Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge
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| Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge | |
|---|---|
 The Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge in 2005, viewed from Forth Banks in Newcastle. |
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| Official name | Queen Elizabeth II Bridge |
| Carries | Tyne and Wear Metro |
| Crosses | River Tyne |
| Locale | NewcastleGateshead |
| Maintained by | Nexus |
| Design | Steel truss construction with fabricated box chords[1] |
| Total length | 360m[1] |
| Beginning date of construction | 1976 [1] |
| Completion date | August 1978 [2] |
| Opening date | 6 November 1981[1] |
The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge carries the Tyne and Wear Metro from Newcastle upon Tyne to Gateshead over the River Tyne. The line is in tunnel on either side of the river and only emerges into open air to cross the bridge.
Contents |
[edit] History
The bridge was developed as part of the Tyne and Wear Metro system, for which it was purpose-built. It was designed by W. A. Fairhurst & Partners, and constructed by Cementation Construction Ltd. and the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company at a cost of £4.9 million.[1] It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 6 November 1981, nine days before regular Metro service began.[1]
[edit] Nocturne artwork
In 2006 Nexus, operators of the Metro, commissioned artist Nayan Kulkarni to install a huge artwork on the bridge. The artwork, Nocturne, sees the bridge painted two distinct tones of blue, while at night, 140 Lumiflood 36 LED lighting units[3] create an ever-changing pattern of colours based on photographs submitted by members of the public.[3]
Nocturne was completed and opened on 26 April 2007[4] and means that all five main bridges across the Tyne between Gateshead and Newcastle have unique lighting schemes.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f Newcastle University. Structure Details: Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. Structural Images of the North East (SINE). Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
- ^ Construction photograph of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne 1977. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
- ^ a b Lumivision Architectural Lighting. "Nocturne Lighting Launched". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-05-27.
- ^ Nexus (2007-04-26). "Nocturne – Britain's biggest new artwork is born". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-04-27.
[edit] Further reading
- Pevsner, N., Richmond, I., Grundy, J., McCombie, G., Ryder, P. and Welfare, H. (2001). The Buildings of England: Northumberland. London: Penguin Books, p460.
[edit] External links
- Queen Elizabeth II Bridge in the Structurae database
- Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge is at coordinates Coordinates:
[edit] Nocturne
| West: | Crossings of the River Tyne | East: |
|---|---|---|
| King Edward VII Bridge | Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge | High Level Bridge |
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