hollow man
December 28th, 2004, 04:46 PM
I Already posted this in the "best bridges in the World" thread, but felt it deserves it's own thread.
The Tyne Bridge and the Sydney Harbour Bridge were infact started at the same time in 1925. The Tyne Bridge was finished first because it is on a smaller scale however to see it in person you would know that it is no cheap rip off.
Most of the river Tyne's Bridges were opened by Royalty and at the time of completion were great World engineering triumphs.
All though not the best bridges in the world in terms of size I think Newcastle can claim to have the best collection of Bridges anywhere in the world within a 2 mile stretch with 7 in total.
This picture shows 6 of the seven bridges clearly with the swing bridge hidden between the Tyne Bridge (green one) and the High level bridge (big black one)
Here are the names dates and who they were opened by from top to bottom of the photo.
Millenium Bridge (2001 by Queen Elizabeth II )
Tyne Bridge (1928 by King George V )
Swing bridge (1876 - no official ceremony)
High Level bridge (1849 by Queen Victoria)
Queen Elizabeth II Bridge (1981 by Queen Elizabeth II.)
King Edward VII Bridge (1906 by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra)
The Redheugh Bridge (1983 by Diana, The Princess of Wales)
http://www.northeastscenery.com/NorthEastScenery/AerialPhotographs/Tyneside/StephenGordonDec03/039%20Tyne%20Bridges.jpg
Here are each of the bridges in more detail.
Millenium Bridge:
The Gateshead Millennium Bridge, a 600 tonne structure, will slowly open turning on a pivot like a giant eyelid to form an arch to allow ships to pass below it. Significant dates: Bridge manouvred into position by the giant crane Asian Hercules .
http://www.jakehowlett.com/photos/albums/userpics/newcastle/DSC00233.JPG
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/images/events/newcastle/bridge210.jpg
The Tyne Bridge:
The most famous of the 7 bridges and the main artery into the City centre of Newcastle from the South
http://www.icdev.co.uk/expats/desktops/newcastle/tynebridgec1024.jpg
http://www.jakehowlett.com/photos/albums/userpics/newcastle/DSC00234.JPG
The Swing bridge:
The Swing Bridge was built on the site of the Roman and Medieval bridges which crossed the Tyne at this point. During its construction, two Roman altars were dredged from the river. Dedicated to Neptune and Oceanus, they probably belonged to a shrine built to protect the Roman bridge from the Tyne's tides. The largest opening bridge of its kind when it was opened in 1876, its hydraulic opening action was originally driven by steam pumps but these were replaced with electric pumps in 1959. The bridge was needed because the small arches of the old stone bridge prevented large, sea-going vessels access to Lord Armstrong's expanding Elswick Works.
http://www.bobjude.co.uk/photo/newc/quayside1/photo12.jpg
http://www.northeastscenery.com/NorthEastScenery/AerialPhotographs/Tyneside/StephenGordonDec03/042%20Tyne%20Bridges.jpg
The High level bridge:
The revolutionary design with trains on the top deck and a road below. It was the first bridge built with both cast and wrought iron. Trains first crossed 15th August 1849 - no ceremony. Road traffic first crossed 4th February 1850. The road deck was strengthened in 1922 to take trams.
http://is.freefoto.com/images_e/1043/22/1043_22_1_web.jpg
http://www.peacedividend.com/photos/archives/highlevel.jpg
The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge:
Traffic: Rail (Metro Rapid Transport). Length: 1115 ft 6in (352.7m). Width: 33ft 6in (10.2m).
http://www.karl-gotsch.de/Bilder/Newcastle_Metro.JPG
The King Edward VII Bridge:
Traffic: Motor vehicles & pedestrian. Length: 1304 ft (397.72m). Width: 56ft (17.08m).
The King Edward VII Bridge was the second rail crossing over the Tyne.
http://www.northumbria.info/Media/KingEdb.jpg
http://monkchester.co.uk/images/edward7.jpg
The Redheugh Bridge:
Traffic: Motor vehicles & pedestrian. Length: 2942 ft (897m). Width: 52ft (15.8m).
There have been three Redheugh Bridges on this site, dating back to 1871. The current bridge was opened by the late Lady Diana, Princess of Wales in 1983.
http://www.northumbria.info/Media/Redheughb.jpg
A few other pics.
The river Tyne in the early morning:
http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/tlt/photo/image/l061547.jpg
http://www.camk.edu.pl/~ptz/hobbies/england/Newcastle_Bridges.jpg
http://www.danorth.fsnet.co.uk/photo%20gallery/scenes/tynebridges.jpg
The river Tyne at night:
http://www.mikekipling.com/northumberland_durham/kn1174_tyne_bridges.jpg
http://steveellwood.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/tyne4.jpg
I think you'll agree they are a great set of bridges and I look forward to seeing them everytime I visit Newcastle.
