THE SUNDERLAND SITE - PAGE 004

THE 'OTHER' BRIDGES

May I suggest that you navigate the site re Sunderland data via the index on page 001. Do you want to make a comment? A site guestbook is here. Test. On this page ... Queen Alexandra Bridge, Hendon Dock Junction Bridge, Gladstone Bridge, The Swing Bridge that linked Hudson Dock to the North Sea. Sections on the 'other' bridges are essentially now created. But with data that surely is incomplete. I refer to Queen Alexandra Bridge (next), three miles or so upstream from the mouth of the river, to the Gladstone Bridge at the entrance to Hendon Dock, & the bascule bridge which spanned the junction of Hendon & Hudson Docks - the first such aluminium bridge in the world. And another swing bridge, of name unknown to the webmaster, that used to connect Hudson Dock to the North Sea via the South Outlet. QUEEN ALEXANDRA BRIDGE This bridge was designed as a double-decked road & rail bridge. Construction was commenced in 1904, and it was built from both sides of the river at the very same time - the two sides meeting in midstream on October 15, 1908. That method of construction, i.e. from both sides to the middle, was described in some words that I read as being 'unique'. Was it in fact unique? I would have thought that such method of construction might rather have been the norm rather than the exception. It had 85 feet of clearance for shipping above high water level. It was opened, I had thought, by Queen Alexandra of Denmark on June 10, 1909. But clearly not. At that time, a fine bronze medal was issued by the 'Corporation of Sunderland' & the 'North Eastern Railway' to commemorate the grand occasion. And that medal states that the bridge was in fact opened by the Rt. Hon. The Earl of Durham, K.C., Lord Lieut. of the County. As you can see below. I now read however that the Earl of Durham opened the bridge 'on behalf of Queen Alexandra' who, alas, did not even get a mention on the medal! To the webmaster that is quite a 'puzzle'. Queen Alexandra was Queen Consort (i.e. the wife of) King Edward VII. And probably was highest in status in England other than the King himself. But she was not even mentioned! The medal is 63 mm in diameter, 5 mm deep, & weighs 90.3 grams. I think you can easily read every word in the image below. The medal was for sold in late July 2007 - by 'diggerlee', whom we thank. A beautiful medal indeed! I trust that the use of the images re an expired e-Bay item is acceptable on this non-profit & informational site. Because it so relates to the subject matter of this page. Does anybody know how many such medals were minted back in 1909? The bridge was constructed, I have read, to service the needs of the collieries. To permit the coalfields of Annfield Plain & Washington easy access to Sunderland's South Docks. And was therefore a road and rail bridge with rail being on the upper deck. That upper deck did not remain open long - about 12 years only, & then lay idle. The last train to cross it was a goods train in 1921, I read. Its need as a rail bridge vanished as the collieries declined. And it wasn't popular as a road bridge either, due to the toll fees that were charged during its first 20 years. The upper deck did see service in WW2 as a base for searchlights & anti-aircraft guns. Thanks go to Clive Ketley for the brilliant data & images both at left & following. The three pages are from the 'Sunderland Year Book 1909', edited by David Bell & published by The Pinnacle Publishing Co. of 3 Tavistock Place, Sunderland. And cover the completion of the bridge when the two parts of the central span were bolted together on Oct. 15, 1908. I read, as you can also, that the bridge was designed by Charles A. Harrison, Chief Engineer of the North-Eastern Railway Company. The masonry work for the bridge was performed by Mitchell Brothers, Limited, of Glasgow while the central span was erected by Sir William Arrol & Company Limited, also of Glasgow, which company had worked on the famous Forth Bridge. The central span of the Sunderland bridge was, however, three times the weight of the central span of the Forth Bridge (how amazing!) The two sides of the central span were brought together on Oct. 15, 1908, when the temperature & the resulting expansion of the metal brought the two halves into perfect alignment - and the whole could be bolted together. Clive, we thank you! Work was done in 1985 re the bridge. But I cannot yet tell you exactly what was done. That said, I think, that the upper deck & the rail facilities were all then totally removed. And the bridge became & is today a road bridge only. Can you confirm that data or advise me differently? It was extensively renovated/repainted during the period of Mar. 2005 through Oct. 2006, at the cost of £6,300,000. It is interesting to note, perhaps, that the whole bridge cost only £450,000 (the above article states £350,000 only) to actually build in the early years of the 20th century! Such are the ravages of inflation. We will add in more quality