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The Swing Bridge, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Hi,
I took this image this morning at about 3am, having traveled from home (about 80miles).
It was a beautiful morning and this was the scene where I parked my car alongside the Newcastle Quayside. Gateshead, which is a borough of Newcastle is on the other bank, and there tends to be some rivalry as to whether you come from the Toon side (Newcastle) or the Gatesheed side(The other side), which is south of the river!
Anyway, I thought Daniel would like this one, as I know he takes stunning river views at night. I only wish this was as good as his!
The bridge in the fg is the Swing Bridge and it is being over looked by the famous Tyne bridge (Note the similarity to the Sydney Harbour Bridge which follows the same Stephenson design!
The Swing Bridge was built by the Tyne Improvement Commission, under powers conferred by the Tyne Improvement Act of 1861, as part of their overall plan for improving navigation and expanding trade by opening the upper reaches of the river to larger vessels.
The bridge was designed and constructed by Sir W.G. Armstrong and Company Limited of Elswick, the work being begun in the year 1873. It was first used for road traffic on the 15th June 1876 and opened for river traffic on the 17th July 1876.
The Swing Bridge is the fourth bridge built over the Tyne at Newcastle on the same site. The first, constructed of wood and stone about the year 120 A.D. by the Emperor Hadrian was known as Pons Aelii, Aelius being the patronymic of the Emperor. This bridge stood until 1248 when it was destroyed by a fire, which also destroyed a great part of the town. The second or Mediaeval Bridge was of stone construction and stood from the year 1320 until a section of it was washed away in the great flood of 1771. The remaining portions had to be removed and the third bridge, constructed of stone with nine arches, was completed in 1781. This bridge was removed by the Commission to make way for the construction of the Swing Bridge.
The foundations are concrete filled cast iron cylinders which are set in bed rock. Granite piers rest upon the cylinders at a little above the height of low water. The weight of the swinging portion of the bridge is carried by the centre pier.
The bridge is 170.688m long and 14.478m wide and consists of six spans, four of which are over the river and two over land. The two centre spans make up the swinging portion, which is 85.649m long and weighs about 1,300 tons. The land spans are composed of five main iron girders of arched form, the north span being about 11.6m long and the south about 10m. The fixed river spans consist of two iron main girders of box construction with riveted stiffeners, the north span being 32.6m long and the south about 26.8m long. The swinging portion is a continuous girder over two spans, each of which gives a clear waterway of about 31.4m. It consists of two main iron girders of triangular construction with curved top boom and a straight bottom boom. When turning about 900 tons of the total weight of 1,300 tons of the swinging portion is supported by an hydraulic centre press which reduces the effects of friction and wear and tear on the forty-two 9,144mm diameter rollers which turn on a roller path of about 13.1m diameter. The bridge, when open to road traffic, is supported at the end by cast iron blocks moved and locked into position under the girders by hydraulic rams.
The motive power for operating the bridge is supplied by hydraulic engines worked by electrically driven pumps to a pressure of about 49 kg cm2 and all machinery is duplicated as an insurance against breakdowns.
The first ship to pass through the bridge on the 17th July 1876, was the Italian Transport "Europa" on her way to take on board the 100-ton gun built by
Sir W.G. Armstrong & Company Limited at Elswick Engine and Ordnance Works for the Government of Italy.
An eye-witness of that first opening, a Mr. James Clephan, gave this account of the event.
"With marvellous smoothness and ease, and silent as the stars, the roadway parted in twain, in the presence of thousands of admiring spectators. … The highway over the river went asunder that the 100-ton gun might be taken on board, for transport to the Mediterranean Sea. Rome, who was here with her builder of bridge and wall in the second century, was thus present at the opening of her transformed viaduct in the nineteenth."
Since that occasion the Bridge opened 286,281 times up to the 31st December 1981, allowing 448,090 vessels of over 220 million total net tonnes to pass through and looking to present day the Bridge opens approximately four times per week.
The largest ship to pass through was the m.v. "Fernmount" of 5,000 tonnes net in 1952, using the Southern channel. Normally, ships passing upriver use the northern channel and ships passing downriver use the southern channel. However, when ships are above a certain size special dispensation is given to the Master of the vessel by the Harbour Master, to use the southern channel which is straight and has no "dog-leg" as in the case of the northern channel.
Info from Portoftyne web.
I hope to post some more from my trip as the week goes on.
Take Care,
John |
mikolaj_cava, Travelcam, Adri, toucan1967, lilimih33, Noslo, perryhooter, Dot has marked this note useful
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Beautiful capture. Well exposed, with fantastic colors and lighting. Good composition.
TFS,
David
Gorgeous shot John!
I liek the many types of lighting here.
Reflections and colors are well composed.
Nice work.
- Vincent
Very nice sharp shot.... Well managed light.. I'd forgotten just how early it starts getting light up in geordieland.
Cheers
DAvid
A very pleasing image here John: sharp, sky well-handled, rich colours and overall well-handled. Thanks for sharing and keep taking great pictures even if they are at 3am! Regards, TW
Hello John! Wonderful bridge. Good lightness. Original colors. Very interesting composition. Well done!
Hi John
Impressive composition and POV used here. The stillness is awesome! Stunning reflection. Good colour saturation and balance.
YOur note has to be the longest I have seen on TL. Bravo! :-)
Impressed. TFS,
Martyn
stunning quality, colours and sharpness are excellent, very fine exposure, fantastic quality once again,
regards
jo
- Adri
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 534 W: 23 N: 1875]](http://i1.treklens.com/misc/g-s-g.gif)
(11378) - [2008-07-14 10:51]
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Hi John,
What an amazing picture is this!
Great colours, light and reflections.
Very good pov.
Greetings from Netherland,
Adri
Hi John,
Great work and if you hadn't said I would never have said it was 3AM, great colours and sharp details with some great reflections.
Well done
Regards Andy
Hi John,
Lovely shot, excellent exposure retaining the sky detail.
Hey John :-)
You captured some really good colours here.
Well done.
Best regards, Daniel
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- lele
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 814 W: 51 N: 1717]](http://i1.treklens.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(11169) - [2008-07-14 14:14]
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ciao john....bellissima composizione....ottimi colori e bel contrasto...bello il pov...
complimenti
lele
Hello John!
Excellent reflection and wonderuful blue hour picture!
Lovely sky and great colours!
Nice point of view!
Best regards!
Lili
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- Noslo
(920)
- [2008-07-14 20:52]
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Excellent photo! It has been 25 years since I was in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, and this photo makes me want to go there again.
Lars
Lovely post John!
I thought it came from Daniel ( eyesthetix ) but the framing work is different .
A beautiful composition with stunning clarity and details.
PS. I might just suggest here to add a thin 2 pixels white line around your photo before adding the black frame.
Cheers!
Robert
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- Dot
(12662)
- [2008-07-15 6:39]
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Hello John
I am sure David will like this shot, I know I do and hope that someday I can produce something as good as this.
Its well composed, sharp, good light reflection, colours awesome.
I think its great.
Dot
Hi John,
Beautiful photo!
Good composition and great colours!
Regards,
Annelies
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