Gateshead Millennium Bridge

Gateshead Millennium Bridge
The bridge when tilted, as viewed from the Gateshead side
Coordinates	54°58′11″N 1°36′00″W / 54.9697°N 1.6°WCoordinates: 54°58′11″N 1°36′00″W / 54.9697°N 1.6°W
Carries	Pedestrians Cyclists
Crosses	River Tyne
Locale	Gateshead and Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Official name	Gateshead Millennium Bridge
Characteristics
Design	Tilt bridge
Total length	126 m (413 ft)
Width	8 m (26 ft)
Longest span	105 m (344 ft)
History
Opened	17 September 2001 (public) 7 May 2002 (official)
Gateshead Millennium Bridge  Gateshead Millennium Bridge shown within Tyne and Wear grid reference NZ256639

The Gateshead Millennium Bridge is a pedestrian and cyclist tilt bridge spanning the River Tyne in England between Gateshead's Quays arts quarter on the south bank, and the Quayside of Newcastle upon Tyne on the north bank. Opened for public use in 2001, the award-winning structure was conceived and designed by architect Wilkinson Eyre and structural engineer Gifford.^[1] The bridge is sometimes referred to as the 'Blinking Eye Bridge'^[2] or the 'Winking Eye Bridge'^[3] due to its shape and its tilting method. In terms of height, the Gateshead Millennium Bridge is slightly shorter than the neighbouring Tyne Bridge, and stands as the sixteenth tallest structure in the city.

Design

The bridge depicted on a 2007 British one pound coin.

The bridge was lifted into place in one piece by the Asian Hercules II,^[4] one of the world's largest floating cranes, on 20 November 2000. It was opened to the public on 17 September 2001,^[5] and was dedicated by Queen Elizabeth II on 7 May 2002.^[6] The bridge, which cost £22m to build, was part funded by the Millennium Commission and European Regional Development Fund. It was built by Volker Stevin.^[7]

Six 45 cm (18 in) diameter hydraulic rams (three on each side, each powered by a 55 kW electric motor) rotate the bridge back on large bearings to allow small ships and boats (up to 25 m (82 ft) tall) to pass underneath. The bridge takes as little as 4.5 minutes to rotate through the full 40° from closed to open, depending on wind speed. Its appearance during this manoeuvre has led to it being nicknamed the "Blinking Eye Bridge".^[5]

The bridge has operated reliably since construction, opening to allow river traffic to pass. It also opens periodically for sightseers and for major events such as the Northumbrian Water University Boat Race and the Cutty Sark Tall Ships' Race. One of the principal requirements for opening the bridge is to allow access to HMS Calliope where Royal Navy patrol boat HMS Example is based.

For the construction of the bridge, the architect Wilkinson Eyre won the 2002 Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize^[8] and Gifford the 2003 IStructE Supreme Award.^[9] In 2005, the bridge received the Outstanding Structure Award^[10] from the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering.

Bollards were installed when the bridge was built to protect it from collisions. As the bollards were unsightly, and as it became noted that they were not really needed, they were removed in March 2012.^[11]

Tilt times for the bridge are displayed both on the bridge itself, and also on a page on the Gateshead Council website.

Photo gallery

• 
  View along the bridge from the Gateshead side
• 
  The bridge at night
• 
  Gateshead Millennium Bridge when cars had been put in the River Tyne as part of Artwork
• 
  A close-up of the Pivots as the bridge opens.
• 
  Gateshead quayside across the River Tyne at night
• 
  View of the bridge by night from the Newcastle side
• 
  View of the bridge by day from the Newcastle side
• 
  A view taken from on the Millennium bridge itself, looking west (upriver) at dusk, showing the coloured lighting
• 
  A night view of Millennium bridge, photo taken from the northern embankment looking west
• 
  A night view taken from on the Millennium bridge, looking west

References

1. "Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Tyneside". Gifford Ltd. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
2. "'Blinking-eye' bridge lands award". BBC News. 11 June 2002. Retrieved 27 February 2010. Gateshead's 'blinking-eye' bridge has landed a major honour.
3. Higham, Nick (9 May 2002). "Jubilee tour diary: The North East". BBC News. Retrieved 27 February 2010. In Gateshead, the Queen opened the 'Winking Eye' bridge.
4. "Delivery and Opening". Gateshead City Council. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
5. "Tilting bridge opens eye to the world". BBC News. 17 September 2001. Retrieved 24 September 2008.
6. "Streaker mars royal tour". BBC News. 7 May 2002. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
7. Structurae database
8. "'Blinking-eye' bridge lands award". BBC News. 11 June 2002. Retrieved 24 September 2008.
9. "Gateshead Millennium Bridge". IStructE. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
10. Outstanding Structure Award IABSE
11. "Final River Tyne bollard removed". BBC News. 16 March 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.

External links

• Gateshead Millennium Bridge at Structurae
• Gateshead Council page
• Gateshead Millennium Bridge by Sándor Kabai, The Wolfram Demonstrations Project.
• Gateshead Millennium Bridge YouTube