Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

The study of British and Irish roads - their construction, numbering, history, mapping, past and future official roads proposals and general roads musings.

There is a separate forum for Street Furniture (traffic lights, street lights, road signs etc).

Registered users get access to other forums including discussions about other forms of transport, driving, fantasy roads and wishlists, and roads quizzes.

Moderator: Site Management Team

User avatar
Mark Hewitt
Member
Posts: 31412
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:54
Location: Chester-le-Street

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by Mark Hewitt »

I've only been over it once as it doesn't really make any useful links for me.

It did strike me at the time that this was the kind of thing that could have already been 'this used to run years ago but hasn't for a long time now'.

Seems this has come to pass.
User avatar
Barkstar
Member
Posts: 2604
Joined: Sun Jul 14, 2013 16:32

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by Barkstar »

KeithW wrote: Thu Dec 10, 2020 10:06
Very nice sentiment but the income from current levels of use is not going to pay for its operational costs let alone a major restoration. You may not have noticed but Middlesbrough Council is not rolling in money, having just seen my rates increase I am well aware of that fact.
Yes I am well aware that Middleborough Council is not rolling in money, neither is my local council, and there isn't a hope in hell any other agency would take it off their hands. All across the country infrastructure, buildings etc have had maintenance cut back to save money in the misguided hope that tomorrow there will be the more than enough to catch up. There never is. Such thinking has left to many things in a parlous state and led to the Genoa bridge collapse.

But why not get sentimental over such structures - in a positive sense? I've written about the headache that is industrial heritage for both heritage and architectural magazines. We fawn over stately homes and the like - many of which are no longer used as homes - but, with the possible exception of steam locomotives, shun what actually made this country what it was. All of it is ruinously expensive and while we could use nice big country piles to house people there isn't that option with blast furnaces, coal mines and transporter bridges. But that doesn't make them any less important in telling the story of how we achieved what we achieved, indeed I'd argue they are far far more important. If the bridge is to be permanently taken out of use then let it be removed. Rather than become yet another rusting folly, to finally taken down because it's dangerous. Or worse because the area is redeveloped and the new residents don't want that big ugly thing at the end of their naice street.

As for making them safe both the Americans and the Germans have managed it, but they are proud of their industrial history. We do a lot of talking the talk here but very little walking the walk when it comes to pride in our past, which is odd given the current goings on.
User avatar
KeithW
Member
Posts: 19205
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 13:25
Location: Marton-In-Cleveland North Yorks

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by KeithW »

Barkstar wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 16:37
KeithW wrote: Thu Dec 10, 2020 10:06
Very nice sentiment but the income from current levels of use is not going to pay for its operational costs let alone a major restoration. You may not have noticed but Middlesbrough Council is not rolling in money, having just seen my rates increase I am well aware of that fact.
Yes I am well aware that Middleborough Council is not rolling in money, neither is my local council, and there isn't a hope in hell any other agency would take it off their hands. All across the country infrastructure, buildings etc have had maintenance cut back to save money in the misguided hope that tomorrow there will be the more than enough to catch up. There never is. Such thinking has left to many things in a parlous state and led to the Genoa bridge collapse.

But why not get sentimental over such structures - in a positive sense? I've written about the headache that is industrial heritage for both heritage and architectural magazines. We fawn over stately homes and the like - many of which are no longer used as homes - but, with the possible exception of steam locomotives, shun what actually made this country what it was. All of it is ruinously expensive and while we could use nice big country piles to house people there isn't that option with blast furnaces, coal mines and transporter bridges. But that doesn't make them any less important in telling the story of how we achieved what we achieved, indeed I'd argue they are far far more important. If the bridge is to be permanently taken out of use then let it be removed. Rather than become yet another rusting folly, to finally taken down because it's dangerous. Or worse because the area is redeveloped and the new residents don't want that big ugly thing at the end of their naice street.

