Shared description
The Swing Bridge, River Tyne
The Swing Bridge is a Grade II* listed structure connecting Newcastle and Gateshead across the Tyne.
It stands on the site of the Old Tyne Bridges of 1270 and 1781. The previous bridge on the site was demolished in 1868 to enable larger ships to move upstream to William Armstrong's works. It was designed by Armstrong who paid the £240,000 that it cost. Work began in 1873 and it was first used for road traffic on 15 June 1876. River traffic first passed through it on 17 July 1876.
It has always been opened using hydraulic power, now derived from electrically driven pumps. The original hydraulic mechanism is still used.
It has an 86 m cantilevered span and can rotate through 360°. In its busiest year, 1924, it operated 6,000 times; currently it is turned only occasionally to allow shipping through and also on the first Wednesday of each month as a maintenance check.
It stands on the site of the Old Tyne Bridges of 1270 and 1781. The previous bridge on the site was demolished in 1868 to enable larger ships to move upstream to William Armstrong's works. It was designed by Armstrong who paid the £240,000 that it cost. Work began in 1873 and it was first used for road traffic on 15 June 1876. River traffic first passed through it on 17 July 1876.
It has always been opened using hydraulic power, now derived from electrically driven pumps. The original hydraulic mechanism is still used.
It has an 86 m cantilevered span and can rotate through 360°. In its busiest year, 1924, it operated 6,000 times; currently it is turned only occasionally to allow shipping through and also on the first Wednesday of each month as a maintenance check.
by habiloid
Created: Wed, 5 Feb 2020, Updated: Sat, 4 Jun 2022
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