TEESTRANSPORTERBRIDGE

Photograph by kind permission of NPS (01642) 878787

IN 2011, THE HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND CONFIRMED A £2.6M GRANT FOR REFURBISHMENT AND UPGRADE WORK TO THE

BRIDGE WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE INSTALLATION OF LIFT ACCESS TO THE UPPER WALKWAY, GONDOLA

RENOVATION AND ENHANCEMENTS TO THE VISITOR CENTRE, WALKWAY AND WINDING HOUSE.

Tees Transporter BridgeFerry Road, Middlesbrough, TS2 1PL

Tel: (01642) 247563Bridge Email: transporterbridge@middlesbrough.gov.ukBridgemaster Email: alan_murray@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Website: www.teestransporterbridge.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/transporterbridge

Twitter: @teestransporter

Bridge Operating TimesMonday-Friday 7:00-18:45Saturday 9:30-15:15Sunday Closed

The Tees Transporter Bridge can close due to high winds, fog, other severe weather conditions and essential maintenanceworks. To avoid unnecessary delay to your journey, sign up to our

free text and email alerts. Text ‘tbridge’ to 07624819010 orregister on the Bridge’s website.

Crossing Fees (per crossing)Pedestrians & Cyclists 60p

Cars, motorcycles, vans (1 bay) £1.30

The ‘Bridge Saver’ pass, valid for twenty crossings, is availableto purchase from the Transporter Bridge Visitor Centre. The

‘Bridge Saver’ offers a 10% saving compared to single trip fares.

Transporter Bridge Visitor Centre Opening HoursMonday-Friday 9:00-17:30Saturday 9:00-15:00Sunday 9:00-15:00

Bungee JumpsPlease visit www.ukbungee.co.uk for further details.

Abseils and Zip SlidesVisit www.teestransporterbridge.com for details of upcoming events.

All details are correct at the time of publication.

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Tees Transporter Bridge1830s Row-ferry service established overthe Tees.

1856 Middlesbrough Corporationestablished a public wharf and passageover the Tees.

1862 'The Progress', built of wood byFrederick Leach and licensed to carry 139passengers, inaugurated the steam ferrycrossing of the Tees.

1872 Charles Smith, Manager of the Hartlepool Iron Works, submitted a scheme bridging the Tees on thetransporter or ariel ferry principle.The cost of his novel method oftransportation across the Tees was pricedat £31,162. It was not built.

1874 The Council commissioned 'ThePerserverance', the first boat to ferryhorses and carts over the Tees. This ferrycould carry 400 passengers and cost£2,975.

1884 Hepple & Co. of North Shieldsbuilt the ferry steamer 'Hugh Bell', costing£6,050 and licensed to carry 857passengers.

1888 Raylton Dixon & Co. werecommissioned to build the ‘Erimus’ ferrysteamer, costing £5,000 and licensed tocarry 927 passengers.

1906 Middlesbrough Town Council met Ferdinand Arnodin, the French engineer and a pioneer of transporter bridges, to discuss the erection of a bridge. William E. Pease, Managing Director of the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Co. Limited, and Georges C. Imbault, their engineer, were appointed to act as advising engineers to Middlesbrough Corporation.

1907 Middlesbrough Corporation successfully promoted a Bill in Parliament authorising the construction of a transporter bridge and discontinuation of the ferry service.

1909 Sir William Arrol & Co. Ltd of Glasgow were awarded the contract to build the Transporter Bridge for the sum of £68,026 6s 8d.

1910 The foundation stones, made of Aberdeen granite, were laid by Mayor of Middlesbrough Lieut. Col. Thomas Gibson-Poole and Alderman Joseph McLauchlan, the initiator of the transporter bridge scheme.

1911 The Tees Transporter Bridge was opened by Prince Arthur of Connaught. The final cost of the Bridge, including associated works, was £87,316.

Tees CrossingTimeline

History

The bridge buildersJoining the two halves

The Tees Transporter Bridge is a total of 851 feet (259.3 metres) in length, making it the longest of those remaining in the world. Its cantileverconstruction has three main bridge spans that give it its unique appearance. The Bridge is, effectively, two almost independent structures joined at the centre of the River Tees.

Each half of the Bridge has an anchor span of 140 feet (42.6 metres) and thencantilevers across the river some 285 feet (86.8 metres) from the tower leg to meetits twin from the opposite bank. The passenger gondola is suspended by steelcables and runs on a wheel and rail system approximately 160 feet (48.7 metres)above the River Tees. The Bridge’s walkway above the rails can be accessed byclimbing 210 steps on the south east tower leg.

The Tees Transporter Bridge is the largest operational transporter bridge in theworld and one of the few that remain in operation. The Vizcaya Bridge (Bilbao,Spain) was the first transporter bridge constructed and opened in 1893. Thelargest ever transporter bridge at 1,000 feet (304.7 metres) in length was theRuncorn-Widnes Transporter Bridge, which closed in 1961 and was replaced by a bridge built by Middlesbrough firm Dorman Long.

The Tees Transporter Bridge was opened by PrinceArthur of Connaught on 17th October 1911, withover 2,000 guests in attendance. The crossing wasused by over 2,000,000 passengers in its first yearof operation. The Bridge has provided a quarter-hourly service (more frequent at peak times)between Middlesbrough and Port Clarence for overa century. During this time the Transporter Bridgehas survived bombings during both World Wars, acollision with a Norwegian Schooner, severalthreats of closure and has featured on both the bigand small screen, including in the movie Billy Elliotand BBC series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.

The Bridge’s historical importance was recognisedin 1985 by its listing as a Grade II* Listed Buildingand its prominence as a local landmark wasfurther enhanced in 1993 by the installation offlood lights that operate during the winter months.In December 1993, the Bridge was awarded theInstitution of Mechanical Engineers' highesthonour, The Heritage Plaque, for engineeringexcellence in recognition of the Council's efforts inkeeping the Bridge in good working order.

In recent years the Bridge has become a locationfor extreme sports including bungee jumps, zip slides and abseils, raising several hundredthousand pounds for charitable causes. The TeesTransporter Bridge’s 100th anniversary wasmarked by a year of celebration events.

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