Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

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c2R
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by c2R »

I hadn't noticed before, but the google streetview car got a ride on it before it closed; https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.58384 ... 312!8i6656
Edit - and the council took some photos from the top: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.58443 ... 508!8i1254
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KeithW
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by KeithW »

c2R wrote: Mon Dec 14, 2020 17:04 I hadn't noticed before, but the google streetview car got a ride on it before it closed; https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.58384 ... 312!8i6656
Edit - and the council took some photos from the top: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.58443 ... 508!8i1254

That's quite an old view, the transporter got a new gondola in 2015.
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c2R
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by c2R »

The BBC are repeating the Transporter Bridge series of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet on the iplayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/ ... rsehen-pet
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baroudeur
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by baroudeur »

I note there has been no mention of the transporter bridge at Rochefort in France. I visited the site and the visitor centre in late 2019 when it was undergoing restoration paid for by the French Government and it is due to re-open in April 2021.


https://tinyurl.com/yxmpy7dx
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wrinkly
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by wrinkly »

Transporter Bridge sinking, says mayor

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-62437240
Structural problems on Middlesbrough's Transporter Bridge are "much worse" than previously thought, the town's mayor has revealed.

Andy Preston said one leg of the landmark structure was sinking.

The 111-year-old bridge has been shut since August 2019, when concerns were raised it was in a "dangerous state".

It was labelled a "death trap" the following year after a report found it needed more than £3m of repairs and maintenance.

Council leaders agreed to put £655,000 towards urgent repairs on the Grade II-listed bridge, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Mr Preston said more surveys were needed to determine the full extent of the remedial work required.

"One of the legs is actually sinking, which is damaging the steel framework," he said.

"I'm absolutely committed to not only protecting our landmark but bringing it back into use.

"But it's going to take much longer and it's going to cost much more than we all hoped."

In 2020, a damning report identified "passive and ineffective" management of the Edwardian bridge and told how a worker narrowly avoided being killed when a piece fell off in 2018.

Options were considered for its future, with its conversion into a leisure attraction estimated to cost between £4.8m and £6m, and using it to carry passengers at peak times, with extra repairs to running rails, support cables, and metalwork, costing between £5.3m and £7.4m.

The amounts were calculated before the recent increase in material costs.

Middlesbrough and Stockton Council have shared responsibility for the structure and have been approached for comment.

An independent taskforce was set up last year to try to determine the bridge's future.

Mr Preston said he did not know whether it would cost "£15m, £20m or even £25m".
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by hoagy_ytfc »

KeithW wrote: Mon Dec 14, 2020 18:21 That's quite an old view, the transporter got a new gondola in 2015.
GSV image literally says it's September 2012
Screenshot 2022-08-07 at 01.03.31.png
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KeithW
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by KeithW »

wrinkly wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 00:49 Transporter Bridge sinking, says mayor

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-62437240
I cant say I am surprised there were salt works both sides of the river with salt extracted using boreholes. The works on the south side was next to the Transporter.

https://www.drilcorp.com/drilcorp-decom ... ine-wells/
http://www.hidden-teesside.co.uk/2015/0 ... lesbrough/
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.58354 ... !1e3?hl=en
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Transporter Map 1914.jpg
B1040
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by B1040 »

Just driven past it on the new road for the first time.
A19 is nicer than the Newcastle Western bypass
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KeithW
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by KeithW »

B1040 wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 15:07 Just driven past it on the new road for the first time.
A19 is nicer than the Newcastle Western bypass
The Transporter Bridge is visible from the Viaduct but is not exactly near being 2 miles or so away, did you mean the Newport Bridge which is much closer ?

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.56786 ... 8192?hl=en
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Mark Hewitt
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by Mark Hewitt »

I'm very glad now that, on a whim, we decided to go across it in March 2019, as it did take us quite a bit out of our way to do it!
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by WHBM »

When I was working in Seal Sands in the late 1970s we regularly had to go to suppliers in Middlesbrough. A local employee, who actually lived in Port Clarence (when there were still houses there) at the north end of the bridge advised to look up approaching the settlement for where the car was (the locals always called it the car, not the gondola) and which way it was going, to judge whether to head for it, or it would be quicker to go round by the upriver bridge. Broadly, if it was headed away, go round. I think it used to manage about three round trips per hour.

I recall said upriver bridge being raised one weekend, for maintenance, not for a ship, by which time it was rarely moved. I believe it was fixed shut not too long afterwards.
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by B1040 »

KeithW wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 16:18
B1040 wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 15:07 Just driven past it on the new road for the first time.
A19 is nicer than the Newcastle Western bypass
The Transporter Bridge is visible from the Viaduct but is not exactly near being 2 miles or so away, did you mean the Newport Bridge which is much closer ?