As for making them safe both the Americans and the Germans have managed it, but they are proud of their industrial history. We do a lot of talking the talk here but very little walking the walk when it comes to pride in our past, which is odd given the current goings on.
Well there is in fact another agency that could take it off their hands, the Tees Valley Combined Authority which is in fact planning to build another Tees Crossing. Not being daft they wont touch the transporter bridge with a long pole
https://teesvalley-ca.gov.uk/projects/t ... -crossing/

As for using old buildings to house people that is a VERY bad idea. The cost of just bringing them to a state that meets modern fire and safety standards would be extremely high, essentially the cost to provide proper compartmentalisation, fire escape routes and remove asbestos, lead pipe etc let alone installing modern heating would exceed new build. In the 1930's the following country houses were gifted to Middlesbrough Council. Gunnergate Hall, Tollesby Hall, Acklam Hall and Marton Hall. Only Acklam Hall survived, partly because it is grade 1 Listed but mainly because for most of the 20th century it was a school, the rest were demolished at the end of WW2. I went to Acklam Hall Grammar School and am delighted to see that it has been sold and is now being used as a conference centre and restaurant. In the case of Marton Hall the council couldnt even do a good job of demolishing it, they managed to set it on fire.

I love the idea that you think the area where the Transporter Bridge is could be a 'naice' street. It was the nastiest part of Middlesbrough, in fact the area between the railway and the river was known as Over The Border. The land is so contaminated by 100 years of heavy industry it was graded as unfit for human habitation.

As to Germany it had a total of 4 transporter bridges
Kiel - demolished
Osten Transporter Bridge - decommissioned now a static tourist attraction
Erlebnisbrücke - a small hand cranked bridge over a stream
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport ... _Niers.jpg
Rendsburg , has been out of use since 2016 - may be repaired next year but that has been the case every year.

Last but not least as a long standing member of the National Trust I have put my money were my mouth is when it comes to preserving history. I am also a member of this group.
https://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/
Not so active now now but thats is down to arthritis.

When it comes to the USA the country is littered with abandoned, dangerous and derelict buildings and towns, here is the top 9 in Ohio.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to- ... /abandoned

See also
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/ohio/ro ... places-oh/


I actually lived in Columbus Ohio and there were so many derelict buildings it was heartbreaking.


If you want to see REALLY large scale dereliction Detroit is the place to go but watch out for the crackheads and drug dealers.
https://maps.roadtrippers.com/trips/12923723
User avatar
Barkstar
Member
Posts: 2604
Joined: Sun Jul 14, 2013 16:32

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by Barkstar »

I wasn't talking specifically about transporter bridges but industrial heritage in general. But you mentioned clearing up Redcar and I mentioned blast furnaces https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_p ... t_furnaces Yes many are small pre-bessemer in stone or brick but there are preserved mass production units. The list of countries who have managed to save some of these works is quite long and doesn't include the country that invented the process....

And of course no one is going to touch it with a barge pole - I said as such - which doesn't lessen the shame that it will likely end up rotting. Thus it is and ever will be in the UK. And it isn't just the money, we don't seem to have the will to preserve this important part of our history. Maybe tied in with our strange lack of appreciation for engineers, dismissed as boiler suited grease monkeys, while we enjoy the homes of those who got rich without lifting finger because of the wealth beneath their feet.

What I though would be clear is a country house or stately home could be pressed into use as housing but there isn't an obvious use, other than as a museum, for industrial sites. Though the steelworks in the Ruhr is used as an exhibition and performance space.

And while I support the work that the National Trust do - my partner is member and we are staying in one of their cottages next year (hopefully) - it is very much cream teas, nice gardens and grand houses, they don't often get their hands dirty.

