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STRUCTURES

A masterclass in bridge design

In the late 1990s I was fortunate to spend a short time in the Newcastle office of one of the largest multidisciplinary engineering groups in the country.

As a bonus our offices were located between the magnificent steel arch bridge designed by Mott, Hay & Anderson and constructed by Dorman Long of Middlesbrough – the bridge on which the design of Sydney Harbour Bridge was based – and the iconic steel swing bridge across the River Tyne, one of the wonders of the industrial age (NCE, last month).

The bridge was designed by an enterprising inventor, scientist and engineer of the day called Lord Armstrong. Its total length is 171m, with the longest span of 85.5m, provides a clearance of 4.42m above the river and makes a full 90° swing to allow shipping to pass through.

It connects the towns of Newcastle-upon-Tyne with Gateshead, was completed in 1876 and is now Grade II listed. The bridge was also constructed by Dorman Long.

Alas this iconic bridge has not swung open since 2019.

The cherry on the icing is the high-level bridge a little further up river designed by Robert Stephenson in 1849. The constructors were John Rush and Benjamin Lawton of York.

I could see all these bridges from my office window and it gave me a great sense of pride and satisfaction being a civil and structural engineer who also designed bridges.

Back down to earth, I read that a Newcastle MP is campaigning to raise £5M to restore the swing bridge. I wholeheartedly agree with this cause and we should, as a nation, save these wonderful bridges of yesteryear to preserve Britain’s engineering heritage.

Mario Donnetti (F) mariodonnetti@gmail.com

The Editor, New Civil Engineer,
​4th Floor, Harmsworth House, 13-15 Bouverie Street, London EC4Y 8DP
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