River Crossing - Haltwhistle
The Blue Bridge
Originally a road bridge now only pedestrian's and cycles are now allowed to use this bridge, built in 1875 by George Gordon Page, the son of Thomas Page who built Westminster Bridge in London. It was the first road bridge across the South Tyne in Haltwhistle.The bridge was given a major refurbishment by Northumberland County Council in 2003.
This bridge is used by the Pennine Cycleway NCN 68 and will be also be used by Hadrian's Cycleway NCN 72 when the braided route is completed.
The
Blue Bridge viewed from the south bank - before refurbishment.
Alston Arches Viaduct
This railway viaduct is prominent landmark in Haltwhistle. It was built by George Barclay Bruce and opened in 1852, when the first 4 miles of line from Haltwhistle to Shafthill (later known as Coanwood) were opened for goods traffic.
It is a six arch structure across the River South Tyne. The actual river is spanned by four wide segmental skew arches.
The Alston branch line left Haltwhistle in a south easterly direction, initally heading in the same direction as the river before crossing it by the Alston Arches viaduct.
The viaduct is approached from the junction near Haltwhistle station by a high embankment, which lifts the trackbed off the flood plain of the River South Tyne.
To the south of the viaduct this embankment has been breached in 1996 by the new A69 Haltwhistle by-pass.
The river piers have cutwaters upsteam and downstream. An unusual feature is the line of openings through the piers, which have been said to be intended to take a footbridge. There are no indications that a footbridge was ever provided and there are no fixing holes or bolts and curiously there is no opening through the right bank pier. It is therefore more likely that the openings are to reduce the weight of the piers and loading on the foundations, which are supported on timber piles.
Sections of the old rail trackbed are now used by the Pennine Cycleway NCN 68 and will be used by Hadrian's Cycleway NCN 72 when the braided route is completed.
Alston
Arches - disused Rail Viaduct
Road Bridges
The A69(T) Haltwhistle bypass crosses the River South Tyne twice and also the Newcastle to Carlisle railway, using steel composite bridges, the one over the road and rail line at the eastern end being built as a skewed viaduct in three spans.
A 69(T) Haltwhistle Bypass - West Bridge
over the River South Tyne
A 69(T) Three span viaduct over road,
railway and Haltwhistle Burn
Hadrian's Cycleway passes below this viaduct.
Bellister Bridge
There is also another narrow road bridge linking the west end of the town to the Bellister Road.
Opened to take traffic after it was banned from the Blue Bridge in the 1950's
The Pennine Cycleway NCN 68 used this whilst the Blue Bridge was under refurbishment.
This bridge is now no longer in use.
Bellister Road Bridge
All
photographs on this page taken by Ray Urwin see
Bridges in Northumbria
