About the Project
Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council, with the support of funding from the UK Government, are working with Esh Construction to deliver the major restoration programme.
The main restoration programme officially began in April 2024 after the funding was signed off by the Government.
Inspection work which took place prior to the project revealed more damage than originally anticipated which has increased the scope and scale of the work required, as well as added to the length of the programme. The restoration will take four years, with a view to completing in summer 2028 prior to the bridge’s centenary
A lot of the work being delivered isn’t visible at this stage to members of the public as it takes place behind the encapsulated hoarding as well as in the bridge deck void, therefore you can find out more about what is going on behind the scenes below.
Below the bridge deck
Lane restrictions allow access to the bridge deck void through the footpath where structural repairs to the bridge hangers can take place. The main structural repairs are essential to increase the current load capacity of the bridge which will futureproof the structure, and allow more scaffold to be erected later in the programme.
As people drive, walk or wheel across the bridge, the team are working within confined space conditions beneath. In many sections of the bridge deck void, operatives must clamber and crawl over beams, joints and pipework, with the space only reaching a maximum height of 1.5 metres.
Repairing
Inspections revealed that more than 900 structural steel repairs are required, along with concrete, stonework and masonry repairs, drainage improvements, bridge deck waterproofing, resurfacing, parapet protection and bridge joint replacement.
More than 13,000 tonnes of scaffolding and components will be required for the full programme of work. The scaffolding will be installed in approximately 20 phases and vehicle and pedestrian use will be maintained throughout.
The repairs will preserve the landmark for future generations, as well as reduce the need for continual ad hoc maintenance works.
Re-painting
To re-paint the bridge, first it must be grit blasted to remove oil, dirt, grease, scale, rust, previous paint coatings and foreign matter and then various steel repairs will be carried out. The surface is then primed before it is painted.
For health and safety purposes, this work must be completed behind an encapsulated scaffold therefore won’t be visible for passers by to see.
This work is currently ongoing in the scaffolding adjacent to the Gateshead tower, and then towards the end of 2024, work will begin on building a near-identical scaffold on the Newcastle quayside, adjacent to the tower, to deliver the same work. The Gateshead scaffolding will then be dismantled to reveal the first repaired and re-painted section.
Considering the Kittiwakes
All aspects of the programme have been developed in consultation with wildlife groups to minimise the works around the towers on the bridge and other nesting sites during the six-month kittiwake breeding season.
Nesting ledges, dubbed ‘kittiwake' hotels’, have been installed on the roof of each Gateshead tower to provide alternative nesting provision while the scaffold is installed on the Gateshead side of the bridge.
Grade II Listing
In August 2018, the bridge was Grade II* listed by Historic England for architectural and historical interest. The rating means that the bridge is listed as a structure of special interest and warrants every effort to preserve it. To adhere to the bridge’s listed status conditions, the construction work focuses on repairing the structure’s components, instead of replacing with new components.
Due to the Grade II* listed status, the paint colour used will be British Standard BS14C39 or ‘Greenwood’, which is a colour as close to the original as possible (British Standard BS4800).
Newcastle City Council & Gateshead Council
The Tyne Bridge is jointly owned by Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council
Newcastle City Council is the lead authority for the major restoration works of the Tyne Bridge.
The Tyne Bridge restoration is funded by the UK Government, as well as monies from both Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council.
Esh Construction
North of England contractor, Esh Construction, will deliver the Tyne Bridge restoration programme.
Esh Construction is the main trading arm of Esh Group, a privately-owned contractor that is headquartered in County Durham. The firm provides contracting services in civil engineering, affordable housing, refurbishment, retrofit and commercial build for a variety of public and private sector clients.
One of the founding companies of Esh dates back to 1970 where the business originated in the former County Durham colliery village of Esh Winning. Esh Construction has grown from humble beginnings and is committed to delivering more than just a construction project through its award-winning social value initiatives. Visit Esh Group to find out more.