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The Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge has been a symbol of the area since it was opened in 1911. We are proud to celebrate its centenary this year. It is the largest working transporter bridge in the world and a landmark symbol of Middlesbrough's engineering and industrial might.

The Transporter Bridge in numbers

The Middlesbrough Transporter is a total of 851 feet (259.3 metres) in length which makes it the longest of those remaining in the world.

Its cantilever construction has three main bridge spans that give it its unique appearance. The bridge is, effectively, two almost independent structures joined at the centre of the River Tees.

Each half of the bridge has an 'anchor' span of 140 feet (42.6 metres) and then cantilevers across the river some 285 feet (86.8 metres) from the tower leg to meet its twin from the opposite bank.

The passenger gondola is suspended by steel cables and runs on a wheel and rail system approximately 160 feet (48.7 metres) above the River Tees.

In April 1996 local government reorganisation transferred the ownership of the bridge to Middlesbrough Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council with Middlesbrough Council responsible for the day-to-day running and maintenance of the Bridge.

The Transporter Bridge opening hours and information

Transporter Bridge operational hours

New opening hours of the Bridge are 7am - 7pm Monday to Friday and 9.30am - 3.30pm on Saturdays. The Bridge is closed all day Sunday for events and maintenance, the visitor centre remains open on Sundays.

Bank holidays: 11am - 5.30pm

Christmas period: Closed on Christmas  Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

Transporter Bridge charges

Pedestrians: 70p, Cars, motorcycles, vans (max weight 3 tons): £1.30 per bay

Bridge alerts

High winds can close the Transporter Bridge, as can heavy rain, fog and essential maintenance. To know this information first you can sign up for free mobile phone alerts by texting tbridge to 07624 819010.

You can also register for email alerts here.

Tours and facilities

Tours and facilities are available for meetings, seminars or history presentations, school visits and special events. Visitor Centre Hire: £40 per half day, Ground Tours: £2.00, Full Tour: £4.00, Presentations: £35.

For further information you can telephone: (01642) 247563

Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge video

Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge video courtesy of Michael-Adam Goodwill

The Transporter Bridge - History

From the earliest times there have been crossings of the River Tees near what would become Middlesbrough. A ford is believed to have been in existence opposite the settlement of Newport and it would have been used by monks and others travelling between their communities.

In the eighteen thirties, with the advent of the coal trade and the subsequent growth in the local population, a considerable traffic sprang up between the two banks of the river and, to meet this need, a row-ferry service was established. This ferry continued as a private enterprise up to 1856 when a Local Act enabled the recently incorporated Middlesbrough Corporation (1853) to establish a public wharf and passage over the Tees.

In 1862 the Ferry Committee gave instructions for estimates to be obtained for a steam ferryboat. 'The Progress', a shallow-draught steam ferry, built of wood by Mr. Frederick Leach and licensed to carry 139 passengers, inaugurated the steam ferry crossing of the Tees.

In 1872 Mr. Charles Smith (Manager of the Hartlepool Ironworks) submitted a scheme to the council for a Bridge, with a span of 650 feet, (198 metres), and a headway of 150 feet, (45.7 metres) above high water level. Mr. Smith's scheme for bridging the Tees was on the transporter or aerial ferry principle, and he is credited as being the originator of the concept of this type of bridge. The cost of his novel method of transportation across the Tees was placed at £31,162. The Council however decided not to adopt the bridge scheme but rather, in 1874, commission 'The Perserverance' , the first boat to ferry horses and carts over the Tees. This ferry could carry 400 passengers and cost £2,975.

In 1884, the tender of Messrs Hepple and Co, of North Shields, was accepted for building the Ferry Steamer "Hugh Bell". The length of this vessel was 94 feet (28.6 metres), breadth 30 feet (9.1 metres), and draught 2 feet 10 inches (1 metre). She cost £6,050 and was licensed to carry 857 passengers.

In 1888, the Council accepted the tender amounting to £5,000 from Messrs Raylton Dixon and Company for the Ferry Steamer "Erimus". The Erimus was 95 feet long (28.9 metres) 30 feet broad (9.1 metres), with a draught of 3 feet 4 inches (1 metre), and was allowed by the Board of Trade to carry 927 passengers.

In 1901 the question of bridging the River on the present site was reconsidered and reference was made to the Transporter type of bridge which was already in successful operation abroad although it would be another five years before the idea was progressed in Middlesbrough.

The Council met Mon. Ferdinand Arnodin, of Chateau Neuf Sur Loire (the French pioneer Engineer of Transporter Bridges), on the 18 October 1906, and discussed with him the question of the erection of a bridge across the River Tees. They then adjourned their meeting to the 23 October, when Mr. Wm. E. Pease, Managing Director of the Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Co Limited and Mr. G.C. Imbault, their Engineer, attended. After fully discussing the matter the Company was appointed to act as Advising Engineers to the Corporation.

