- 01 BRIDGES | Tyne Bridges
Rays from a late February afternoon sun dazzle from the new paint on the High Level Bridge, one of seven that span the River Tyne between Newcastle and Gateshead, an easy walk apart. The water level Swing Bridge, the lattice steel of the Tyne Bridge and the white bow of the unique, tilting, Millennium Bridge stand in line. Tidal and current movements often preclude sharp reflections but this was a better day than most.
- 02 BRIDGES | The High Level Bridge
Robert Stephenson designed the High Level Bridge for the York, Newcastle & Berwick Railway Company and it was completed in 1849. Wrought and cast irons were used to construct the six spans of the double deck, bow-string girder superstructure resting on stone piers. Cast iron arches support the rail deck above and suspend the roadway below on wrought iron bars.
- 03 BRIDGES | The High Level Bridge
Low tide reveals more of the protective timbers at the foot of one of the river piers. Rail level is some 120 feet above the river. Major repairs, strengthening and restoration of the ironwork were completed in 2008 and the accumulated paint layers of 150 years were removed back to the metal. Its new sand coloured paint was matched from the 1849 original.
- 04 BRIDGES | The High Level Bridge
The first sun of an early February day catches the curving southerly ironwork of the High Level Bridge and will soon clear much of the thinning mist. In this low light, the modern gables on the far shore seem indistinguishable from their nineteenth century industrial forbears. The wooden jetty links the central pier to its Swing Bridge equivalent a few yards downstream.
- 05 BRIDGES | The High Level Bridge
Stone for the bridge piers came from quarries at Heddon-on-the-Wall and Corbridge in the Tyne Valley. Hawks, Crawshay & Sons of Gateshead were main contractors for the ironwork on this, for the time, advanced and monumental engineering endeavour. This view from the south bank through the pierced piers includes workmen busy at the end of the recent extensive ironwork renovations.
- 06 BRIDGES | King Edward VII Bridge - reflection
This railway bridge was designed by Charles Harrison, the Chief Civil Engineer of the North Eastern Railway and completed in 1906. Built by the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company, it allowed trains to run through the Newcastle Central Station that had until then been a terminus accessed from the south by the High Level Bridge and from the north by Manors Viaduct.
- 07 BRIDGES | King Edward VII Bridge
Late afternoon sunshine streams between the substantial granite piers supporting the four steel lattice girder spans.
- 08 BRIDGES | King Edward VII Bridge
Drifting mist diffuses the first sunlight of a cold February morning.
- 09 BRIDGES | Redheugh Bridge
The first Redheugh Bridge was designed by Thomas Bouch, best known for his flawed Tay Bridge of 1879, and completed in 1871. Structural problems led to replacement by the engineer and builders of the Forth Railway Bridge, Sir Benjamin Baker and Sir William Arrol & Co. in 1901. Designed by Mott, Hay & Anderson, the present reinforced concrete cantilever bridge was opened in 1983.
- 10 BRIDGES | Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge
Designed by W.A.Fairhurst, this bridge links the tunnels of the Tyne & Wear Metro railway system in Newcastle and Gateshead and opened in 1981. Its steel truss superstructure rests on two tall, twin column, concrete piers. The steels are painted a vivid blue lined in white (see 15) on their channel surfaces and the structure is illuminated at night.
- 11 BRIDGES | Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge
The buildings behind the bridge are all that remains of the extensive locomotive workshops established in Gateshead by the York, Newcastle & Berwick Railway. They incorporated the glazed iron train shed and some of the stone buildings from the elegant Greenesfield Station that opened in 1844 and closed in 1850 when Newcastle Central Station was completed.
- 12 BRIDGES | Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge
The Metro Bridge carries short, lightweight, electric trains running on two tracks and its structure stands in marked contrast to the neighbouring four-track King Edward VII Bridge. Completed in 1978, it came into use in 1981 when train operation began.
- 13 BRIDGES | Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge
Looking south along the underside of the central span.
- 14 BRIDGES | Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge
The Metro Trains are painted in one of three liveries, blue, red and green, with yellow detailing. This photograph was taken from the river bank under the setting sun of a late autumn day.
- 15 BRIDGES | Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge
Taken from the riverside promenade some ninety feet below, the train's red is reflected in the white painted interiors of the steelwork.
- 16 BRIDGES | The Swing Bridge
Before the completion of the High Level Bridge in 1849, the only river crossing was at quayside level on a nine arch stone bridge designed by Robert Mylne and completed in 1781. Built by William Armstrong & Co. to allow access to shipyards up-river at Elswick, the Swing Bridge is still powered by the original hydraulic machinery installed during its construction between 1873 and 1876.
- 17 BRIDGES | Tyne Bridge
Designed by Mott, Hay & Anderson and constructed by Dorman Long & Co. of Middlesbrough, the Tyne Bridge was opened in 1928. That Company, with the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Co., built the Sydney Harbour Bridge that opened four years later.
- 18 BRIDGES | Under the Tyne Bridge
The 6,000 Caledonian Princess was launched as a car ferry in 1961. Obsolete by 1981, it was converted into an entertainment venue, renamed Tuxedo Princess, and moored under the Tyne Bridge from 1984 to 2008. The southern ends of the High Level, Metro and King Edward Bridges form a backdrop.