| Architect |
Basil Mott, David Hay and David Anderson |
| Date
Built |
1928 |
| Location |
Spanning the
River Tyne |
| Description |
|
The Tyne Bridge has become a symbol of
Newcastle and the Tyneside area. In a
city of bridges it dominates the landscape
not only spanning the river but soaring
above city streets and striding over the
roofs of riverside buildings. It is suggested that the designers of the bridge were influenced by the Hell Gate Bridge in New York and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The former was completed in 1916 some 12 years before the opening of the Tyne Bridge. It has been suggested that the Sydney Harbour Bridge was itself inspired by the Tyne Bridge but although the Sydney bridge was completed after the one in Newcastle, it was started in 1923 two years earlier than the Tyne Bridge. The bridge's span is 521 feet long and it stands 84 feet above the river. Its four piers were constructed of Cornish granite and originally featured lifts for pedestrians wishing to access the quayside. Today they have been adopted by the city's seagull population, who occupy the ledges like urban cliffs.  King George
V and Queen Mary opened the bridge on
October 10th, 1928.
 Apparently the bridge was originally pained green with a special paint created by the J. Dampney Company of Gateshead. In 2000 it was repainted the same colour. |
|
|
The Tyne
Bridge, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
        |
