High Level Bridge

A double decker road and railway bridge which spans the river Tyne between Newcastle and Gateshead.

Fun facts

  1. The High Level Bridge was opened in 1849.
  2. The Bridge was officially opened by Queen Victoria in 1849.
  3. It was the first bridge in the world to combine both road and rail traffic.
  4. It was designed by Robert Stephenson, who was an English railway and civil engineer. He also helped develop a steam locomotive called the ‘Rocket’, with his father George Stephenson. The Rocket was seen as the most advanced locomotive of its day.
  5. The Bridge cost about £243,096 to build.
  6. It was made from 5,050 tons of iron.
  7. The iron that was used to build the Bridge came from Bellingham Ironworks.
  8. It was built by the Hawks family who owned a large amount of the ironworks on the Tyne.

Then and now

Photograph of High Level Bridge
Photograph of High Level Bridge
Illustration of High Level Bridge
Illustration of High Level Bridge
Illustration of High Level Bridge
Illustration of High Level Bridge
Illustration of High Level Bridge
Illustration of High Level Bridge
High Level Bridge NOW
High Level Bridge THEN
High Level Bridge THEN
High Level Bridge THEN
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Find more images of the High Level Bridge on the Co-Curate website.

Voices from the past

Nineteenth century engineer Robert Stephenson tells us about his design for a road and railway bridge spanning the River Tyne.

N.B .This audio clip is a work of fiction written and performed by a secondary school student. Although inspired by a real place in Newcastle and Gateshead, the characters and incidents which feature in it are either products of the student’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Dates and other information referred to in the clip may not be accurate.

 

 

 

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