Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'

Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'
[ Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum' ]

Rules! No Bad language or derogatory remarks Please or we will delete. Anyone sharing our content on Face Book must credit 'Hebburn and our Neighbours'.

Monksgarth at Swing Bridge

Posted by peter cook on 25/5/2025, 6:45 am

Undated postcard photo showing the Monksgarth passing through the Swing Bridge. Monksgarth was built by the Clyde Shipbuilding & Engineering Co., Port Glasgow in 1907. On the 19th of August 1917 she was torpedoed and sunk by UC-48 on route from Barry to Bordeaux with a cargo of coal. All the crew were rescued.

Re: Monksgarth at Swing Bridge

Posted by Liz Dance on 25/5/2025, 9:02 am, in reply to "Monksgarth at Swing Bridge"

Always liked watching the swing bridge in action.

Re: Monksgarth at Swing Bridge

Posted by Brian on 26/5/2025, 2:18 pm, in reply to "Re: Monksgarth at Swing Bridge"

It's in poor repair, the last estimate was in excess of £1million to start the works on the mechanism, other repairs are also required.

Re: Monksgarth at Swing Bridge

Posted by Liz Dance on 26/5/2025, 2:28 pm, in reply to "Re: Monksgarth at Swing Bridge"

Brian, I hope that funds are made available for the repairs to such an iconic bridge, maybe the Government should step in, they seem to have money for loads of other projects??

Swing Bridge works

Posted by Mac Cummings on 26/5/2025, 4:46 pm, in reply to "Re: Monksgarth at Swing Bridge"

There will be a special pensioner tax announced to fix this and will be paid direct to SBFU (The Swing Bridge Fixers Union) who will carry out the work over a 40 year period.
The work will be overseen by a guy closely involved in the HS2 build who estimated when this project was announced at the very beginning of April that the work could possibly cost more like 40 Million but if it does contingency plans are in place to raise the Pensioner levy.

Re: Swing Bridge works

Posted by Sheila on 26/5/2025, 6:16 pm, in reply to "Swing Bridge works "

Love it Mac, it made me laugh, but with this lot, it could be true.

Re: Swing Bridge works for Sheila

Posted by Mac Cummings on 26/5/2025, 9:46 pm, in reply to "Re: Swing Bridge works "

The truth and idiocy are invariably close companions!

Re: Swing Bridge works

Posted by Liz Dance on 26/5/2025, 6:49 pm, in reply to "Swing Bridge works "

My god Mac don’t give ideas like this to the current Government !!

Re: Monksgarth at Swing Bridge

Posted by Brian on 27/5/2025, 7:08 am, in reply to "Re: Monksgarth at Swing Bridge"

I would like to think it would get brought back to to working condition. I was lucky enough in the 1970’s to go and see the workings of it, it was fascinating and certainly a miracle of it's time.p

Swing Bridge

Posted by Mac Cummings on 27/5/2025, 9:49 am, in reply to "Re: Monksgarth at Swing Bridge"

I am always in awe to the engineering capabilities of our forbears with only, what we now call, rudimentary equipment.
I would love to see it fully refurbed too!
Collectively the "bridges" are the symbol for me of "home".

Re: Swing Bridge

Posted by Brian on 27/5/2025, 12:34 pm, in reply to "Swing Bridge"

The bridges on the Tyne are special and were groundbreaking when built, I do love the High Level Bridge too.

High Level for Brian.

Posted by Mac Cummings on 27/5/2025, 4:36 pm, in reply to "Re: Swing Bridge"

Built of Cast Iron which is weak in tension hence the sheer anount of it in its intricate construction.
An amazing piece of architecture. I walked it twice a weekday for about 5 years.

Re: High Level for Brian.

Posted by Brian on 27/5/2025, 6:37 pm, in reply to "High Level for Brian."

I wonder how many cast iron bridges are still in use? A fantastic piece of engineering and design.

Re: High Level for Brian.

Posted by Stan Wears on 27/5/2025, 7:58 pm, in reply to "Re: High Level for Brian."

The pillars are hollow below the water line and solid above. Very strange construction!

Re: High Level for Brian.

Posted by Brian on 27/5/2025, 10:12 pm, in reply to "Re: High Level for Brian."

I wonder if it made it easier to sink the pillars into the river bed to the correct depth.

Re: High Level for Brian.

Posted by Stan Wears on 28/5/2025, 3:06 pm, in reply to "Re: High Level for Brian."

The bridge only weighs 5000 tonnes so you could be Brian and the transport weight limit is still 7.5 tonnes.