The Tyne Bridge and the Sydney Harbour Bridge were infact started at the same time in 1925. The Tyne Bridge was finished first because it is on a smaller scale however to see it in person you would know that it is no cheap rip off.
Most of the river Tyne's Bridges were opened by Royalty and at the time of completion were great World engineering triumphs.
All though not the best bridges in the world in terms of size I think Newcastle can claim to have the best collection of Bridges anywhere in the world within a 2 mile stretch with 7 in total.
This picture shows 6 of the seven bridges clearly with the swing bridge hidden between the Tyne Bridge (green one) and the High level bridge (big black one)
Here are the names dates and who they were opened by from top to bottom of the photo.
Millenium Bridge (2001 by Queen Elizabeth II )
Tyne Bridge (1928 by King George V )
Swing bridge (1876 - no official ceremony)
High Level bridge (1849 by Queen Victoria)
Queen Elizabeth II Bridge (1981 by Queen Elizabeth II.)
King Edward VII Bridge (1906 by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra)
The Redheugh Bridge (1983 by Diana, The Princess of Wales)
http://www.northeastscenery.com/NorthEastScenery/AerialPhotographs/Tyneside/StephenGordonDec03/039%20Tyne%20Bridges.jpg
Here are each of the bridges in more detail.
Millenium Bridge:
The Gateshead Millennium Bridge, a 600 tonne structure, will slowly open turning on a pivot like a giant eyelid to form an arch to allow ships to pass below it. Significant dates: Bridge manouvred into position by the giant crane Asian Hercules .
http://www.jakehowlett.com/photos/albums/userpics/newcastle/DSC00233.JPG
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/images/events/newcastle/bridge210.jpg
The Tyne Bridge:
The most famous of the 7 bridges and the main artery into the City centre of Newcastle from the South
http://www.icdev.co.uk/expats/desktops/newcastle/tynebridgec1024.jpg
http://www.jakehowlett.com/photos/albums/userpics/newcastle/DSC00234.JPG
The Swing bridge:
The Swing Bridge was built on the site of the Roman and Medieval bridges which crossed the Tyne at this point. During its construction, two Roman altars were dredged from the river. Dedicated to Neptune and Oceanus, they probably belonged to a shrine built to protect the Roman bridge from the Tyne's tides. The largest opening bridge of its kind when it was opened in 1876, its hydraulic opening action was originally driven by steam pumps but these were replaced with electric pumps in 1959. The bridge was needed because the small arches of the old stone bridge prevented large, sea-going vessels access to Lord Armstrong's expanding Elswick Works.
http://www.bobjude.co.uk/photo/newc/quayside1/photo12.jpg
http://www.northeastscenery.com/NorthEastScenery/AerialPhotographs/Tyneside/StephenGordonDec03/042%20Tyne%20Bridges.jpg
The High level bridge:
The revolutionary design with trains on the top deck and a road below. It was the first bridge built with both cast and wrought iron. Trains first crossed 15th August 1849 - no ceremony. Road traffic first crossed 4th February 1850. The road deck was strengthened in 1922 to take trams.
http://is.freefoto.com/images_e/1043/22/1043_22_1_web.jpg
http://www.peacedividend.com/photos/archives/highlevel.jpg
The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge:
Traffic: Rail (Metro Rapid Transport). Length: 1115 ft 6in (352.7m). Width: 33ft 6in (10.2m).
http://www.karl-gotsch.de/Bilder/Newcastle_Metro.JPG
The King Edward VII Bridge:
Traffic: Motor vehicles & pedestrian. Length: 1304 ft (397.72m). Width: 56ft (17.08m).
The King Edward VII Bridge was the second rail crossing over the Tyne.
http://www.northumbria.info/Media/KingEdb.jpg
http://monkchester.co.uk/images/edward7.jpg
The Redheugh Bridge:
Traffic: Motor vehicles & pedestrian. Length: 2942 ft (897m). Width: 52ft (15.8m).
There have been three Redheugh Bridges on this site, dating back to 1871. The current bridge was opened by the late Lady Diana, Princess of Wales in 1983.
http://www.northumbria.info/Media/Redheughb.jpg
A few other pics.
The river Tyne in the early morning:
http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/tlt/photo/image/l061547.jpg
http://www.camk.edu.pl/~ptz/hobbies/england/Newcastle_Bridges.jpg
http://www.danorth.fsnet.co.uk/photo%20gallery/scenes/tynebridges.jpg
The river Tyne at night:
http://www.mikekipling.com/northumberland_durham/kn1174_tyne_bridges.jpg
http://steveellwood.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/tyne4.jpg
I think you'll agree they are a great set of bridges and I look forward to seeing them everytime I visit Newcastle.