The river Tyne runs in a wide gorge which makes bridges particularly difficult to build and be high enough to allow shipping to pass. Until the shipyards declined there were several ferry crossings, but only the North Shields to South Shields ferry remains. The first bridges do not appear until one reaches Newcastle. Newcastle quayside was once best known for it's five original bridges: Tyne Bridge, Swing Bridge, High Level, King Edward and Redheugh. In 1981 the Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge was opened and finally in 2000 it gained one more. The Gateshead Millennium Bridge was fabricated in the AMEC yard at Howdon on Tyne. Photos in this section show its installation, the growth of buildings around it and the other other bridges. The development of this once industrial area was followed by Baltic Art Gallery and the Sage Music Centre on the South side of the river.
St. Peter's bascule	Ouseburn barrage	Toffee Factory	Spillers Wharf	The big day
In place	Views	Blinking	Baltic	The Sage
'The view'	The Tyne Bridges	Swing bridge	High Level	The 'other' bridges