images of the bridge as & when they come to hand. In that regard, there is a fine copyrighted 1985 photograph of the bridge here, where it can be viewed, also, in a larger size. And there is a modest image of the bridge under construction in 1909 - before the two parts met in the middle (how interesting!), low on this page. It would be good to show that last 'under construction' image in a large size on this page. And hopefully, some day, that will be possible. In the meantime however, we do have other images of the bridge under construction. The first is most of the image that was reproduced on page 15 of the 'Sunderland Year Book 1909', as provided above. The second is the image that appeared on page 17 of that same publication, but in rather better quality. And the third is the image that was reproduced on page 18 of the 'Sunderland Year Book 1909'. All appear on this page thanks to Clive Ketley. I add in now an image of an e-Bay item, a cropped & enlarged portion of a postcard entitled 'New Bridge, Southwick.' which was for sale by 'scott-base' in Mar. 2007 & sold for GBP 13.05 or approximately U.S. $26.07. The postcard does come up for sale with some frequency. I trust & hope that the use of the image on this non-profit & informational page is acceptable. The date of the postcard was not indicated - but postage within England at the time was just 1/2 penny! So it was a while ago! It also contains the G. Clark Ltd. Engine Works crane at right, as does the image at the top of the page. The image must accordingly be taken from the east as was the image above. The W. Doxford & Sons Ltd. shipbuilding yard would be beyond the bridge at left & the W. Pickersgill & Sons Ltd. shipyard would be beyond the bridge at right. And some more images of the bridge. Two most interesting postcards featuring Queen Alexandra Bridge were sold via e-Bay in Nov. 2011. I would be delighted to add the left image below (click the image to see it more complete) to the page in a larger size should anybody who owns a copy care to scan it. I suspect that the card, indeed both of the cards, are quite rare. They were sold at healthy prices - GBP 22.00 & GBP 27.45, respectively. We thank Barry Jones for the material that follows, material which originated in the 'Newcastle Chronicle' of Jun. 9, 1909. The material is extensive however. It covers in detail the bridge itself & the political situation at the time when its construction was under consideration - Southwick's opinions at the time were in stark contrast to the views of the folks at Sunderland. The article refers to 'the antagonism' between Sunderland & Southwick, such antagonism being related to Sunderland's wish to incorporate the Township of Southwick into the Borough of Sunderland, something that was strongly opposed by Southwick. - ancient history today! The three very large individual pages can be read here - 1, 2 & 3. HENDON DOCK JUNCTION BRIDGE - AN ALUMINIUM BASCULE BRIDGE While I name the bridge as being the 'Hendon Dock Junction Bridge' above, I use the name as it was termed at the official opening of the bridge. I suspect it was locally known by a somewhat shorter name. Information about the bridge is, to say the least, quite scarce. For a very long time indeed, I advised here as follows:- Such data as i) when it was built, ii) which company built it, & iii) when it was dismantled, is still to be learned. That it was later dismantled & sold for scrap I had read, in an article dating from Feb. 2005 in the 'Sunderland Echo' archives (but now no longer available on line). But now, most of those questions are answered thanks to a copy of the opening day programme, kindly provided to the webmaster by Mr. Clive Ketley. The programme is a most interesting document, with grey covers, 16 interior sides including a fine illustration of the bridge, a map, all neatly laced with navy blue thread. It tells us that the bridge was opened during a 12 noon ceremony on Nov. 26, 1948, by the Rt. Hon. Alfred Barnes, M.P., the U.K. Minister of Transport at the time. He opened it by operating the controlling machinery, & raising and then lowering the two arms of the bridge. And then he cut the ribbon to officially open the bridge to vehicular & foot traffic - not a normal ribbon, rather a ribbon of aluminium no less - a fine touch! And then the opening party walked across the bridge from east to west & adjourned to luncheon. While it is not mentioned, they en route, I trust, enjoyed the refreshment tent which I am quite sure awaited them! A band played, the band of 'Head Wrightson', the main bridge contractors. A most jolly scene, I am sure. No word yet as to the weather that day! The bridge has (or rather had) a claim to fame indeed. It was the very first aluminium alloy bascule bridge in the world. A 'bascule' bridge? The word derives from a French term meaning 'seesaw' & 'balance', & knowing that you will quickly understand that a bascule bridge is a drawbridge with a counterweight & that the bridge span, balanced by the counterweight, swings upward to permit shipping to freely pass by. Perhaps the most famous such bridge is Tower Bridge (1894) in London. A most useful bridge design since bascule bridges open & close quickly & require, I have read, relatively little energy to operate. Anyway the bridge was built by 'Messrs Head Wrightson & Co. Ltd.' at their 'Thornaby-on-Tees' facility, in sections which were then transported by boat to the construction site. Bridge foundations & related quay work were by 'Messrs W. G. Turriff, Ltd.'