Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge

Infobox Bridge
bridge_name= Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge


caption= The Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge in 2005, viewed from Forth Banks in Newcastle.
official_name= Queen Elizabeth II Bridge
carries= Tyne and Wear Metro
crosses= River Tyne
locale= NewcastleGateshead
maint= Nexus
id=
design= Steel truss construction with fabricated box chords
mainspan=
length= 360m
width=
height=
load=
clearance=
below=
traffic=
begin= 1976
complete= August 1978 Cite web |url=http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/tlt/photo/065753.htm |accessdate=2007-06-18 |title= Construction photograph of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne 1977]
open= 6 November 1981The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge carries the Tyne and Wear Metro from Newcastle upon Tyne to Gateshead over the River Tyne. The line is in tunnel on either side of the river and only emerges into open air to cross the bridge.

History

The bridge was developed as part of the Tyne and Wear Metro system, for which it was purpose-built. It was designed by W. A. Fairhurst & Partners, and constructed by Cementation Construction Ltd. and the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company at a cost of £4.9 million.Cite web |url=http://sine.ncl.ac.uk/view_structure_information.asp?struct_id=964 |author=Newcastle University |accessdate=2007-06-18 |work=Structural Images of the North East (SINE) |title=Structure Details: Queen Elizabeth II Bridge] It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 6 November, 1981, nine days before regular Metro service began.

"Nocturne" artwork

In 2006 Nexus, operators of the Metro, commissioned artist Nayan Kulkarni to install a huge artwork on the bridge. The artwork, "Nocturne", sees the bridge painted two distinct tones of blue, while at night, 140 "Lumiflood 36" LED lighting unitscite press release
title = Nocturne Lighting Launched
publisher = Lumivision Architectural Lighting
url = http://www.lumivision.co.uk/site/news/lumivision-win-bridge-lighting-contract
accessdate = 2007-05-27] create an ever-changing pattern of colours based on photographs submitted by members of the public.

Nocturne was completed and opened on 26 April, 2007 [cite press release
title = Nocturne – Britain's biggest new artwork is born
publisher = Nexus
date = 2007-04-26
url = http://www.nexus.org.uk/wps/wcm/connect/Nexus/Nexus/News/News+archive/2007/Nexus+news+-+Nocturne+%E2%80%93+Britain%27s+biggest+new+artwork+is+born.
accessdate = 2007-04-27 ] and means that all five main bridges across the Tyne between Gateshead and Newcastle have unique lighting schemes.

References

Further reading

* cite book
author=Pevsner, N., Richmond, I., Grundy, J., McCombie, G., Ryder, P. and Welfare, H.
year=2001
title=The Buildings of England: Northumberland
location=London
publisher=Penguin Books
pages=p460

External links

*

Nocturne

* [http://www.metronocturne.com Metronocturne website]