Swing Bridge, River Tyne

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Swing Bridge
The High Level Bridge towers above the Swing Bridge across the River Tyne; photograph facing Newcastle
Carries	Motor vehicle; Pedestrians
Crosses	River Tyne
Locale	Gateshead/Newcastle, England
Design	swing bridge
Longest span	85.7 metre
Opening date	15 June 1876

The Swing Bridge over the River Tyne connects Gateshead and Newcastle upon Tyne, between the Tyne Bridge and the High Level Bridge. The hydraulic power to move the bridge is derived from electrically driven pumps. This feeds a hydraulic accumulator sunk into a shaft on the side of the river, the water is then released under pressure which runs the machinery to turn the bridge. The mechanism used for this is still the same machinery originally installed by Armstrong.

It has an 85.7 metre cantilevered span with a central axis of rotation able to move through 360° to allow vessels to pass on either side of it.

The previous bridge on the site was demolished in 1868 to enable larger ships to move upstream to William Armstrong's works. The hydraulic Swing Bridge was designed and paid for by Armstrong, with work beginning in 1873. It was first used for road traffic on 15 June 1876 and opened for river traffic on 17 July 1876.

The Swing Bridge stands on the site of the Old Tyne Bridges of 1270 and 1781, and probably of the Roman Pons Aelius.