I rather envy those who are interested in exploring old industrial buildings in the US. I enjoyed watching a series called Salvage Dogs and some of the plant they got to salvage from were amazing. Often relatively remote and so mostly intact, unlike the inner city plants such as the ones in Michigan. Rich pickings for the explorer who intends to take only pictures and leave only footprints.
Ronnie
Member
Posts: 267
Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2016 16:36

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by Ronnie »

I’ve tried to cross it 4 times in the last 15 years and every time it has been closed, twice because it had broken down, once because of the wrong type of wind and once because it was a Sunday. I did get a look in the motor house and a climb up to the top walkway on one visit but it like I’ll never get to experience a crossing now.
Herned
Member
Posts: 1363
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2017 09:15

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by Herned »

Barkstar wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 16:37 But why not get sentimental over such structures - in a positive sense? I've written about the headache that is industrial heritage for both heritage and architectural magazines. We fawn over stately homes and the like - many of which are no longer used as homes - but, with the possible exception of steam locomotives, shun what actually made this country what it was. All of it is ruinously expensive and while we could use nice big country piles to house people there isn't that option with blast furnaces, coal mines and transporter bridges. But that doesn't make them any less important in telling the story of how we achieved what we achieved, indeed I'd argue they are far far more important.
There has historically always been a level of disdain for actually making things in this country, all the way back to the start of the industrial revolution, and probably before.

Also an out of use blast furnace is not all that interesting unless you have a reasonable knowledge of what's what and what it would have looked like in it's working days, whereas a stately home will have a much wider appeal. An out of use transporter bridge is just a big pile of metal, a working one is far more interesting, but even that is pretty niche
fras
Member
Posts: 3590
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 18:34

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by fras »

You can see the Abraham Derby blast furnace at Ironbridge. The air blast was water driven.

If you really want to cross a river on a transporter bridge, the one at Newport in Wales is still operational, I believe. I crossed on it in the very early 80s while working for British Rail. The only thing is there is nothing to see of any interest on the other side !
User avatar
KeithW
Member
Posts: 19205
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 13:25
Location: Marton-In-Cleveland North Yorks

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by KeithW »

Herned wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 21:47 There has historically always been a level of disdain for actually making things in this country, all the way back to the start of the industrial revolution, and probably before.

Also an out of use blast furnace is not all that interesting unless you have a reasonable knowledge of what's what and what it would have looked like in it's working days, whereas a stately home will have a much wider appeal. An out of use transporter bridge is just a big pile of metal, a working one is far more interesting, but even that is pretty niche
Not in Middlesbrough there hasn't , the town only came into existence to ship coal out and make iron and steel. When we refer to Mucky Middlesbrough its not an insult its an extension of the old saying "Where's muck theres brass" There used to be dozens of blast furnaces along the whole navigable length of the river from Stockton to Teesmouth. The reality is simple, a disused blast furnace is dangerous as when it cools the internal lining starts to break up and polluted materials escape. Can you imagine what the potential is for structural failure in a structure that for 50 years had internal temperatures as high as 2000 C ?

Here is a short list of the chemical hazards to be found

Acids
• pickling and tinning lines and acid regeneration plants
(hydrochloric)
• hydrochloric acid or sulphuric acid
• highly corrosive, can be dangerously reactive in high concentrations

Ammonia
• very irritating to the eyes, nose and throat
• high exposure can cause choking and breathingdifficulties

Asbestos
• typically present in blast furnace and stoves, byproducts plant, steam, generation (either central or
waste heat boilers airborne particles can cause asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer

• coke oven byproducts
• contains chemicals such as benzene ,naphthalene, toluene and xylene all of which are inflammable, potentially explosive and carcinogenic

Note that last year two people died trying to make the retorts on the coke ovens safe when the material inside spontaneously exploded as they were working on it. The buildings on the site are only kept moderately safe by circulating nitrogen through the piping systems. All of this paid for the local authorities.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-49835782

There are a number of 'preserved' blast furnaces in Britain including Blaenavon but all have been substantially dismantled to make the remains safe and most are 19th century or earlier.
Image

The simple fact is that Middlesbrough became a steel town because everything needed was nearby, coal from South Durham, iron ore from the Cleveland hills and limestone. The iron ore and coal are worked out, just before it closed the iron ore was coming from Sweden and the high quality coal from Australia. Things go full circle though, the next phase is underway with a 30 km long tunnel being dug from a massive Polyhalite mine near Whitby to a new treatment and export site on the old steelworks site.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-y ... e-54416677

This is the real point - we need the land it stands on to make things and ship them out, most likely at the moment that site will be used partly for offshore wind turbines, a polyhalite export terminal and an advance manufacturing site moreover the long term plan is to make the zone a Freeport. By definition a tourist attraction in the middle of a working zone is not a good idea. But hey if you know some town that wants a dangerous decaying structure we would be happy to let them haul it away but take a good hard look at the costs and risks first.