. The engineer was 'W. H. S. Tripp, Esq., M.C., M.I.C.E., M. I. Mech. E.'. The aluminium alloy plate & extruded sections were supplied by The British Aluminium Co. Ltd. & by Northern Aluminium Co. Ltd. I read that in preparation for the construction, the channel it spanned was both widened & deepened, so larger vessels could enter Hendon Dock. The bridge spanned the junction of Hendon & Hudson docks. It was, a double leaf trunnion bridge, which means that it had two separate spans, each span rising on its side of the channel. Which spans met in the middle. Each 'leaf' was 50 feet long & the bridge could be raised by its four 25 hp electric motors in just over one minute. When in the 'down' position, two robust steel bolts locked the sections together, so they would then deflect together & evenly under load. All said and done, the bridge had a rather short life. In words attributed to journalist Bob Horn in 1977, the bridge had been deteriorating & had been closed to rail traffic for some time - while remaining open for vehicles & pedestrians. The manufacturers had gone out of business & due to cost factors also, the bridge was closed down, dismantled, & sold for scrap. That date must have been, it would seem, prior to 2005 (the date of the 'Sunderland Echo' article) & maybe was many years earlier. The 'end' date still eludes me. Images of the bridge are most scarce also. And beauty may be in the eye of the beholder! Witness the Sep. 1972 photograph of the bridge available here. However, it is hoped that soon, in these pages, you will be able to read the content of all of the 16 'opening programme' pages. In a way similar to the booklets of 'Austin & Pickersgill', 'Doxford', & others, already available elsewhere in these pages. It may take a while, however, to accomplish all of that. Below, I show you an illustration from that opening programme, of a watercolour by Leslie Carr, that depicts a railway locomotive crossing the new aluminium bridge. But now, thanks to Nick Thompson, we can show an image of canteen workers crossing the bridge heading to work at the shipyard of Bartram & Sons Ltd. And here is the illustration of the bascule bridge as referred to above - a watercolour work by Leslie Carr. 'Sunderland Echo' did show the bridge in an undated aerial photograph they presented in 2005. Below I provide most of that image plus a map section which shows exactly where the bridge was located. If the use of that aerial image is not acceptable on a non-profit & informational site such as this, I will remove it, of course. And hopefully locate a replacement image - of what was truly a notable Sunderland achievement - the very first such bridge in the world. The map section may seem not to tie in with the aerial image since Hendon Dock's access to the sea via Hendon Channel, as shown clearly on the 1897 map, seems to no longer have existed when the aerial photo was taken. And here is a composite image which shows the important content of that 'Sunderland Echo' photograph, plus the applicable map section as it was in 1897. Hendon Dock, opened in 1868, is at the bottom of the map (south of the bridge) & Hudson Dock South is to the north. And a most interesting postcard image indeed of Hudson & Hendon docks, mailed in 1931. Ex an expired e-Bay item, an 'Aerofilms' series postcard (Ed. Aerofilms Series, No. 10300). Card entitled 'HUDSON AND HENDON DOCKS, SUNDERLAND, FROM THE AIR'. The 'bascule bridge' is, of course, behind the white vessel in the centre of the image, & it would appear that the Hendon Channel & the related lock was still there at that date. The bascule bridge open to shipping traffic. At about 1956. GLADSTONE BRIDGE I do not know much about Gladstone Bridge, which bridge permitted access to Hudson Dock North from the north. By that I mean that marine access would be via the River Wear, through Half Tide Basin, & then via Gladstone Bridge into Hudson Docks North then South. It does show on the 1895 Ordnance Survey map & soon, I hope, it will be possible to show you the applicable section of that map. It was, I am advised opened by & named after William Ewart Gladstone, famous statesmen & four times U.K. Prime Minister. It would seem that Gladstone Bridge was opened at or around 1875. Which is a puzzle to the webmaster. 