A new book to commemorate the historic Newport Bridge’s 90th anniversary

This week marks the formal opening of the Tees Newport Bridge ninety years ago. In honor of this historic landmark, a new book detailing its history will be published in advance of Local History Month in May.

Dr. Tosh Warwick, a Middlesbrough-born academic at the University of Sheffield, is the author of the lavishly illustrated bumper book, The Tees Newport Bridge: The Untold Story of a Steel River Landmark, which delves into the history of this amazing engineering feat that is sometimes eclipsed by the nearby Tees Transporter Bridge.

The Tees Newport Bridge, also known as the “Tees Wonder Bridge,” was inaugurated on Wednesday, February 28, 1934, by the Duke of York. It was the first and largest vertical-lift bridge in the nation.

Renowned Middlesbrough-based bridge builder Dorman Long, who also created internationally recognized structures including Newcastle’s Tyne Bridge and Sydney Harbour Bridge, erected the Teesside landmark.

Constructed as the primary vehicle bridge over the River Tees, which Chris Rea dubbed the “Steel River,” the Bridge significantly reduced unemployment during the 1930s. Additionally, the new connection between the counties of Durham and Yorkshire encouraged the growth of new and expanding industries along the Tees, such as ICI.

Over the next ninety years, Teesside’s transportation, social, and economic history and legacy have been greatly influenced by Newport Bridge, commonly known as the Tees Bridge.

Ten years in the making, the concept for the book about the less well-known bridge that connects Middlesbrough to the north bank of the Tees began in 2014, when Tosh worked with Teesside Archives to unearth and digitize old, unpublished photos of Newport Bridge, which was last lifted in 1990.

In addition to drawing from rarely seen archival material from private collections, Middlesbrough Libraries, Teesside Archives, and local newspaper archives, The Tees Newport Bridge: The Untold Story of a Steel River Landmark includes dozens of previously unpublished construction and opening ceremony photographs. This fascinating look into the history of the Grade II listed structure is provided by the book.

Facts, data, historical plans, and anecdotes of victories and tragedies coexist with discussions about the effects of deindustrialization and dozens of memories.

The book also includes pieces by renowned photographers and artists, such as Abby+Owen, Robin Dale, Philip Meadows, Alan Morley, Mackenzie Thorpe, Richard Wagner, and Graham Frank Wright, that were influenced by the Newport Bridge.

“I have chipped away at writing this book about the ‘other’ historic bridge spanning the ‘Steel River’ between Middlesbrough and Stockton-on-Tees for over a decade,” stated the book’s author, Dr. Tosh Warwick.

It became clear from reading through the fascinating records of public and private collections, speaking with locals about their memories, and seeing the wide variety of artwork and photography that the bridge inspired that Newport Bridge deserved more recognition as a significant historical bridge over the Tees and a feat of engineering.

“Many Teessiders have a particular place in their hearts for the landmark, and I hope the book will appeal to those who are proud of the region’s industrial heritage and history of building bridges.”

The first 90 books that are ordered from Heritage Unlocked in honor of the Newport Bridge’s 90th anniversary will be signed and numbered by the author and come with a signed A4 art print by artist Graham Frank Wright, priced at a special £19.34 to commemorate the landmark’s 1934 opening. To purchase it, click this link.

An A4 print of Graham Frank Wright’s Newport Bridge is also offered for sale individually for £14.99.

The first of several history books that Heritage Unlocked plans to publish this year is The Tees Newport Bridge: The Untold Story of a Steel River Landmark. The other books in the series include the most recent work by renowned local historian Norman Moorsom.