King Edward VII Bridge

Infobox Bridge


bridge_name = King Edward VII Bridge
caption = Train crossing the King Edward VII Bridge
official_name =
locale = Newcastle-Gateshead, England
carries = Railway
crosses = River Tyne
maint = Network Rail
open = 10 July 1906
below =
traffic =
design = Truss bridge
toll =
mainspan =
length = 350.8 m
width = 15.3 m

The King Edward VII Bridge is a railway bridge spanning the River Tyne between Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead, in North East England.

The bridge was designed and engineered by Charles A. Harrison, the Chief Civil Engineer of the North Eastern Railway, and built by the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Companyin Darlington.The bridge is rather inelegant but functional consisting of four lattice steel spans resting on concrete piers. The total length of the bridge is convert|1150|ft and convert|112|ft|abbr=on above high water mark.

Originally trains using the High Level Bridge to reach Newcastle Central Station had to leave the station in the same direction they had entered, which usually involved the tedious task of reversing.

The construction of the King Edward VII Bridge provided four more rail tracks, thus forming a loop through the station, which enabled trains to enter or leave from either side and thus ease rail congestion.

The bridge was opened by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra on 10 July 1906. The total cost amounted to £500,000.

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