How tall is the transporter bridge middlesbrough

View gallery 7. Highway Authority. Opening Date. Additional Information. List No:. On road s. Steel towers support a high-level gantry above the channel. A truck is hauled back and forth along a railway track in the gantry, carrying cars and pedestrians in a gondola suspended from cables. As the 19th century ended, there was a growing need at Newport to transport workers to the developing industrial area east of the river Usk.

The river was too wide for a lifting or swing bridge, or a tunnel, to be practicable or affordable, and there was no question of a low-level bridge preventing ships from travelling up the river. Newport councillors inspected the transporter bridge in Rouen, France, and in obtained Parliamentary approval to construct such a bridge at Newport.

The bridge opened in When Middlesbrough was a small town, people tended to use rowboats to cross the river but, as the Teesside iron and steel industries grew, so did the population and rowboats became a less viable option. In , a steam-powered ferry was brought into service.

Needless to say, this made crossing the Tees less of a chore but the crossings were often difficult because of strong currents or the presence of other traffic on the river. In , Charles Smith, who was the manager of the Hartlepool Ironworks, suggested introducing a form of aerial bridge ferry capable of carrying people across the river.

His idea never saw fruition but the French bridge engineer Ferdinand Joseph Arnodin later developed the concept and, together with the Spanish engineer Martin Alberto Palacio, came up with a workable plan. However, although Arnodin got to work building transporter bridges in other parts of the world, it was to be a long time before the people of Middlesbrough got one to help them get across the Tees.

Things began to get moving again in when Middlesbrough Corporation made contact with Arnodin and then reached out to William Edwin Pease. In , Parliament approved the construction of the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge as an alternative to the ferry service. Work on the foundations began in and the bridge was finally finished in September This was around 39 years after Charles Smith made his suggestion for an aerial bridge ferry.

The bridge was originally painted red but, in , the colour was changed to blue. It has remained the same colour ever since. The majority of listed buildings and structures in the UK Only 5. In , the bridge closed, the refurbishment began in earnest, and a glass lift was installed as part of the Transporter Bridge Visitor Experience Project. The bridge was also treated to a new lick of paint. The bridge remained closed until March The new lift, which has been open since September , is an important part of the visitor experience.

Up until the last few decades of the 20th century, people were able to use the steps on the transporter bridge legs towers to access the upper walkway and cross the Tees on foot.

A striking display of hand-crafted poppies watched over by a solitary Tommy are a powerful symbol of Remembrance in Nunthorpe. Middlesbrough Council will vote next week on changes to senior management arrangements that could see the role of chief executive being made redundant. If you experience a bug or would like to see an addition on the current page, feel free to leave us a message. Home Parking, roads and footpaths Tees Transporter Bridge.

Tees Transporter Bridge. The risks of coronavirus remain high. To keep everyone safe, please stay cautious. Get the latest information about coronavirus. Pedestrians and bicycles 70p Cars, motorcycles, vans max. For prices and how to book, please see the 'Visitor Experience' section below.

Visitor Experience Due to essential maintenance taking place at the Tees Transporter Bridge, the Visitor Experience has temporarily been suspended. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Monday 7.