The Corporation successfully promoted a Bill in Parliament authorising them to construct a Transporter Bridge and to discontinue the ferry. This received the Royal Assent and passed into law on 4th July 1907.

Six firms responded to the invitation to tender, the successful bid being that of Sir William Arrol and Company Limited of Glasgow. The contract was signed on the 9th June 1909 for the sum of £68,026 6s 8d and the time allowed for construction and completion of the bridge was twenty-seven months.

Foundation stones of Aberdeen granite were laid on 3rd August 1910 by Lieut. Colonel T. Gibson Pool (Mayor) and Alderman Joseph McLauchlan (the initiator of the Transporter scheme). The bridge was opened on the 17th October, 1911 by Prince Arthur of Connaught and it was acknowledged as a remarkable piece of engineering.

The final cost of the Bridge was £84,000 and it was completed some 42 years after Charles Smith had produced his very first design for a Transporter Bridge.

Ninety years later the Transporter Bridge is still operating daily and provides an important link across the Tees.

Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge awards and recognition

In December 1993, the bridge was awarded the Institution of Mechanical Engineers' highest honour, The Heritage Plaque, for engineering excellence, in recognition of the Council's efforts in keeping the bridge in good working order. Its historical importance was also recognised in 1985 by its listing as a Grade II* Listed Building and its prominence as a local landmark was further enhanced in 1993 by the installation of flood lights that operate during the winter months.

Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge in popular culture

In recent years despite all the efforts of the cast of Auf Wiedersehen Pet, the bridge still remains the focal point of the River Tees. The TV show, which became an instant hit, showed the Transporter Bridge being disassembled and sent to Arizona in America. The people behind the programme obviously did a very good job on the computers as many Teessiders thought their beloved bridge was on its way across the Atlantic. However we won't be saying 'Auf Wiedersehen' to our bridge for a few more years yet.

My Favourite Place: Transporter Bridge by Lauren

My Favourite Place videos were created in Animex Take Two workshops set up and run by Gazillion Productions Ltd, Animex International Animation Festival, Teesside University and Middlesbrough Extended Schools.

The animations produced in the workshops are based on the student's favourite place in Middlesbrough ranging from Akbars to Stewart Park from Cineworld to mima.

Special thanks to Animex 2010, Big Lottery Fund, Extended Schools, Teesside University, Middlesbrough Council and Cineworld Cinemas.

View the whole series on our Kids Club page!

Ironopolis poem by Ian Horn

Ironopolis by Ian Horn

Where alchemists
Were born
Below Cleveland’s hills
A giant blue dragonfly
Across the Tees
Reminds us every night
We built the world,
Every metropolis
Came from
Ironopolis

Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge in photos

Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge Centenary Book

The Transporter is packed full of anecdotes and memories about the bridge, and features dozens of archive photographs, many of them unseen for many years, including several from the structure’s grand opening on October 17, 1911.

Priced £15, The Transporter – which has been printed on carbon-balanced paper by local firm HPM - is on sale now. All profits from the book will be reinvested back into the future of the Transporter Bridge.

Retail outlets

Please note websites are included for location purposes and do not indicate online sales except in the case of www.mfcofficialdirect.co.uk where they are now available.

Transporter Bridge Limited Edition Art Available Now

Artists and their apprentices have collaborated to create two limited edition artworks that are sure to become part of local history.

The pieces are the result of the Gallery TS1 Arts Apprenticeship Scheme, a pioneering creative opportunity in which young people not in education, employment or training, work alongside artists to create saleable artworks.

Over a two-week period, the apprentices worked with the artists to produce an unusual iron cast of the Transporter’s controller and handmade resin casts from cogs on the iconic structure.

Adam explained: “We walked over the Transporter Bridge to get a feeling for the structure and its history, but also to make small clay impressions of aesthetic parts of the bridge that would give a good definition, would tell a story and reflect on the bridge’s engineering and industrial heritage.”

Plaster castings of the clay impressions were produced, from which the apprentices chose a pattern produced from the Transporter’s old controller, which operated the bridge for 99 years until its replacement last year.

The finished pieces were cast in iron by Middlesbrough’s William Lane Foundry, once one of 140 local foundries but now the only one still in operation and based close to the Transporter itself.

The apprentices also worked with Vicky and creative writer Laura Degnan to create the resin-cast relief sculpture inspired by the Transporter blue and the structure’s centenary.

Vicky said: “The cable wheels, which feature in the design, represent the 'heart' of the bridge, taking people across the river for 100 years. The scroll-like element of the sculpture stems from a commemorative theme as well as traditional tattoo designs that influenced the apprentices.”