As it stands the estimated costs of demolition and decontaminating the land is in excess of £150 million and the blast furnace is a significant part of the toxic waste inventory. Two years ago the land near the Newport Bridge was finally cleared on the toxic remains of the Brittania Steel Works which closed in the 1950's, the old 'cleanup' consisted of removing scrap metal, covering up what was left with topsoil and spraying grass seed on it, much of old Middlesbrough was 'treated' the same way 50 years ago and we are still cleaning up the mess. The houses built in the 1970's had to be abandoned when the degree of land contamination became apparent. It is finally getting the remedial work needed to make it safe for industrial use.
User avatar
Barkstar
Member
Posts: 2604
Joined: Sun Jul 14, 2013 16:32

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by Barkstar »

Given that plenty of other steelworks sites have been preserved I don't understand the point in your H&S briefing. Especially as I never said it was cheap and easy, indeed quite the contrary. So your chemistry lesson was superfluous.

These countries have all succeeded it saving these blast furnaces as monuments to their heritage - Czech Republic (1), France (1), Germany (6), Japan (1), Luxembourg (1), Mexico (1), Poland(1), Romania (1), Russia (2), Spain (2), USA (3) and hats off to them. Correct me if I am wrong but you would prefer it was all swept away? It is not a view I share. As I said just keeping the nice bits doesn't begin to tell our story.

There was some attempts made to save one of the Redcar furnaces and unsurprisingly is didn't get very far, especially in the current climate. But all is not lost for our heritage, last year the residents of Clipstone were asked what should be done with the former headstocks of Clipstone Colliery. These are some of the highest in Europe and listed. Developers have pushed hard to have the listing removed and them demolished so as to free up the site for redevelopment. 70% voted to retain them.

I know not everyone shares my passion but once it's gone that's it. Yes I'm somewhat of an idealist but I don't seek to save everything, far from it. And the challenges are big in every sense, I'm very much a realist in that respect.
But given we were the pre-eminent industrial society for over a century* we seem hellbent on burying our 'dirty' past under executive homes, tin shed distribution centres and pseudo-county parks and paying lip service to what little has been saved - in effect destruction by neglect. And if that makes me out of step then so be it.

*If this all sounds a bit jingoistic it certainly isn't BTW :D
User avatar
trickstat
Member
Posts: 8738
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 14:06
Location: Letchworth Gdn City, Herts

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by trickstat »

fras wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 22:55 You can see the Abraham Derby blast furnace at Ironbridge. The air blast was water driven.

If you really want to cross a river on a transporter bridge, the one at Newport in Wales is still operational, I believe. I crossed on it in the very early 80s while working for British Rail. The only thing is there is nothing to see of any interest on the other side !
Aren't there 2 other sides?
Glenn A
Member
Posts: 9776
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 19:31
Location: Cumbria

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by Glenn A »

The Transporter Bridge is really just a tourist attraction and isn't practical for anything other than a small number of vehicles. Also its importance was diminished when the Tees Bridge opened in 1977 and it doesn't connect to anything significant on the north bank of the Tees.
User avatar
KeithW
Member
Posts: 19205
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 13:25
Location: Marton-In-Cleveland North Yorks

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by KeithW »

Barkstar wrote: Sat Dec 12, 2020 11:34

I know not everyone shares my passion but once it's gone that's it. Yes I'm somewhat of an idealist but I don't seek to save everything, far from it. And the challenges are big in every sense, I'm very much a realist in that respect.
But given we were the pre-eminent industrial society for over a century* we seem hellbent on burying our 'dirty' past under executive homes, tin shed distribution centres and pseudo-county parks and paying lip service to what little has been saved - in effect destruction by neglect. And if that makes me out of step then so be it.

