Structures that bridged the gap for rail and road traffic

THE

We all know them. The Tyne Bridge (opened in 1928), the High Level Bridge (1849), the Swing Bridge (1876), the Millennium Bridge (2001) – and the rest.

All providing vital crossings between Newcastle and Gateshead – but all very different in construction and all contributing to the overall spectacle of the river and the Tyne gorge.

So what of past and present structures further upriver that bridge the Tyne between Scotswood and Blaydon?

The current Scotswood road bridge

River Tyne is famous for its great bridges.

was opened in 1967. One commentator at the time labelled it an “uncompromisingly ugly modern construction”.

The new bridge replaced the first Scotswood Bridge, or ‘Chain Bridge’ as it was known locally.

We see it in our image as it was in December, 1930 – exactly 90 years ago. By that time it had already been in place for a century.

When it was opened on April 16, 1831, it was the first bridge across the River Tyne to be built during Tyneside’s defining industrial era, long predating more illustrious neighbours downriver that would later link Newcastle and Gateshead.

The bridge comprised two 24-metre (80 feet) stone towers, from which the 204-metre (670 feet) road deck was suspended by 225-metre (740 feet) chains.

The Chain Bridge (or ‘Chine’ in this instance) is immortalised in the Geordie anthem, the Blaydon Races, written in 1862: “We flew across the Chine Bridge reet inti’ Blaydon Toon/ The bellman he wes caallin’ there, they caalled him Jacky Broon...”

The new toll bridge would be a success, levying substantial amounts of money.

However, by the 1930s it was becoming unsuitable for the increasing volume of modern road traffic. A new bridge would eventually be needed.

On March 20, 1967, the Evening Chronicle reported how Alderman Peter Renwick formally closed the old Scotswood Bridge, then promptly drove round to open its successor.

The project, including construction of the new bridge and demolition of the old one, was completed at a cost of £2.5m, three quarters of which came from a government grant.

This location has also witnessed a series of four successive railway bridges across the Tyne.

The last bridge still stands but the final train trundled over it nearly 40 years ago.

The first Scotswood railway bridge, which was wooden, opened in 1839, the second in 1860, the third in 1865 and the fourth – a wrought-iron, six-span version – in 1871.

It was constructed by Jarrow’s giant Palmer’s yard, the closure of which in 1933 was the catalyst of the famous Jarrow Crusade three years later.

The bridge carried trains on the Newcastle to Carlisle railway line between Scotswood and Blaydon stations. Since 1982 all railway traffic has been diverted via Dunston.

Check out our new Memory Lane website: https://www.memorylane. co.uk.