River Guide

The River Tyne was, for a long time, the main artery serving Tyneside’s large industrial needs. Although industrial activity has declined on what was one of the world’s busiest rivers, a considerable amount of money is now being spent revitalising life along the riverside. As a result there are many points of interest both old and new to be found on the Tyne between Newcastle and the coast.

 On the approach to North Shields Fish Quay, the two high white towers of the High and Low Lights can be seen. Built in 1808 they are the bearing lights for the harbour entrance. The present Fish Quay dates largely from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, but an important Fish Market was established on this site long before the substantial buildings erected in 1866. During the 19th century a Mr. Woodger from Tyneside introduced the Kipper and there are still fish curing houses in the town. The large modern building on the quayside is an ice-making plant for the fishing trade. Amongst the buildings on the Quay can be found the remains of Clifford’s Fort which was a 17th Century Battery guarding the river mouth. Neville House, opened in 1993, housed the Harbour Master’s Office.

Situated a little further up stream are the Nexus ferry landings at North and South Shields. There has been a ferry passenger service between the two communities since at least 1377. Motor vehicles were ferried across the river from 1911 until the Tyne Tunnel was opened in 1969.

On the South Shields bank can be seen the remains of Harton Low Staithes where coal from Westoe Colliery was loaded onto ships. Re-development of the site is planned. The adjacent Market Dock, along with several other former riverside industrial sites, is being re-developed for housing. The Old Customs House at Mill Dam nearby has been restored as a cinema, restaurant and arts venue. In the square alongside is a monument to the Merchant Navy Sailors who lost their lives in World War II. Continuing along the river you pass shipbuilding yards. The former Smiths Dock on the north bank, present since 1849 and recognised as the world’s greatest ship repairing enterprise, is planned for re-development.

Close by is the Tyne Commission Quay which serves as the terminus for passenger services to Scandinavia and Germany. During the summer months the large Scandinavian Ferries are a familiar sight on the Tyne and use modern roll-on-roll-off berths which are also used for container traffic. Much of this former docks area has been re-developed by the former Tyne and Wear Development Corporation as part of its Royal Quays project. More shipyards appear on both banks of the river together with grain and car terminals at Tyne Dock. Part of Jarrow Slake has been re-developed as a terminal for the export of Nissan cars produced at their factory in Washington.

Just past the Jarrow Riverside Park can be seen the ventilation chimney for the Tyne Tunnel which also marks the spot of the entrance to the pedestrian and cyclists tunnel which opened in 1951. More shipyards come into view including the site used between 1886 and 1908 by Robert Stephenson & Co., who based their marine work here leaving their Forth Bank, Newcastle base to continue their locomotive interests.

From Hebburn to Bill Quay the river bank is now parkland but was previously the site of considerable industrial activity. On the North bank are the remains of the Northumberland Dock, this was the first dock completed by the Tyne Improvement Commission back in the 1850’s. To the west of the dock is the Howdon Jetty used by Tilling Construction (Tilcon), the second of the river’s processing plants for sea-dredged aggregates. Regular visits are made by “Deepstone”, Europe’s largest purpose-built sand and gravel dredger. It arrives on the Tyne with some 7,000 tons dredged off the Lincolnshire/Norfolk coast. Not far from this point the Willington Gut enters the Tyne. Spanning it is the famous Railway Viaduct designed by the Green brothers in 1838. Whilst the original viaduct was laminated timber it was later reconstructed in the same pattern in steel and now forms part of the Metro system.

From Willington Gut to Walker is the biggest concentration of shipbuilding. Although traditional shipbuilding and repairing has declined, the off-shore construction industry for the oil and gas markets has increased and a number of the yards now make oil rig modules, including Press Offshore at Howdon Pans and Willington Quay.

The Wallsend Shipyard, the base of the Swan Hunter empire from the 1870’s, comes next. Naval work formed an important part of the yard’s business, most notably in recent years. HMS Ark Royal launched in 1981 and handed over to the Royal Navy in 1985. Next the Neptune Yard founded in 1860 where the Mauritania was built and is now part of the A&P Appledore ship repair business.

Further up the river used to be the Walker Naval Yard now re-developed as an offshore technology park. Ships launched from the yard include the battleships Malaya and Nelson together with the aircraft carriers Courageous and Victorious. The former industrial area at St. Peter’s Basin has now been re-developed as a marina and housing complex. There is a promenade connecting with walkways which follow the river downstream to Walker. With minor diversions it is possible to walk all the way along the north bank of the river from Walker to Scotswood.

 Further west is the Spillers Tyne Mill (built in 1936) and, at the time, Europe’s largest flour mill capable of taking an annual 250,000 tons of grain. Arriving at the Quayside in Newcastle you can still see traces of medieval street lines in the narrow alleys running north from the Quayside. It was the centre of the river trade for centuries but is no longer used by commercial shipping. The magnificent Tall Ships Race has visited the Quayside three times - in 1986, 1993 and 2005. The Quayside is also the site of the impressive Law Courts which dominate the river. Many of the old warehouses and shipping offices have been re-developed as pubs, restaurants and housing. Re-development of  the East Quayside area is set to bring whole new residential and business opportunities to the riverside.

 Moving slightly further down stream is the Baltic Flour Mill. This old building has been transformed into a major new centre for international contemporary art and opened in 2001. Next to the Pitcher & Piano public house the  Gateshead Millennium Bridge is the highlight of the river with its eye-catching pair of arches, which reach 50m in height.  The bridge brings exciting new pedestrian and cycle links to both sides of the river.

Also complementing the regeneration of Gateshead Quays is the The Sage Gateshead, designed by internationally renowned architects Foster and Partners. It opened in 2002 and houses a cluster of concert halls and a music school, acting as a base for local and touring music organisations such as the Northern Sinfonia.

 The Tyne Bridge towers above the Quayside and was, when it opened in 1928, the longest single-span bridge in Britain.

Next to the Guildhall is the Swing Bridge built in 1876 by William Armstrong, Tyneside’s famous engineer and armaments maker. It is believed to be the fifth bridge on this site; the first dating from Roman times.

This is followed by the High Level Bridge, an impressive Victorian construction opened in 1849. Designed by George Stephenson’s son Robert, it was one of the final links of the East Coast Railway Line between London and Edinburgh. It was formally opened by Queen Victoria who was so impressed by the magnificent structure that she agreed to open the Royal Border Bridge at Berwick a year later. The two-tiered bridge carries rail traffic on the upper level and road traffic below.

To the west is the new Metro Bridge opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1981, followed by the King Edward rail bridge of 1906 and the Redheugh road bridge opened in 1983. The latter is the third bridge on the same site, the first of which was designed by Thomas Bouch engineer of the ill-fated Tay Bridge. The bridges can be admired from the Riverside Sculpture Park on the Gateshead side of the river and from the promenade and hanging gardens on the Newcastle side. Finally the Dunston Staithes, once used for loading coal from the local mines, can be seen. They are now a listed structure and formed a focal point of the 1990 Garden Festival on the adjacent river bank.

The River Tyne is of great historical interest and one of the best ways to view it is from the ferry itself. You can either enjoy a leisurely afternoon river trip during the summer or hire the ferry for your own private event.