*If this all sounds a bit jingoistic it certainly isn't BTW :D
The trouble is you want us here in the North East to pay for it, if you want it preserved find the funding - we cant afford it. Again I would love to see why you think this site is likely to be used for executive homes given that the nearest village Warrenby is no longer a residential but a light industrial area.

Let me restate the situation - the intent is to build modern industries on the site continuing a process which has been happening on that land since 1850 when the first Todd point works opened. the current site is I believe the 4th iteration. This is an 1800 acre site in a prime location, as a nation we cannot survive as a heritage site. There is no shortage of Industry here and we want to see more. An unusual attitude for modern Britain I know but there it is.
https://www.southteesdc.com/masterplan/

Let me show you another site that presumably you would have preserved - the old South Durham Works between Thornaby and Stockton. I recall it as an abandoned desolate site dominated by rusting buildings , contaminated land and a massive slag heap. The Tees then was so heavily polluted if you fell in you would automatically be admitted to hospital.
Image

Most of us in this part of the world much prefer it the way it now is with a clean river, a white water centre, a university campus and modern industrial developments. That green hill in the background was the slag tip.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.56437 ... 384!8i8192

You may have liked the old mess but I much prefer the modern river which is now clean enough for salmon, trout and grayling and is now a favourite spot for a walk or just messing about in boats. I can highly recommend sunday lunch at the Talpore.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.56616 ... 144!8i3072

Looking towards Middlesbrough on the right is the new Industrial area that replaced the old Head Wrightson Works. On the left instead of derelict rotting wharves and slag heap is a marina, the Tees Rowing Club, a country park and a light industrial site.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.56558 ... 312!8i6656

The site of the old Iron Works is now this Industrial site,
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.56911 ... 312!8i6656

However if dereliction is your thing I am sure Network Rail would consider an offer for the abandoned Thornaby Railway Works and Marshalling yard.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.56199 ... 384!8i8192

Better get your offer in quickly as there are plans afoot for multimodal rail/road terminal for containers.
User avatar
KeithW
Member
Posts: 19205
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 13:25
Location: Marton-In-Cleveland North Yorks

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by KeithW »

Glenn A wrote: Sat Dec 12, 2020 13:50 The Transporter Bridge is really just a tourist attraction and isn't practical for anything other than a small number of vehicles. Also its importance was diminished when the Tees Bridge opened in 1977 and it doesn't connect to anything significant on the north bank of the Tees.
To be truthful it was marginal even then, the normal route was the A1046 to Portrack and the A1032 over the Newport Bridge. The one saving grace was that if you were in the queue for the transporter bridge you could buy a bacon sarnie and coffee from the cafe.
Glenn A
Member
Posts: 9776
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 19:31
Location: Cumbria

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by Glenn A »

KeithW wrote: Sat Dec 12, 2020 16:25
Glenn A wrote: Sat Dec 12, 2020 13:50 The Transporter Bridge is really just a tourist attraction and isn't practical for anything other than a small number of vehicles. Also its importance was diminished when the Tees Bridge opened in 1977 and it doesn't connect to anything significant on the north bank of the Tees.
To be truthful it was marginal even then, the normal route was the A1046 to Portrack and the A1032 over the Newport Bridge. The one saving grace was that if you were in the queue for the transporter bridge you could buy a bacon sarnie and coffee from the cafe.
The Transporter Bridge belongs in an era when cars were few and is more of a curiosity now as there are vastly better alternatives. Similarly further north, the Shields vehicular ferry was replaced in 1971 by a pedestrian ferry as it lost nearly all its trade to the Tyne Tunnel.
User avatar
Vierwielen
Member
Posts: 5674
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2008 21:21
Location: Hampshire

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by Vierwielen »

ravenbluemoon wrote: Wed Dec 09, 2020 22:23 What happened in St. Hilda's Middlehaven is a real travesty in itself. Taking a quick look on Streetview there's some glimmers of hope around the college, but the rest of it is a derelict wasteland, much as it was 10 years ago when I last passed through. Port Clarence isn't much better, so you really have to go out of your way to visit it.
I remember the Salford Quay area as being a derelict wasteland when I had a look there in 1975. Now it is one of the trendiest places in the Manchester area.
User avatar
Vierwielen
Member
Posts: 5674
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2008 21:21
Location: Hampshire

