The Tyne Bridge, opened in 1928 by King George V, is one of Britain’s most iconic structures, a Grade II* listed building. Linking Newcastle and Gateshead, this symbol of Tyneside and the region is also a monument to the Tyne’s industrial past. Paul Brown’s popular history explores what the bridge means to the people of North-East England, and its deep connection with their heritage. Brown recounts the story of the bridge’s predecessors, from the Roman Pons Aelius–the first crossing over the Tyne–to the Victorian era. He then brings to life the individuals who built the modern bridge: Ralph Freeman, the structural engineer who also designed the Sydney Harbour Bridge; Dorothy Buchanan, the first female member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, who produced drawings and calculations; John Carr, the boatman who bravely rescued workers from the Tyne on dozens of occasions; and the scaffolder Nathaniel Collins, the only man not to survive construction of the arch, who fell from the bridge just weeks before its completion. This richly illustrated book charts the Tyne Bridge’s story right to the present, exploring how it remains a North-Eastern cultural emblem, in a region that has changed almost unrecognisably since its heyday in the late 1920s.

This fascinating journey takes readers down the iconic River Tyne

The Tyne's river crossings lie at the heart of the region, not only as pivotal parts of the road, rail, cycle and footpath networks which link our communities, but also as potent symbols of the North East, held in great affection by its inhabitants. Crossing the Tyne explores the history of the bridges, tunnels, ferries and fords on the tidal reaches of the Tyne, from Ryton to the river mouth. The research spans almost 2000 years of human ingenuity, from the Roman Pons Aelius, to the hi-tech, cutting-edge Gateshead Millennium Bridge. It records some of the more daring methods of crossing the river: intrepid journeys by hot air balloon and airship. Crossing the Tyne also describes some of the innovative schemes which never got past the planning stage, like the mighty bridge, 210ft high, intended to link North and South Shields. Illustrated with contemporary colour photography by Graeme Peacock and archive material, Crossing the Tyne is a celebration one of the North's great rivers and the people who live beside it.