'Gladstone' was Prime Minister for the first time through 1874 & while he kept his seat his Liberal Party was then defeated. They won again in 1880 & he became Prime Minister for the 2nd time. So in 1875 he was not Prime Minister. But a greater puzzle maybe. If South Dock was opened in 1850, as would seem to be so, what existed at that spot from 1850 to 1875 to control access to Hudson Dock - & what was it named? Can anybody tell us? Gladstone Bridge as per the postcard image, at left above (of the opening of Sunderland Docks in 1850) does not seem to 'match' the bridge in the next image. My facts may be wrong! An image, below, of Gladstone Bridge, kindly provided by Brian Hubbard of the 'Friends of Sunderland Old Parish Church' (a history group) & of 'Southwick History & Preservation Society'. Brian, we thank you! I believe the image below was taken from the 'other side' of the bridge from that depicted above i.e. taken from the south east of the bridge. A 'swing' bridge it would seem - with a lock on the northern side. Known as 'No. 3 Gates'. SWING BRIDGE - HUDSON DOCK TO THE NORTH SEA At left below is most of an e-Bay item, a postcard that sold in Dec. 2006. The entire title read 'SOUTH ENTRANCE. SO. DOCK.' I seemed to lose image detail when I reduced its size for this page. So I show the significant part only. And under that image is the exact same location as per the 1895 Ordnance Survey map. Hudson Docks, both North & South, i.e. where they join, are at left. The sea lock, which opened in 1880, took you into South Dock Channel, and via the South Outlet into the North Sea. Not any longer, however. At right below? A 'Tuck' postcard of a painting by Parsons Norman of 'South Entrance, Sunderland'. Ex e-Bay but now gone. I have seen the card looking a bit darker, depending on the scan. Parsons Norman' seems to be, in full, George Parsons Norman (1840-1914). Which name may be hyphenated, i.e. 'Parsons-Norman', but I am not sure about that. For a very long time, I had understood that the sea lock had opened in 1856. In error, I now believe. If I understand correctly the article which is available here, there was a channel, opened in 1856, that connected the south end of Hudson Dock with the North Sea, via a 0.6 hectare half tide basin - but it had hydraulic gates rather than a lock. Do correct me if I am wrong, but it would seem likely that it could only be used at times of day when the tides cooperated.  In 1877, work began on the building of a proper lock, which lock was opened by the Earl of Durham on Oct. 21, 1880. The lock was, I read, 146.3 metres long and 27.4 metres wide, with a single lock gate on the landward end & two such gates at the sea end. Such new 'knowledge' results from an e-Bay item in Jan. 2011, a partial page from an 1880 illustrated publication, likely 'Illustrated London News' or 'The Graphic'. I have not bothered the vendor re using his listing image here, but hopefully can assist 'castlecustodian', the vendor, by indicating that the item is available here as this page is updated. And invite you to visit the vendor's e-Bay store, which is here. Should the item not sell this time around, & should you be interested in acquiring it, you might contact the vendor directly, re his item entitled 'SUNDERLAND DOCKS OPENING NEW LOCK WATER CHANNEL c1880'. It clearly shows the swing bridge. A puzzle perhaps is that I cannot see the second gate at the seaward end in the image that follows. But it would seem that those two gates are shown in the map above. I am glad that the ship in the lock is named - Lady Beatrix, since there is a very good chance that that vessel was built in Sunderland & may one day get listed in these pages. Michael Johnson of the University of Sunderland has kindly advised that the bridge was designed by Henry Wake for use in conjunction with the 1880 lock & water channel. An asymmetrical hog-back bridge constructed from steel girders. The history is apparently recorded on a plaque at the site, which plaque records Wake, the River Wear Commissioners & the contractors  - Andrew Handyside & Co. of Derby & London.  And, surviving near the bridge, is a machinery pit for the lock gates, which I presume is the pit which is depicted a little lower on this page. Michael also advises that the bridge can be seen on 'Google Earth', & indeed it can. I had been under the impression that the bridge had been demolished in about 1990, but it surely is still there today, though static of course. A most desolate & uninviting place to visit now, by all appearances.  And the scene quite recently. Firstly the bridge, taken in about 1990. Looking forlorn & abandoned. With the once bustling 'Bartram & Sons' shipyard long gone, & replaced by piles of sand or soil. And next the lock machinery, before the lock was filled in. May I suggest that you navigate the site re Sunderland data via the index on page 001. Thomas M. M. Hemy Data Pages 01, 02 and 03 are now on site. Plus all of the other image pages, accessible though the index on page 05. To MV Danmark Slider Puzzle Page & to the Special Pages Index. A SITE SEARCH FACILITY Search This Site for Get a Free Search Engine for Your Web Site THE GUEST BOOK - GO HERE E-MAIL THIS LINK Enter recipient's e-mail: