Tyne Bridge, Newcastle
of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
The bridge was designed to align with the Great North Road and carry road traffic across the Tyne without having to descend to river level.
1883 A proposal was made for a bridge across the Tyne close to the site eventually used. A sketch of an arched bridge was published soon afterwards[1]
1890 Mr. Laws, City Engineer, published a proposal
Further proposals were made including exhibition of a model in Newcastle but WWI brought discussion to a halt.
1922 Messrs. H. Y. Richardson and Webster published a letter in the press which started the discussion again; with promise of a grant from the Government, the scheme was able to proceed.
Thomas H. Webster claimed to have proposed a design which met the requirements of the river Tyne Commissioners and pushed for an open competition but the design was put in the hands of the consultants[2] (Mott, Hay and Anderson)
1924 December: Newcastle City Council accepted the tender of Dorman, Long and Co for the construction of the bridge; the next lowest tender was from Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Co[3]
Designed and built by Dorman, Long and Co, under the supervision of Charles Mitchell, head of the Bridge Department; James Ruck was the contractor's agent on site. Consulting engineers were Mott, Hay and Anderson, led by David Anderson, with associates Coode, Wilson, Mitchell and Vaughan-Lee. The architectural features in the abutment towers were by R. Burns Dick of Newcastle[4]
1925 Work started
1928 Opened by the King[5]
531 ft between hinge pin centres. Rise: 170ft. Two crescent-shaped ribs at 45ft. centres, each rib composed of upper and lower booms of parabolic outline, with single bracing of the Warren type . The depth between booms at the centre is 20ft. 3in. Towards the abutments the roadway is carried on columns supported on the upper booms of the ribs, while in the centre it is suspended by hangers from the lower booms.
The arch ribs were built out progressively from each side (i.e. cantilevered), adding hangers and deck structure as work progressed. In the initial stages the ribs rested on cradles. As erection proceeded, the weight of the ribs was transferred from the cradles to cables connected to the top boom. These cables were carried back over temporary masts, erected on the river ends of the approach spans, and connected to the webs of the approach spans. The cable tension was resisted by the deadweight of these girders in conjunction with raking struts which were necessaryto prevent the girders being dragged towards the river. When the two halves of the arch had been completed, with the exception of the centre panel of the lower boom of the arch ribs, the cables were slackened off, thus allowing the top chords to meet, and a temporary pin transferred the thrust between the two halves of the upper chords; At that stage. the arch was actually three-hinged. The centre panels of the lower chords were then raised into position, and, by hydraulic jacking, a definite compression was applied between this member and its adjacent chord, thus putting the arch into a true two-hinged condition. Shaped fillers were inserted, and the jackes removed.[6]