Apparently there are now 22 bridges over the Tyne but here I am not concerned with those upriver and restrict it to the more important ones between Gateshead and Newcastle. Traditionally the best known has been the Tyne Bridge itself with its superstructure of arching metal connected by verticals to the lower part. When this was completed as late as 1928 it was the largest single-span bridge in the world! We seem to have had a bit of progress since then.
Perhaps the oldest of the more interesting bridges is the high-level rail bridge which connected Newcastle with more Southern parts by rail in the middle of the 19th century. A brand new feature at the time was a road bridge below the rail one and part of the same structure. Then there is the Swinbridge built later in the century.
Two bridges, one road and one for the Metro were built during the Queen's reign prior to the millenium.
Now however there is the Gateshead Millenium Bridge which I have yet to see. This will surely overtake the Tyne Bridge in fame and popularity. It would be invidious for me to write much about it but PLEASE see the official website on
http://www.gateshead.gov.uk/bridge/bridged.htm
Twenty years ago taking its name from Gateshead would have seemed highly unlikely! This is a measure of this town's recent development and of the money pumped into it, quite justifiably in my view.