jam goes all the way

0:01:11 > 0:01:13along here and up over this bridge.

0:01:13 > 0:01:15How are we going to fix it?

0:01:17 > 0:01:18Over to you, Leo!

0:01:18 > 0:01:21- We could take some cars off. - We could.

0:01:21 > 0:01:24Would you like to try and take the cars off over there?

0:01:24 > 0:01:26- Is that where you'd take them off?- Yeah.

0:01:26 > 0:01:28OK, you take the cars off, then.

0:01:28 > 0:01:31But that won't work in real roads.

0:01:31 > 0:01:33So, what can be done?

0:01:36 > 0:01:38There are millions of cars on the roads,

0:01:38 > 0:01:40so how can we stop traffic jams?

0:01:40 > 0:01:43Look at all those cars stuck in traffic.

0:01:43 > 0:01:45They're going to be late!

0:01:45 > 0:01:48Ah, so making more lanes

0:01:48 > 0:01:50would allow for more cars to travel more smoothly

0:01:50 > 0:01:53and help stop traffic jams.

0:01:54 > 0:01:57I think that is what I would've done in the first place -

0:01:57 > 0:02:01make a big, wide road so that you could get lots of cars on it.

0:02:01 > 0:02:05- Do you know that I used to be a civil engineer?- What does that mean, Papa?

0:02:05 > 0:02:08A civil engineer designs roads and bridges and things like that.

0:02:08 > 0:02:12So, Papa Jim was a civil engineer.

0:02:12 > 0:02:15Civil engineers design and build all types of things,

0:02:15 > 0:02:17all over the world.

0:02:17 > 0:02:19They design bridges...

0:02:21 > 0:02:25..great big tall buildings called skyscrapers...

0:02:26 > 0:02:30..and even airports and their runways.

0:02:34 > 0:02:39In fact, engineers help shape the world we live in.

0:02:39 > 0:02:43But before they can build anything,

0:02:43 > 0:02:45they must draw it first,

0:02:45 > 0:02:49and civil engineers draw on very big pieces of paper.

0:02:49 > 0:02:53Leo just loves to hear all about his papa's job.

0:02:59 > 0:03:03So, why did Papa Jim become a civil engineer?

0:03:10 > 0:03:14Well, when I was a little boy, I really did quite enjoy

0:03:14 > 0:03:16building and making things.

0:03:17 > 0:03:21Not only did he love to build with his toys,

0:03:21 > 0:03:24he loved to watch buildings and bridges being made.

0:03:24 > 0:03:26This is the Forth Road Bridge,

0:03:26 > 0:03:28and this is the very bridge

0:03:28 > 0:03:31that Papa Jim watched being built

0:03:31 > 0:03:33when he was a little boy.

0:03:39 > 0:03:43Papa Jim just knew what he wanted to be when he grew up.

0:03:48 > 0:03:52Well, Leo, one of the first things I had to do

0:03:52 > 0:03:54when I became a civil engineer

0:03:54 > 0:03:56was to do join up lots of different bits of roads

0:03:56 > 0:03:58that were all around the city.

0:03:58 > 0:04:01It was a bit like joining up a train set track.

0:04:01 > 0:04:04Whoa, look at that map of Glasgow!

0:04:04 > 0:04:07Leo's task is to make a road,

0:04:07 > 0:04:10using his train set, across the city.

0:04:10 > 0:04:13Papa Jim had to do this for real, a long time ago,

0:04:13 > 0:04:15to stop all the traffic jams.

0:04:15 > 0:04:17Good.

0:04:17 > 0:04:20Good. That's a bridge.

0:04:20 > 0:04:25And this bit's going out all the way to join up to here.

0:04:25 > 0:04:27That's better, isn't it?

0:04:27 > 0:04:30What you can do is put some lorries and cars on

0:04:30 > 0:04:32to see if they can get across.

0:04:38 > 0:04:41When we designed these roads and bridges,

0:04:41 > 0:04:43I liked the bits where it crossed the river,

0:04:43 > 0:04:45because then I got to design a real big bridge.

0:04:45 > 0:04:49- Would you like to design a bridge with me, Leo?- Yeah!

0:04:49 > 0:04:50Right, let's go!

0:04:50 > 0:04:52This is the drawing board.

0:04:52 > 0:04:55This is the way we used to design bridges in the olden days.

0:04:55 > 0:04:59Well done, Leo. You've designed your first bridge!

0:04:59 > 0:05:02I think you could design a bridge all by yourself right now.

0:05:02 > 0:05:06And it's always good to get a little bit of expert help

0:05:06 > 0:05:08from your papa.

