Newcastle Safari

11th 13th October 2002

The 'home' safari of 2002 (11-13 October) featured Newcastle. While it is famous for its bridges, Newcastle was a port, a large shipbuilding centre, a great railway town and had a large coal mining industry in the vicinity, accompanied by all the engineering industries that go with these businesses. It is surely enough to mention the names of Robert Stephenson, Joseph Swan, William Armstrong and Charles Parsons to show its attraction for industrial archaeologists.

The group assembled at the Premier Lodge Hotel on the Quayside on the Friday afternoon with, as usual, Sue Hayton as leader, assisted by Danny and Paul Saulter. The first 15 to apply were able to have a conducted tour of the Swing Bridge. The unlucky ones had a riverside walk. Since I was lucky I cannot comment on the walk.

The Swing Bridge was designed and constructed by Sir W G Armstrong and Co and opened in 1876. Our guide pointed out that as a builder of warships with rotating gun turrets Armstrong essentially built a gun turret with a bridge instead of guns. We saw the hydraulic mechanism, now electrically operated, for opening the bridge, the massive wheels and track on which it rotates, and climbed up to the control room in the turret where we heard the deafening hooter and admired the view.

Reunited, the two groups crossed to the Gateshead side for a riverside walk on which we could admire sites on both sides of the river. The main destination was Baltic, the transformation of Rank's flour silos into the recently opened contemporary arts centre connected to Newcastle by a non-wobbling Millennium Bridge. The bridge won the 2002 Stirling Architecture Prize which was being presented the next day and, since preparations for the event were in progress, we were unable to go above the third floor and could not reach the viewing gallery on the fifth. However, we could have a refreshment stop which was unfortunately marred for some by dreadfully poor service.

We crossed the Millennium Bridge to Sandgate Steps, part of the regeneration of the quayside which won the Stone Foundation Award in 1997. At the top there are carvings by Neil Talbot of activities associated with coal mining and some words of the well known poem, The Keel Row. The keel boat was a local type operated by keelmen, and we went on to view the Keelman's Hospital built in 1701. Next came the former tramway offices and generating station of 1901. The generating hall has been converted into a church. While we were standing around the entrance a member came out and invited us inside. We were able to admire the size of the hall with a travelling crane still in situ and, having been taken through the building, the office entrance with glass tiles and coloured windows depicting trams and the city arms. We were each given a picture of the generating hall with the plant in use and a map of the old tram system. Lastly to Trinity House where we were just in time to catch it open. This Trinity House had authority over the Tyne Port. Round the quadrangle are the almshouses, the banqueting hall, the chapel and the rigging loft.

In the evening there was a 'Safari Dinner' after which Sue gave an orientation talk.

Saturday was wet but it was not windy so that normal rain protection kept us reasonably dry. Uphill to the city level, we started in the commercial quarter — many banks, insurance companies etc. On Westgate Road is the Lit and Phil, the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne. Founded in 1792 by leading townspeople it has an enormous collection of books, many of them old and rare, and holds lectures and discussion groups. We had a good browse. Outside is a statue of George Stephenson, with his back to the station. Around him a miner holds a miner's safety lamp, a blacksmith an anvil, a platelayer a rail, and an engineer a locomotive.

Space does not allow a description of all the buildings we saw. In Bigg (barley) market Sunlight Chambers were built 1901-2 for Lever Brothers and have a mosaic frieze depicting agriculture and industry. At the top of the market is a water fountain commemorating a noted abstainer, J B Rutherford, with the message 'Water is Best'. Ironically it is surrounded by pubs but of course water is best for brewing beer. This took us into Grainger Town an area built 'as a whole' by Richard Grainger. The design and symmetry of the buildings are impressive and the people of Newcastle are justly proud of them. Included is a large covered market with an impressive roof and a Marks & Spencer 'Penny Bazaar' retaining its original appearance. There is also the Grey Monument, a 135 feet high Doric column topped by Earl Grey of the Reform Bill and the tea. A little more walking took us to the Laing Art Gallery for coffee and if we wishes a few minutes art. More impressive buildings followed, including the Paramount Cinema of 1931, the Civic Centre of 1968, Armstrong's statue, with reliefs of the swing bridge and shipbuilding, the University and the offices of the Newcastle Brewery. Here we adjourned for lunch to reassemble at the Central Station for the afternoon's railwaylands walk.

City Safari members admire the oldest Marks & Spencer's Stall in the Central Market.

The station building was built 1845-50 to the plans of John Dobson, who won a gold medal at Paris in 1858 for his wrought and cast iron roof to the curved train shed. The classical portico was added in 1863. The refreshment room has been refurbished and is splendidly decorated with Burmantofts faience tiles. Crossing to the 'wrong side of the tracks' we were in an industrial area. Hanover Street leads down to the riverside. Most of the warehouses which lined the south side have gone but, in compensation, there are some good views of the river and the bridges. The cobbled street has tramways of Shap granite so that horses could get a grip on the cobbles while the carts rode easily along the granite. Up in Forth Street we came to Robert Stephenson's locomotive works, shut up and rather derelict. Below the railway retaining wall we could look up to a huge water tank of 1891 built on top of an Italianate office block. Further along is the site of the Forth Goods Station, most of which has been redeveloped as the Arena Complex. On the way to the Discovery Museum we also passed the cattle market office of 1831 and the 1870s railway auditor's office. The museum is housed in a warehouse and offices built in 1891 for the Co-operative Wholesale Society. The major exhibit is Charles Parsons' turbine powered ship, Turbinia, the first of what became many turbine driven ships. There is also a good display of local history in the Newcastle Story and People's Gallery.

In the evening the Millennium Bridge was to be opened in connection with the presentation of the Stirling Prize and before dining we went along the quayside to watch the unusual raising and subsequent lowering of the bridge by swinging it through an arc above the river.

Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny and we went out of Newcastle on the Metro to North Shields. The town was originally a fishing town on the riverside. When this became too crowded a new town was built 60 feet higher above the river. Here, in and around Howard and Saville Street, we found inter alia the Municipal Offices, the big houses of the more prosperous citizens and Maritime Chambers, at different times a subscription library and the offices of the Stag Line shipping company. On the way down to the ferry to South Shields we passed the estate of the Provident Society and, on the quayside Collingwood Mansions with a chequered history, part being a sailors' home offering cheap accommodation to visiting sailors until it closed in 1938.

The ferry gave us the opportunity to see the various lights erected to aid navigation into the Tyne, the Tyne Commission Quay, the terminus for boats to Scandinavia, and other riverside sites. In South Shields, just up from the ferry there is the old town and market hall (1768) of typical design, surrounded by a very unattractive 1960s square. A long straight street leads through the town, Along it or close by there are a number of interesting buildings including the former 1860s Marine and Technical College, the Free Library and Reading Room, the Scotia, a fine Edwardian baroque pub, and the former Royal Assembly Hall, recently a night club and in poor condition.

The trip ended with a Metro ride back to Newcastle but some people wished to explore further afield and effectively the safari ended in a pub in South Shields. As always many thanks are due to Sue, Danny and Paul.

Bill Firth, GLIAS Newsletter 203 December 2002

The group after dinner in the former Prudential Society's offices

The group and the Prudential Offices decorated with Burmantofts tiles.

City Safaris are organised by Heritage of Industry Ltd, 80 Udimore Road, Rye, Sussex, TN31 7DY

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