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.56786 ... 8192?hl=en
Could well have been.
My attention was mostly on the A19 and other road users.
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KeithW
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by KeithW »

B1040 wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 18:31
KeithW wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 16:18

The Transporter Bridge is visible from the Viaduct but is not exactly near being 2 miles or so away, did you mean the Newport Bridge which is much closer ?

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.56786 ... 8192?hl=en
Could well have been.
My attention was mostly on the A19 and other road users.
A wise decision :)
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KeithW
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by KeithW »

WHBM wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 18:06 When I was working in Seal Sands in the late 1970s we regularly had to go to suppliers in Middlesbrough. A local employee, who actually lived in Port Clarence (when there were still houses there) at the north end of the bridge advised to look up approaching the settlement for where the car was (the locals always called it the car, not the gondola) and which way it was going, to judge whether to head for it, or it would be quicker to go round by the upriver bridge. Broadly, if it was headed away, go round. I think it used to manage about three round trips per hour.
There are still a few houses near the transporter but nothing like as many as there used to be and Haverton Hill has almost been wiped out. What's left is now an industrial estate but all that is left of the Furness Estate where the people who worked at the shipyard worked is the ghostly outline of the streets.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.59990 ... !1e3?hl=en

This is what it looked like
https://picturestocktonarchive.com/2017 ... rton-hill/
https://heritage.stockton.gov.uk/media/ ... ingham.pdf
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by Gaz909909 »

When I lived in the Boro this area was know as "north of the border". Many taxis would not go there, it was pretty dicey. Also home at the time to "club bongo international" and, if I recall, the UK's only legal red light district at the time. Whether that was true or not, I don't know. It's a shame if they don't sort the transporter bridge out. It's an incredible icon for Teesside.
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by KeithW »

Gaz909909 wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 22:59 When I lived in the Boro this area was know as "north of the border". Many taxis would not go there, it was pretty dicey. Also home at the time to "club bongo international" and, if I recall, the UK's only legal red light district at the time. Whether that was true or not, I don't know. It's a shame if they don't sort the transporter bridge out. It's an incredible icon for Teesside.
It still is North of the Border but its changing rather rapidly. Most of the terraced housing has gone, Club Bongo closed in 2017 as I recall , this is where it was when it finally closed

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.57313 ... 6656?hl=en

The area is actually being redeveloped for light industry, offices and academic facilities and is home to Cleveland Police HQ
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.57960 ... 8192?hl=en

The only one of the old pubs left is the Captain Cook which has just been completely refurbished and they are looking for a new owner/tenant.

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/tees ... r-24521737
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by wallmeerkat »

Google streetview now seems to stop just at the entrance to the transporter? https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.58365 ... 6656?hl=en
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by KeithW »

wallmeerkat wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 10:21 Google streetview now seems to stop just at the entrance to the transporter? https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.58365 ... 6656?hl=en
That GSV is from 2012 !

This version from 2021 shows it closed and the new gondola.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.58349 ... 8192?hl=en

The derelict area to the right is where the salt works used to be.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.58258 ... 8192?hl=en

Able UK have now acquired the land and intend to use it for offshore renewable energy projects which is rather closing the circle as in the 1970's I worked there when they were building modules for north sea gas and oil.
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by wallmeerkat »

KeithW wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 11:32
wallmeerkat wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 10:21 Google streetview now seems to stop just at the entrance to the transporter? https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.58365 ... 6656?hl=en
That GSV is from 2012 !

This version from 2021 shows it closed and the new gondola.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.58349 ... 8192?hl=en

The derelict area to the right is where the salt works used to be.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.58258 ... 8192?hl=en

Able UK have now acquired the land and intend to use it for offshore renewable energy projects which is rather closing the circle as in the 1970's I worked there when they were building modules for north sea gas and oil.
What I meant was I swore that I looked on GSV years ago and they were *on* the gondola. The sequence if you used the arrows went queue - on gondola (may have been for a couple of 'frames') then off.

Though my memory isn't what it used to be :D
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KeithW
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Re: Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge CLOSED indefinitely

Post by KeithW »

wallmeerkat wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 13:01 What I meant was I swore that I looked on GSV years ago and they were *on* the gondola. The sequence if you used the arrows went queue - on gondola (may have been for a couple of 'frames') then off.

Though my memory isn't what it used to be :D
Its at the Port Clarence end.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.58515 ... 6656?hl=en

There is a nice aerial shot here , the Middlesbrough end is on the right.
https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EAW032536
Last edited by KeithW on Tue Aug 09, 2022 13:33, edited 1 time in total.
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