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by Vierwielen »

AndyB wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 12:37 I think that's a case of knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing. If a public body doesn't have 40-odd weeks of work for a Structural Engineer each year, the political pressure is to get rid of them and buy in their services as required. Particularly as the point approaches where it is more expensive to engage a consultancy firm for a few weeks a year than to re-establish your former engineering department and you can't really afford either, the financial pressure to save money by doing without altogether increases.
The Council still needs someone with an engineering background to oversee the contracting companies and their contracts. Anybody who remembers PRINCE (which has long since been rebadged) might remember the management structure they recommended had exactly that.
fras
Member
Posts: 3590
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 18:34

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by fras »

trickstat wrote: Sat Dec 12, 2020 11:52
fras wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 22:55 You can see the Abraham Derby blast furnace at Ironbridge. The air blast was water driven.

If you really want to cross a river on a transporter bridge, the one at Newport in Wales is still operational, I believe. I crossed on it in the very early 80s while working for British Rail. The only thing is there is nothing to see of any interest on the other side !
Aren't there 2 other sides?
Ha Ha, yes of course, it doesn't end in the middle of the river ! I meant that one usually approaches the bridge from the centre of Newport (if you're on foot as I was). Maybe there's more to see now, as my visit was around 1981
User avatar
Jim606
Member
Posts: 619
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 11:11

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by Jim606 »

It is also worth noting that the bridge also had a starring role in TV fiction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auf_Wiedersehen,_Pet whereby it was 'sold' to some Native Americans IIRC? Anyway here is a picture of the cast on location in 2002 http://www.auf-pet.com/transporterbridge.html
Attachments
Auf Wiedersehen Pet cast on location in Middlesbrough
Auf Wiedersehen Pet cast on location in Middlesbrough
User avatar
KeithW
Member
Posts: 19205
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 13:25
Location: Marton-In-Cleveland North Yorks

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by KeithW »

Jim606 wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 09:57 It is also worth noting that the bridge also had a starring role in TV fiction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auf_Wiedersehen,_Pet whereby it was 'sold' to some Native Americans IIRC? Anyway here is a picture of the cast on location in 2002 http://www.auf-pet.com/transporterbridge.html
Sadly the place has gone downhill since then and the pub is now derelict. When I worked at Whessoe Dock Point in the 1970s this was my favourite spot for lunch. The other 2 offerings , the Leviathan aka the Glass Barrel was iffy and the Robin Hood was downright disgusting and dangerous. They only provided plastic glasses and the remains of the carpet were so foul you wiped your feet when leaving.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.58244 ... 312!8i6656

There were plans to turn it into a gastro pub but at best they are on hold as Covid-19 has brought regeneration work in the area to a halt. Still industry and new development is happening so fingers crossed.
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/tees ... e-12651309
Rob590
Member
Posts: 787
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2007 11:21

Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by Rob590 »

Vierwielen wrote: Sat Dec 12, 2020 22:06 I remember the Salford Quay area as being a derelict wasteland when I had a look there in 1975. Now it is one of the trendiest places in the Manchester area.
Middlesbrough is not Manchester though (I realize you weren't making the exact comparison!). Where the more negative comments on this thread are correct is that Middlesbrough is already 'behind' in terms trying to hang onto what services, atmosphere and urban vitality it has, such that trying to develop anything new is a much harder task again.

(On another side note, I discovered this during the lockdown as part of a desperate search on Google for what on earth to do with a 3 year old: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teessaurus_Park. I'm astonished I hadn't heard of it before, and it is completely unsigned from on the raod network. While not huge and without facilities (toilet, cafe etc), as a free site to take a kid for an hour or so it's pretty impressive. In fact, the absence of facilities and signage for something like this kind of hammers home how far behind Middlesbrough is in being a position to develop heritage sites).
Post Reply