Tyne Bridge

The Tyne Bridge is a through arch bridge over the River Tyne linking Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead. It was designed by the engineering firm Mott, Hay and Anderson, who later designed the Forth Road Bridge, and was built by Dorman Long and Co. of Middlesbrough. At the time of its construction it was the world's longest single span bridge. The bridge was officially opened on 10 October 1928 by King George V and has since become a defining symbol of Tyneside. It currently stands as the tenth tallest structure in the city.


History of construction

The earliest bridge across the Tyne, Pons Aelius, was built by the Romans near the location of the present Tyne Bridge. Built around 122, it fell into disrepair, and a stone bridge was built in 1270. This was in turn destroyed by the great flood of 1771. In 1781, a new stone bridge across the Tyne was completed. Increased shipping activity led to the stone bridge being removed in 1866 to make way for construction of the present Swing Bridge, which opened in 1876.

The idea for a bridge at the location of the present Tyne Bridge dates back to 1864, due to concern about the cost of tolls on the High Level Bridge - although the first serious discussions took place in 1883. Committees met over the next three decades, but it wasn't until the early 1920s that proposals were commenced in earnest, boosted by the chance to secure central government funding.

On 29 April 1924, Newcastle and Gateshead approved the plans, and the Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead (Corporations) Bridge Act was passed on 7 August that year, with an estimated cost of £1 million including land acquisitions. The final cost on completion was £1.2 million. Work started in August 1925 with Dorman Long acting as the building contractors. Despite the dangers of the building work, only one worker (Charles Tosh) died in the building of this structure.

The Tyne Bridge was designed by Mott, Hay and Anderson who based their design on the Hell Gate Bridge in New York (which was completed in 1916). The bridge was completed on 25 February 1928 and opened on 10 October by King George V and Queen Mary, who were the first to use the roadway travelling in their Ascot landau.

The Tyne Bridge's towers were built of Cornish granite and were designed as warehouses with five storeys. However, the inner floors of the warehouses in the bridge's towers were not completed and, as a result, the storage areas were never used. Lifts for passengers and goods were built in the towers to provide access to the Quayside although they are no longer in use. The bridge was originally painted green with special paint made by J. Dampney Co. of Gateshead. The same colours were used to paint the bridge in 2000. The bridge spans 531 feet (162 m) and the road deck is 84 feet (26 m) above the river level.


History of operations

Tram lines were built into the Tyne Bridge structure and ready for immediate use after the opening ceremony in October 1928. Tram car No. 289 was the last Newcastle tram to run into Gateshead over the Tyne Bridge on Sunday 5 March 1950 at approximately 10.55 pm. The tram lines were subsequently removed, although some vestiges of these remain such as redundant fixings for overhead power lines.

Golden jubilee celebrations were held on 10 October 1978, when one thousand balloons were released into the sky above the Tyne to celebrate the anniversary of the Tyne Bridge. To mark the occasion a cavalcade of vintage vehicles and a procession of people in period dress stopped traffic, re-creating the opening ceremony when King George V declared the bridge open in 1928.

Upon opening, the bridge carried the A1 road. Following the opening of the Tyne Tunnel in 1967 however, the A1 was diverted to the East and the road became the A6127. Following the construction of the Newcastle Western Bypass, the A1 moved again and the bridge was redesignated as the A167 which it remains today.

Description courtesy of Wikipedia.






1st January 2024








20th December 2023



Taken from Castle Garth.

Scaffolding goes up on the Gateshead side for the long awaited repairs which begins soon.






22nd September 2023



Taken from Manors Car Park.






28th August 2023



Under the north tower.






17th July 2023








8th November 2022








29th September 2022



The north tower.






4th July 2022



The south east tower.






22nd June 2022



The north east lift.




The annual nesting Kittiwakes.






25th April 2022








23rd March 2022



A bright, but misty, morning.






4th November 2021



Newcastle western tower.




Under Newcastle tower.






18th October 2021



Gateshead eastern tower.






15th December 2020








21st September 2020











3rd August 2020










28th May 2020










30th November 2019









30th September 2019









23rd July 2019











22nd June 2019
















17th March 2019








24th December 2018




















20th October 2018









18th July 2018









29th June 2018












8th January 2018








10th October 2017








26th September 2017











20th September 2017










18th July 2017











4th October 2016











15th September 2016








7th July 2016









24th May 2016








23rd February 2016









10th June 2015










21st April 2015
















26th February 2015












8th January 2015








3rd December 2014










4th September 2014








6th August 2014










5th August 2014








1st July 2014













1st July 2014









26th May 2014










9th September 2013









13th July 2013










30th July 2012








14th June 2012









16th May 2012










24th February 2012








18th January 2012








16th January 2012









9th January 2012








6th January 2012








28th September 2011








27th July 2011









4th May 2011








29th November 2010









16th June 2010











29th October 2009









10th September 2009








23rd June 2009








1st June 2009








11th May 2009













18th February 2009









12th February 2009










2nd February 2009











2nd December 2008










28th October 2008









16th October 2008










13th October 2008









6th October 2008








27th July 2008








26th July 2008









9th June 2008








7th June 2008









4th June 2008









11th February 2008













16th October 2007








10th October 2007









29th June 2006









10th May 2006









29th March 2006








8th February 2006










24th January 2006








20th January 2006





















19th January 2006










28th December 2005











17th December 2005








25th November 2005








19th November 2005











23rd August 2005









22nd August 2005















21st August 2005









27th August 2004








Opening of the Tyne Bridge, 1928.






A short video of the Tyne Bridge being constructed.






Archive pictures showing the building of the Tyne Bridge.






More Information:
My other photos of bridges on the Tyne:

9 comments:

Tao said...

Some nice shots there pal!
I must get my camera out again... very lazy of me!

mod said...

Congrats IluvNUFC!

Are you going to do a series on the Newcastle bird population to?

Newcastle Photos said...

Cheers.

Frids: Aye that's a thought. There is plentys of sparrows, pigeons and magpies around here. :)

Anonymous said...

Hi,
GREAT SHOTS OF THE TOON!!
Please have a look at my website and let me know what you think.
I am just starting out with photography and badly need some feedback
Cheers
www.wasphotography.co.uk

Paul said...

Despite a few new pretenders to the crown the Tyne bridge is still THE Tyneside landmark isn't it ?
A very nice collection of photos.

Newcastle Photos said...

Although I do love the Swing and High Level Bridges probably as much you are right about the Tyne Bridge being the landmark.

Anonymous said...

fantastic photos and great old ones.
Good website.

Newcastle Photos said...

Thanks.

john miller112 said...

Seems to be conflicting reports of who died in the construction of the Tyne Bridge some websites say Charles Tosh some say Nathaniel Collins which one is true