Ups and Downs of a Bridge
Newport Lift Bridge
Built by Dorman Long and Co., the Newport Lift Bridge provided an innovative solution to the problem of allowing transport across the river while also allowing ships to travel up the Tees to Stockton.
Building a bridge across the Tees to allow transport over the river was an expensive idea but much safer than the traditional ferry crossings due to the strong tides up the river. The low riverbanks of the Tees posed a major problem however since ships would have difficulty moving up the river to the port at Stockton unless the bridge could somehow be moved out of the way, or could be built high enough to allow ships underneath. The vertical lift bridge was the solution and the Newport lift bridge was the first of its kind in the country.
Building began on the bridge in 1931 and the bridge was officially opened on the 28th February 1934. Seventy families had to be relocated so that their homes could be demolished, including the hamlet of Newport, to allow for the approach road on the south side. Upon completion the bridge was one of the largest in the UK with a lift span across the river of 81m (265 feet), and could be raised to give a clearance of 36m (120 feet) for ships to pass below.
The lifting span is finely balanced with 8 counterweights on the towers either side. This precision counterbalancing allowed for a smooth lifting mechanism powered by two electric motors housed at the tops of the towers and the bridge could be raised to its maximum height in apporximately 2.5 minutes. A standby petrol motor was also available should the electric motors fail, and the bridge could also be raised manually in the event of failure of all motors.
During the period of peak shipping activity along the river the bridge averaged 2 lifts per day, but as port activities in Stockton ceased the lift became redundant. The last boat which required the bridge to raise was the John Amos tug which was moved from it's mooring in Stockton to a maritime museum in Kent in 1976. Due to the enormous expense of maintaining the lifting mechanism it was decided to bolt the lifting span down permanently. The bridge was raised for the final time during a special ceremony on the 18th November 1990. Depsite no longer lifting, the towers and counterweights are still needed to support the weight of the lifting span.
The welded bridge on the south side of the river was constructed at the same time as the Newport bridge to allow traffic to cross the railway line which runs alongside the river. Believed to be the first of its type in Briatin, the all welded portal frame requires very little maintenance.
Submitted by: Vicky Harper, 24 July 2006
