The process of painting the Forth Rail Bridge is finally set to end in four years' time, it has been announced.
The need for continuous maintenance of the structure has passed into folklore and led to the coining of a phrase for a never-ending job.
However, Network Rail has announced a £74m contract which will see painters down their brushes in 2012.
The new paint has an estimated life span of 25 years, although is it hoped it will last closer to 40 years.
The expression "like painting the Forth Bridge" features in the Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms.
It states: "If repairing or improving something is like painting the Forth Bridge, it takes such a long time that by the time you have finished doing it, you have to start again."
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