Bridges On The Tyne

WYLAM TO HEXHAM

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"From Wylam the Tyne is the boundary between the two counties (of Northumberland and Durham), previously it was the Stanley Burn and Derwent River"

Waters Of Tyne. T H Rowland. 1994

Beyond Newburn the river changes its character, moving away from the Tyneside conurbation and becoming much more rural. There are some very old bridges here and some new ones, all set amid attractive scenery and near places of interest.

The Tide Stone between Newburn and Wylam marked the former tidal limit of the Tyne but this is now at Wylam itself after erosion of the river bed. Wylam has seen many changes to it's old bridge, while the railway bridge can now be enjoyed by pedestrians and cyclists since its incorporation into a footpath following closure of the railway branch on the north side of the river. Ovingham and Bywell both have old bridges, wbich contrast with the modern bridge at Styford carrying the A68 across the river on its way to the Scottish border.

Next comes Corbridge and the oldest remaining bridge on the Main Tyne, a veteran and sole survivor of the great Tyne flood of 1771. Hexham was not so lucky, its bridge was a major casualty, but of course was rebuilt. The old railway bridge carrying the Border Counties Railway up the North Tyne valley to a junction just over the border is covered in the Former Bridges section. Just beyond is the newish A69 road bridge and then the point where the Tyne divides to become the two seperate rivers of North Tyne and South Tyne.

 Opening Dates of Present Bridges


Wylam Bridge - 1836
Wylam Railway Bridge - 1876
Ovingham Bridge - 1883
Bywell Bridge - 1838
Styford Bridge - 1979
Corbridge - 1906
Hexham Bridge - 1793
Hexham A69 Bridge - 1976
 Ovingham Bridge
















© Bridges On The Tyne 2006