'It's grim up North' - a phrase and stereotype attributed to the renowned 1930s writer JB Priestley - is, of course, a glaring falsehood.
But, there are images taken up North, such as this one, that undeniably exude a certain 'grimness'. This was Scotswood Railway Bridge on a gloomy January day 95 years ago. The smoking chimneys and dingy buildings under a grey winter sky recall an urban River Tyne, in 1928, that was defined by heavy industry, noise, and grime.
If we're all familiar with the famous bridges of the Tyne that link Newcastle and Gateshead, and contribute to the well-known spectacle provided by the Tyne gorge, what of the bridges further upriver that connect Scotswood and Blaydon? The now-defunct Scotswood Railway Bridge is one of a number of Scotswood Bridges, past and present.
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The current Scotswood road bridge was formally opened on March 20, 1967. One commentator labelled it an “uncompromisingly ugly modern construction”. The new bridge replaced the first Scotswood Bridge, or 'Chain Bridge' as it was known locally. That bridge comprised stone towers, from which the road deck was suspended by chains
When it was opened in April, 1831, it was the first bridge across the River Tyne to be built during Tyneside’s industrial era, predating more illustrious neighbours downriver that would later link Newcastle and Gateshead. The whole 1960s project – including construction of the new bridge and demolition of the old one – was completed at a cost of £2.5m, three quarters of which came from a government grant.
This location has also witnessed four successive railway bridges across the Tyne. The last one – as seen in our photographs – still stands, but it's more than 40 years since the final train trundled over it.
At a time when the new railway network was spreading around Britain like wildfire, the first Scotswood railway bridge, which was wooden, opened in 1839; the second in 1860; the third in 1865; and this fourth, wrought-iron, six-span version in 1871. It was constructed by Jarrow’s giant Palmer’s yard, the closure of which in 1933 was the catalyst of the famous Jarrow Crusade three years later.
The bridge carried trains on the Newcastle to Carlisle railway line between Scotswood and Blaydon stations. Since 1982 all railway traffic has been diverted via Dunston. Cyclists and walkers on the Keelman’s Way path, on the Gateshead side of the river, pass under a section of the once-busy Scotswood Railway Bridge every day - and, indeed, the bridge still has an important function in 2023, carrying vital utilities including gas and water across the River Tyne.
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