0:05:08 > 0:05:10Very good.

0:05:15 > 0:05:20Now it's time for Leo to find out more about his papa's life.

0:05:24 > 0:05:29Papa Jim lives near Glasgow, which was, and still is,

0:05:29 > 0:05:31a very big and very busy city.

0:05:32 > 0:05:36The old roads in Glasgow were not made for lots of cars,

0:05:36 > 0:05:39never mind lorries and buses.

0:05:44 > 0:05:46Civil engineers like Papa Jim

0:05:46 > 0:05:50decided they needed to build a bigger and better road

0:05:50 > 0:05:52to stop the traffic jams.

0:05:52 > 0:05:56This special road is called a motorway.

0:05:58 > 0:06:02One of Papa Jim's first jobs was to build this new motorway.

0:06:08 > 0:06:09It was a big job

0:06:09 > 0:06:14because the road had to go through the middle of the big, busy city,

0:06:14 > 0:06:16AND it had to cross a river,

0:06:16 > 0:06:18so a new bridge had to be built, too.

0:06:18 > 0:06:21That's it being built over there.

0:06:25 > 0:06:28Look, they're crossing the very motorway

0:06:28 > 0:06:31that Papa Jim helped to build!

0:06:38 > 0:06:41So, off they go for another walk.

0:06:41 > 0:06:44Where's your Papa Jim taking you now, Leo?

0:06:48 > 0:06:50- Leo.- What?

0:06:50 > 0:06:54- How many ways can you think of to cross a river?- Swim...

0:06:54 > 0:06:56Swim, that's a bit cold!

0:06:56 > 0:07:00- Any other ways? - You could go in a boat...

0:07:00 > 0:07:01That's a good way.

0:07:01 > 0:07:03You could go on a bridge...

0:07:03 > 0:07:06You could go on a bridge. That's a good way to cross, isn't it?

0:07:06 > 0:07:10- Especially if you've got a lorry or a car or something, isn't it?- Yeah.

0:07:10 > 0:07:12- You know, Leo?- What?

0:07:12 > 0:07:15People used to use a special boat called a ferry

0:07:15 > 0:07:18to get across the river.

0:07:18 > 0:07:21Ferries are special boats that take or ferry people

0:07:21 > 0:07:24and cars across rivers when there are no bridges.

0:07:26 > 0:07:28Do you fancy going on a ferry now?

0:07:28 > 0:07:31- Yeah!- Yes!

0:07:32 > 0:07:36But this little ferry is just taking Leo and his papa

0:07:36 > 0:07:40on a trip on the River Clyde in Glasgow.

0:07:40 > 0:07:45Wow! Look at that bridge! It's a funny shape.

0:07:45 > 0:07:47It looks like an arch.

0:07:49 > 0:07:52It IS an arch, Leo.

0:07:53 > 0:07:56So, when engineers decide to design bridges,

0:07:56 > 0:07:59there's lots to think about, like how strong it has to be -

0:07:59 > 0:08:02it might have to carry lots of cars and lorries -

0:08:02 > 0:08:03How wide,

0:08:03 > 0:08:05how many lanes of traffic to stop these traffic jams...

0:08:05 > 0:08:08What about a really windy day?

0:08:08 > 0:08:11It's got to be strong enough not to blow over!

0:08:11 > 0:08:14And some bridges have to be high enough

0:08:14 > 0:08:17to let big boats sail underneath.

0:08:20 > 0:08:23Why do you think this one's high off the water? Do you know why?

0:08:23 > 0:08:26- So big boats can go under.- That's it.

0:08:26 > 0:08:28So big boats can go underneath.

0:08:28 > 0:08:30Well done, Leo!

0:08:35 > 0:08:39Now, back to one of Papa Jim's first big jobs as an engineer -

0:08:39 > 0:08:44building the motorway through Glasgow, a long time ago.

0:08:45 > 0:08:48The new motorway had to cut through the city centre,

0:08:48 > 0:08:51big enough to take lots of cars and lorries.

0:08:51 > 0:08:53It took many years

0:08:53 > 0:08:55and lots of hard work from workmen, and,

0:08:55 > 0:08:59of course, big diggers and trucks.

0:09:03 > 0:09:08At last the traffic jams in the city were coming to an end

0:09:08 > 0:09:11And look at these photos! This is before...

0:09:13 > 0:09:16..this is halfway through.

0:09:16 > 0:09:19It's a messy business building a motorway.

0:09:19 > 0:09:20And look,

0:09:20 > 0:09:23here it is today.

0:09:23 > 0:09:25No traffic jams any more.

