HERITAGE TALK: THE SWING BRIDGE

A regular speaker at the Old Low Light and one of its longest serving volunteers, retired master mariner Martin Kenny will share his recent research on the Swing Bridge, which was an industrial wonder of the Victorian age, opening the upper reaches of the River Tyne for larger ships.

The bridge was designed by the visionary and engineering genius Lord Armstrong using his favourite method of pressurised water to power hydraulics engines to turn the central span of the bridge, which opened for passengers in June 1876 and for ships a month later.

He will explain why the bridge was needed and why it is no longer used today. It was a project by the Tyne Improvement Commission, founded in 1850 to manage and improve the River Tyne for navigation. Previously the river had been under the control of the City of Newcastle. In 1968, the Port of Tyne took over responsibility for the river.

Martin has previously delivered many well received talks on a range of maritime subjects at the Old Low Light. Following a successful career in the Merchant Navy he became a lecturer in the Marine College at South Shields before providing consultancy for a large Danish shipping company. He was also coxswain to Tynemouth RNLI for 16 years.