The sight of the Quayside and its bridges is perhaps the most famous view in the North East.
The seven famous bridges which connect Gateshead and Newcastle to create the iconic skyline include the Millennium Bridge, Swing Bridge, Tyne Bridge, High Level Bridge, Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, the King Edward the VII and the Redheugh Bridge. Of course the Scotswood Bridge is just a few miles upstream.
Some of the bridges have a rich history dating back as far as Roman times- built on the order of Emperor Hadrian himself. Many of them have significant places in engineering history due to their pioneering designs.
Out of all of them, the Tyne Bridge is the most well-known. Built in the 20s, it was officially opened in 1929 by King George V. Famously, it shares the same design as the larger Sydney Harbour Bridge which was built by the same firm in Middlesbrough.
The oldest, however, is the High Level Bridge which was erected in 1848 and boasts the best view of the Tyne.
Want to find out more? Below we have nine interesting facts about the history, construction and operation of Newcastle and Gateshead’s bridges.
How many did you already know?
1. The High Level Bridge was the first in the world to combine rail and road traffic
Designed by Robert Stephenson, construction on the bridge started in 1847. Between 2001 and 2008, the bridge underwent refurbishment to strengthen the structure and restore original features. Here it is in 1967. | NL Photo: Newcastle Libraries
2. There have been four Tyne Bridges
The full name of the bridge we know today is the ‘New Tyne Bridge.’ Three others have stood in its place. The first was constructed of wood and stone built around 120AD by Roman Emperor Hadrian. This bridge stood until 1248 when it was destroyed by a fire which destroyed a lot of the Quayside. The second Mediaeval Bridge was built of stone and stood from 1320 until a section was washed away in the great flood of 1771. The remaining parts were removed and the third bridge, constructed of stone with nine arches, was completed in 1781. This bridge was removed to make way for the construction of the Swing Bridge. | TWAM Photo: Tyne & Wear Archives
3. At the time of construction, the Swing Bridge was the largest swing bridge ever built.
Opened in 1876, the Swing Bridge was designed and paid for by William Armstrong so that larger ships could sail upstream to his Elswick works. The original cost was £240k, around £24m in today’s money. This photograph of the Gateshead end of the Swing Bridge showing line of traffic and pedestrians held up while bridge swinging taken at 4.45pm on 2nd June 1924. | NL Photo: Newcastle Libraries
4. The Tyne Bridge's towers were never complete
The towers were built of Cornish granite and were originally designed as warehouses with five storeys. But the inner floors were never 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 photograph was taken from High Level Bridge shows Bottle Bank and the Gateshead side of the Tyne Bridge in 1966. | Newcastle Libraries Photo: NL