Three bridges over the Tyne, Newcastle-upon-Tyne: the Swing Bridge in the foreground with the blue girders of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, the High Level Bridge and the Tyne Bridge behind

NOTES: The High Level Bridge was designed by Robert Stephenson and built in 1845-1849 for the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway. This is the first major example of a wrought iron tied arch or bow string girder bridge. It links Newcastle-upon-Tyne with Gateshead on the south bank of the River Tyne. Built to facilitate the passage of ships along the Tyne, the swing bridge replaced an earlier Georgian stone one and opened in 1876. It was designed by the engineer John Francis Ure while the ironwork and machinery was supplied by G. Armstrong and Co. of Elswick. The Tyne Bridge is a compression arch suspended-deck bridge that links Newcastle-upon-Tyne with Gateshead on the south bank of the River Tyne. Completed in 1928, it was designed by the engineers Mott Hay & Anderson while Robert Burns Dick was responsible for the design of the piers. The Queen Elizabeth II bridge was developed as part of the Tyne and Wear Metro system, designed by W. A. Fairhurst & Partners, it opened in 1981.