“The limited editions are history and art in one,” added Adam. “Producing them was a wonderful experience for the young people and I think one or two of them have the talent to become artists in their own right.”

All of the limited edition artwork is available from the TS1 Gallery opposite the Empire night club on Corporation Road, the Town Hall Box Office and the Transporter Bridge Visitor Centre. The iron and resin casts are £40 each, while the plates are £80.

Gallery TS1 on Facebook

Heritage Lottery Fund Award News

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has announced confirmed funding of £2.6m for the Grade II listed Transporter Bridge, one of only a handful of its kind in the world. The Bridge links Middlesbrough and Port Clarence and is a spectacular landmark on the River Tees

Ivor Crowther, Head of HLF North East, said:

“Middlesbrough’s Transporter Bridge is an iconic structure for Middlesbrough and also stands as an important reminder of the town’s long steel and engineering heritage. The Heritage Lottery Fund is delighted to be able to support the Council’s ambitious restoration plans that will give visitors a far better experience and help everyone learn about its fascinating history.”

Kevin McCloud, author, broadcaster and designer, said:

“The Transporter Bridge, sitting bang in the middle of Middlesbrough, is an extraordinary example of engineering, something long associated with this part of the world. The bridge also demonstrates the very British enthusiasm for practical problem-solving. This is why it’s great news that the Heritage Lottery Fund has invested £2.6m into the future of the bridge, enabling the local community and visitors to get involved with this special landmark in new and exciting ways.”

HLF’s grant will enable essential improvements to be undertaken, including installing new lifts and restoring the gondola and existing walkways. A range of educational activities will also be on offer such as trips to the Teesside Archives where people will have the chance to learn more about the bridge’s extensive history and workshops for local schools. Volunteers will be given opportunities to lead guided tours, arrange talks and help with important maintenance work.

Councillor Nicky Walker, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Member for Transport, said:

“The Transporter Bridge is a hugely important part of both Middlesbrough’s past and of its future, so this is fantastic news for the town and the region as a whole.The Transporter is an engineering icon and a landmark held dear by millions, and I’m delighted that that status has been given such tangible recognition. This is already a year of celebration with the centenary in October, and the modern improvements made possible by this grant will ensure the Transporter can continue both as a working bridge and as a major tourist attraction for many more decades to come.”

Councillor Mike Smith, Stockton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport, said:

“This funding will enable a whole new era for the Transporter Bridge, so it’s tremendous news in its centenary year. As a flagship for the region, it does more than simply link the communities of Billingham and The Clarences with Middlesbrough. This award will help bring the Transporter to the attention of many more people, who will enjoy a visit to this historic bridge.”

Project benefits

The project will benefit visitors by not only enjoying the panoramic view but also gaining a greater understanding of the history of the Bridge and the surrounding industrial heartland. These include:

• The installation of glass viewing lifts, giving visitors stunning views across the Tees Valley and a bird’s eye view of the former industrial heart of the region.
• Improvements to the walkway across the top to increase public access.
• Motor replacement to improve reliability, enhanced signage and improved lighting.
• Restoration work to the gondola, provision of a viewing area to the motor room, visitor centre upgrade.
• A 7-month programme of celebration events to raise awareness of the Bridge and the area’s heritage with a major celebration on its 100th anniversary.

In recent years the Transporter has become a centre for extreme sports with regular events involving 1,500 visitors in bungee jumping, zip lining and abseiling from the structure.

Events at Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge

On days that the bridge is closed all day for bungee jumps and abseils, visitors, for a fee, can walk up to the top. Up top tour £3.50 Ground tour £1.50.

Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge Centenary Edition Library Card

Ask your library about the new limited edition Transporter Bridge Centenary Library Cards! All new members over the age of 4 will receive one. If you are already a member you can replace your card for £1.50 (the standard replacement charge).

Additional transporter bridges around the world

As far as we have been able to research, there have been some twenty Transporter Bridges constructed around the world of which only eleven still exist and a lesser number again are still in regular use.

The first bridge, near Bilbao, Spain, opened in 1893. All the bridges were constructed in the twenty-three years between 1893 and 1916 and of the nine demolished structures an average life of thirty-six years was achieved.

Whilst Middlesbrough's Transporter is the largest operational Transporter Bridge the largest bridge ever of this type is recorded as 1000 feet (304.7 metres) in length, built over the River Mersey near Widnes. That bridge closed in 1961 and has, sadly, now been demolished.

There are only two other Transporter Bridges still in existence in Britain. These bridges are at Newport (Gwent), opened 1906 and Warrington, opened 1916.

Useful links

Transporter Bridge

UK Bungee Club

Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge on wikipedia

BBC Tees: Transporter Bridge webcam