0:09:31 > 0:09:34And Leo and his papa are going back to the bridge

0:09:34 > 0:09:37that was built all those years ago.

0:09:40 > 0:09:43One day, somebody noticed that the bridge had a problem

0:09:43 > 0:09:47and it wasn't strong enough any more.

0:09:47 > 0:09:50I was asked if I could help to try and fix it.

0:09:50 > 0:09:53How did you do that, Papa?

0:09:53 > 0:09:57To answer that question, Papa Jim takes Leo under the bridge.

0:09:57 > 0:10:01Well, Leo, we had to make the bridge nice and strong.

0:10:01 > 0:10:05- See those things up there?- Yeah. - What do they look like to you?

0:10:05 > 0:10:09- Nuts and bolts.- They look like nuts and bolts to me too.

0:10:09 > 0:10:12And that's how we made the bridge stronger.

0:10:12 > 0:10:14This makes the bridge really strong.

0:10:14 > 0:10:17And you know what?

0:10:17 > 0:10:21Papa Jim was given a very special medal for helping mend the bridge.

0:10:21 > 0:10:25I got the medal along with lots of other people in the team

0:10:25 > 0:10:30for thinking how to make the bridge stronger and really safe again.

0:10:35 > 0:10:39Leo wants to know what else is built by engineers

0:10:45 > 0:10:49Leo, there are lots of things all around us

0:10:49 > 0:10:51designed and built by engineers.

0:10:51 > 0:10:56Like roads and bridges and railways and airports, houses and schools.

0:10:56 > 0:11:00Can you think of anything else engineers design and build?

0:11:00 > 0:11:03Yes, a play park!

0:11:03 > 0:11:04Let's go! Yippee!

0:11:05 > 0:11:07Watch this!

0:11:07 > 0:11:10- It's a digger! - It's a digger.

0:11:10 > 0:11:13Just like a digger in a building site.

0:11:13 > 0:11:17Right, you pull it back.

0:11:17 > 0:11:20Turn round, dump the stuff...

0:11:21 > 0:11:24- Right. Are we taking it all back again?- Yeah.

0:11:24 > 0:11:27OK. Why don't you dig a big hole there

0:11:27 > 0:11:32Just like you were digging a base for a column for a big bridge.

0:11:32 > 0:11:34That's it, pull it back.

0:11:34 > 0:11:36Heave! And round we go.

0:11:36 > 0:11:38Let it go. Hooray!

0:11:38 > 0:11:43Now, I'll tell you what, let's get down. What we need to do now

0:11:43 > 0:11:46is check out more things that engineers have designed.

0:11:46 > 0:11:50We're going to make sure they're really strong. Let's go.

0:11:50 > 0:11:52Over here.

0:11:52 > 0:11:56OK, you just check everything out up there.

0:11:56 > 0:12:00- What's it like up there? Is it nice and strong?- Yeah.

0:12:00 > 0:12:02Very good.

0:12:02 > 0:12:05Let's check out this slide.

0:12:05 > 0:12:07- Is it working OK?- Yeah.

0:12:07 > 0:12:11- Very good. Is it OK? - YEAH!- Great!

0:12:16 > 0:12:19Leo has found out so much about what engineers do.

0:12:26 > 0:12:29Well, Leo, what did you think of my story?

0:12:29 > 0:12:33- Good.- Was it good? Did you quite enjoy it?- Yeah.- OK.

0:12:33 > 0:12:35What a day for Leo.

0:12:35 > 0:12:39He designed his first bridge and he went to the play park

0:12:39 > 0:12:43to see some of the other things that engineers make.

0:12:43 > 0:12:46And what did you think was the best bit?

0:12:46 > 0:12:49- Going on the ferry. - Do you know what?

0:12:49 > 0:12:51That was my favourite bit too.

0:12:54 > 0:12:58Give us a big cuddle, and you can have a chocolate biscuit.

0:12:58 > 0:13:03Well done. I thought you did a marvellous job. Have a biscuit,

0:13:03 > 0:13:07and let's have a drink. Let's toast to...

0:13:08 > 0:13:10..a job well done.

0:13:10 > 0:13:11Jolly good.

0:13:15 > 0:13:20What a fabulous heap of fun! That was Leo and Papa Jim's Tiny Tale

0:13:20 > 0:13:25about the things Papa Jim used to do and the fun he had

0:13:25 > 0:13:28and why he has a special award.

0:13:28 > 0:13:30Papa Jim has shared his story

0:13:30 > 0:13:33and now it's time for Leo to start his own story

0:13:33 > 0:13:36Do you know someone with a story to share?

0:13:36 > 0:13:39Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd