The Day The City Split In Two / A River Full Of Stories
We had a magical evening at the first Open Bridges film night on board the splendid Super Sloop Spider T last night. Rich & I met up with honoured guest Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant for the East Riding of Yorkshire to view the Open Bridges exhibition at Scale Lane Bridge. Following the exhibition viewing we made … Continue reading Film Night on board Spider T
Thanks to @ameliainhull for this write up of Open Bridges, 'an insight to the crazy but amazing night when the city of Hull split in two for the first time'. Check out Amelia's eloquent blog. She's been to loads of events and I love reading her genuine and charming descriptions which tell the story as … Continue reading ‘Open Bridges’ Interview with Rich and Lou Duffy Howard
We're half way through the Open Bridges exhibition Saturdays inside Hull's Scale Lane Bridge, and it's been another great day with a continual flow of visitors and some fascinating conversations. The panel depicting the transcript of the conversations from ship to shore, bridge operators and event control on the night as the city was split … Continue reading Radio Transcript
Open Bridge exhibition open this Saturday, free entry, come and say hello! #openbridgeshull
Open Bridges First Saturday Exhibition Great first Saturday of the Open Bridges exhibition inside Scale Lane Bridge today. We had a continual flow of people looking round all day, many of whom said they came along because they heard us on BBC Radio Humberside this morning, so thanks to James Hoggarth and Sally Fairfax for … Continue reading All Welcome to the Exhibition
Thanks to Amelia Grace aka Amelia in Hull for her fab review of the Open Bridges film and exhibition launch. Have a look and a click round Amelia’s excellent blog while you’re there.
The exhibition is open to the public inside Hull’s Scale Lane Bridge, free entry on Saturdays during January (6th, 13th, 20th and 27th) 11.00 am to 3.00 pm. We’ll be there, come and have a look round and say hello.
Hey guys!! Back in September, you may recall that I wrote a post aboutHull’s ‘Open Bridges’ eventwhere all the bridges that connect East and West Hull, opened to allow 3 vessels that represented 3 centuries through (HMS Pickle, Humber Keel Comrade and MV Syntan). This was a truly spectacular experience because Hull is a city that has the most bridges over the length of a navigable river and it was lovely to see these bridges celebrated for how they bring the city together. Several months on from that, the creator’s of Hull’s ‘Open Bridges’ event Rich and Lou Duffy-Howard invited me to the premiere of the ‘Open Bridges’ Video and Exhibition that further show the concept of freedom that the event explored and the amazing team of people that came together to make the event possible. The event was a really enjoyable experience and it taught me a…
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We are delighted with the launch of the Open Bridges film and exhibition yesterday, thanks to the whole team! It was a packed house at Kardomah94 to see the film and then over to Scale Lane Bridge for the opening for the exhibition. The Open Bridges film is made by Humber Film Creative Community and Octovision … Continue reading Open Bridges Film and Exhibition Launch
We are delighted to announce the public opening of the Open Bridges exhibition at Scale Lane Bridge on Sunday 10th December 2017 11.00 am, including a bridge swing. All welcome. Following the launch the exhibition is open to the public free entry on Saturdays during January (6th, 13th, 20th and 27th) and February (3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th) … Continue reading Open Bridges Exhibition and Film
Open Bridges: For the first time in the city’s history all 13 of Hull’s bridges raised, swung or closed simultaneously splitting the city in two at 20:17 hours on the autumnal equinox 2017 during Hull City of Culture’s Freedom Season. These stunning stills from Octovision Media's drone footage show the powerful tugs with search lights … Continue reading Shots from the Night Sky
Operationally the logistics required to make Open Bridges happen presented many challenges. Every challenge was overcome and when the city had separated and reunited, and the vessels sailed out into the darkness of the Humber, the world premiere of John Stead's new musique concrète work took place before a capacity audience at Hull's Stage at … Continue reading Open Bridges Jigsaw
"Open Bridges - on the night all the different components came together like the meshing of gears, working as one" Mal Nicholson HMS Pickle Our final Open Bridges workshop session was held aboard the Spider T, Mal Nicholson's wonderful 62ft Humber sloop. Thanks to Mal for the hospitality aboard the Spider. Open Bridges team members Iain Campbell … Continue reading Spider T Session
Thanks to Paul Escreet, Graham Hackney, Vince and Tim of SMS Towage for an eye-opening tour of Alexandra dry dock and a visit to The Scotsman undergoing her 5 yearly scheduled 'MOT'. SMS Towage Scotsman photographs by Richard Duffy-Howard When we saw the tugs and the brand new SMS Superman at Open Bridges waiting in … Continue reading SMS Towage Scotsman
Open Bridges Hull: "A truly memorable evening when we all worked together to overcome the odds and produce something spectacular. Thanks to all that made this possible and to our VIP guests" HMS Pickle Captain Mal Nicholson There were so many adventures during Open Bridges, and everyone who was part of it had a different … Continue reading Open Bridges Adventures
We were delighted when BAFTA winning composer John Stead accepted our request to compose a new musical work as the culmination of Open Bridges to take place during the freedom season of Hull's City of Culture year. The world premiere of John's piece, Moments in Time was a wonderful, quite surreal experience. The music, diffused … Continue reading Moments in Time by John Stead
It was great to see Brett at Open Bridges. We bumped into each other again at Douglas Dunn's poetry reading at Hull Central Library this week and he gave us a bookful of the illustrations he drew while he was at Open Bridges. If you were there, you may have seen Brett constantly sketching what … Continue reading Illustrations by Brett Hambling
All 13 bridges over the River Hull closed simultaneously for the first and only time in the city’s history – at 20:17 on the autumnal equinox 2017. Stories, observations, reflections, sketches and film and photographs have been flowing in. Adventures from different perspectives. The Open Bridges exhibition will showcase these to enable everyone to see … Continue reading Open Bridges from HMS Pickle
Following HMS Pickle’s involvement in Open Bridges as together we split the city of Hull in two for the first time in its history, HMS Pickle is set to embark on the next chapter in its incredible story by once again joining forces with its illustrious sister ‘ship of the line’ Admiral Lord Nelson’s HMS … Continue reading The Continuing Chronicles of HMS Pickle
All 13 bridges over the River Hull closed simultaneously for the first and only time in the city's history – at 20:17 on the autumnal equinox 2017.
Stop Press: All 13 bridges over the River Hull closed simultaneously for the first and only time in the city’s history – at 20:17 on the autumnal equinox 2017. High fives to everyone in the Open Bridges Team and everybody who came to the Stage@The Dock. The vessels were awesome, the concert sold out and was … Continue reading We Did It!
Hull – Friday 22nd September 2017 #OpenBridgesHull Open Bridges is a whole tapestry of threads. It's a celebration of the lifeblood of the city, the River Hull and its 13 movable bridges, more than any other city. Beautiful historic vessels representing three centuries are met by powerful 21st century tugs. It’s an exploration of the … Continue reading Tapestry of Threads
Click Here to Explore All of Hull's River Bridges Hull is top of the list in that no other city has so many opening bridges over such a short distance of navigable river. There are thirteen bridges and all of them swing or lift to open to river traffic. All the bridges - road, rail or … Continue reading Hull’s 13 Bridges
Open Bridges is a whole tapestry of threads. It's a celebration of Hull’s lifeblood, the River Hull, 13 movable bridges, the vessels that use the river and the heritage & culture that have grown up in both East and West Hull. Open Bridges marks the vital role bridges play in our everyday lives with a … Continue reading Vessels Representing Four Centuries
Open Bridges: We are very pleased to get a mention in The Times today. “Just occasionally things go right and the cynics are confounded. There were plenty of the latter around when run down and much maligned Hull was announced as City Of Culture for 2017. Yet with the year two-thirds over, the results are … Continue reading National News
Open Bridges includes a series of workshops hosted by Lou Duffy-Howard with creative writers Christina Lewis and Russ Litten who are working with schools, prison, hospice and community venues to explore freedom and the impact of freedoms denied in the world today. Novelist Russ Litten and I spent a great afternoon with a group from … Continue reading Willerby Library Workshop
Open Bridges Hull: For the first time in Hull’s history the city will be split in two when all Hull’s 13 bridges will be simultaneously raised or barriered, momentarily denying the freedom of movement east or west across the River Hull. On September 22nd Open Bridges will signify the vital role bridges play in our … Continue reading Music Premiere Composer’s Notes
Vessels representing four centuries are part of Open Bridges. The schooner HMS Pickle will sail down the River Hull and into the Humber Estuary as part of the Open Bridges journey. Captain of the HMS Pickle Mal Nicholson and his wife Val were recently invited by the Royal Navy to meet and cement the relationship between … Continue reading HMS Pickle
Open Bridges: For the first time in Hull’s history the city will be split in two when all Hull’s 13 bridges will be simultaneously raised or barriered, momentarily denying the freedom of movement east or west across the River Hull. On September 22nd Open Bridges will signify the vital role bridges play in our everyday … Continue reading Svitzer Valiant
Open Bridges: For the first time in Hull’s history the city will be split in two when all Hull’s 13 bridges will be simultaneously raised or barriered, momentarily denying the freedom of movement east or west across the River Hull. On September 22nd Open Bridges will signify the vital role bridges play in our everyday … Continue reading SMS Towage Englishman
Open Bridges includes a series of workshops hosted by Lou Duffy-Howard with creative writers Christina Lewis and Russ Litten who are working with schools, prison, hospice and community venues to explore freedom and the impact of freedom denied in the world today. September 1st 2017: Novelist Russ Litten and I spent a fabulous afternoon at Dove House Hospice with … Continue reading Dove House Hospice Workshop
Exploring freedom….and freedom withheld Open Bridges includes a series of workshops hosted by Lou Duffy-Howard with creative writers Russ Litten and Christina Lewis who are working with schools, prison, hospice and community venues to explore freedom and the impact of freedoms denied in the world today. Writer Russ Litten and I spent the afternoon working with a … Continue reading HMP Humber Prison Poems
The culmination of Open Bridges is the world premiere of a new acousmatic composition ‘Moments in Time’ by Hull based BAFTA award winning composer John Stead. Electro Acoustic Ensemble director, John will diffuse the live music - featuring found sounds recorded from Hull bridge opening mechanisms - in octophonic sound at TheStage@TheDock The programme includes … Continue reading Open Bridges at the Stage at the Dock
Open Bridges: On Friday 22nd September three beautiful vessels will muster on the Hull. This is the first time vessels representing 3 centuries will be seen on the Hull together: the Schooner – 18th century, Humber Keel – 19th century and Motor Barge – 20th century. They will be met on the Humber by 21st … Continue reading Mustering On The Hull
We’re delighted to be working with Octovision Media, astonishing aerial shots, qualified pilots, breathtaking images, and from Hull. We love this amazing film of Stoneferry Bridges like you’ve never seen before for Open Bridges. Open Bridges: For the first time in Hull’s history the city will be split in two when all Hull’s 13 bridges will … Continue reading Kaleido-Bridges
This beautiful vessel will sail down the River Hull and into the Humber Estuary as part of the Open Bridges journey. Thank you to John Medland and Captain Mal Nicholson for the fascinating history of the HMS Pickle - the swiftest ship in Nelson's Navy. During the Battle of Trafalgar on 21st October 1805 lightly gunned but … Continue reading HMS Pickle
Open Bridges film partners - Humber Film and Octovision Media Malcolm Scott - Open Bridges partner and founder member of Humber Film Malcolm Scott is a founder member of Humber Film. He was a chartered surveyor and, after public sector property experience in Hull, set up Scotts Property in 1990. He retired from the … Continue reading Humber Film and Octovision Media
The beautifully restored Humber Keel COMRADE will sail down the River Hull and into the Humber Estuary as part of the Open Bridges journey. Find out about the COMRADE from Humber Keel COMRADE’s Sailing Master, John Medland's biography of the vessel: "The steel hulled barge originally named Wanda was built in 1923 by Warren's Shipyard … Continue reading Humber Keel Comrade
Syntan down the Hull 21.07.2017 We were kindly invited on the Syntan as it travelled from Beverley down the River Hull, to Hull Marina for the Folk and Maritime Festival. The journey with Humber Film’s Alex Davies was to collect stills, film footage and bridge and vessel timings for Open Bridges. Usually photographs are taken … Continue reading Drypool to Hull Marina: River Journey #5
Syntan down the Hull 21.07.2017 We were kindly invited on the Syntan as it travelled from Beverley down the River Hull, to Hull Marina for the Folk and Maritime Festival. The journey with Humber Film’s Alex Davies was to collect stills, film footage and bridge and vessel timings for Open Bridges. Usually photographs are taken … Continue reading Wilmington to Drypool: River Journey #4
Syntan down the Hull 21.07.2017 We were kindly invited on the Syntan as it travelled from Beverley down the River Hull, to Hull Marina for the Folk and Maritime Festival. The journey with Humber Film’s Alex Davies was to collect stills, film footage and bridge and vessel timings for Open Bridges. Usually photographs are taken … Continue reading Stoneferry to Wilmington: River Journey #3
Syntan down the Hull 21.07.2017 We were kindly invited on the Syntan as it travelled from Beverley down the River Hull, to Hull Marina for the Folk and Maritime Festival. The journey with Humber Film’s Alex Davies was to collect stills, film footage and bridge and vessel timings for Open Bridges. Usually photographs are taken … Continue reading Sutton Road to Stoneferry: River Journey #2
Syntan down the Hull 21.07.2017 We were kindly invited on the Syntan as it travelled from Beverley down the River Hull, to Hull Marina for the Folk and Maritime Festival. The journey with Humber Film’s Alex Davies was to collect stills, film footage and bridge and vessel timings for Open Bridges. Usually photographs are taken … Continue reading Beverley Beck to Haworth Hall: River Journey #1
We had a wonderful morning visiting the M.V. Syntan, the beautiful barge which is going to journey down the River Hull from Beverley Beck for Open Bridges on September 22nd. The former working barge, originally built in 1949 and owned by Richard Hodgson's Tannery has been carefully renovated after being laid up for 20 years. … Continue reading Visit to M.V. Syntan
Open Bridges includes a series of workshops hosted by creative writers Lou Duffy-Howard, Christina Lewis and Russ Litten who are working with schools, prisons and community venues to explore freedom and the impact of withholding freedom considering notions of East and West, left and right, separation and connection, difference and similarity. One of our favourite schools, … Continue reading Open Bridges Workshop Withernsea High
Open Bridges is creating and documenting fascinating sights and sounds only ever seen by bridge operators and shipping companies. Some of the photographic images are taken from open bridges and some from the movements within bridges as they’re being operated for river traffic. Some of the photographs are more abstract. They’re inspired by famous 20th … Continue reading Open Bridges Photography
We're working with our Open Bridges team to put the various parts together - the bridges, the river journey, the music premiere, and we've started the workshop programme. Pearson Primary School was the destination for our first Open Bridges workshop last week. Creative writer Christina Lewis and I spent the morning with Miss Northen's year … Continue reading Open Bridges Workshop Pearson Primary
We're delighted to be working with composer John Stead for the the Open Bridges music commission which will be premiered on 22nd September at the Stage@theDock. It's going to be amazing and we're very excited about it. We've known John for a long time, but a chance meeting and effusive conversation in the supermarket aisle … Continue reading Listening to Hull’s Bridges
Open Bridges is underway! We'll be posting regular updates here on the blog. The visual content of the website is part of the project and will evolve as the river journey and music commission progress. So, Hull and bridges...Hull is a city of bridges linking the east and west banks of the river - swing … Continue reading Hull Bridges – Scale Lane
We are delighted that Open Bridges is go, full steam ahead. It's easy to remember the date - the autumnal equinox, Friday 22nd September 2017. We're working with our various project partners to make it all happen. But let's start with a story, a lovely piece of writing by Humber Keel Comrade's Sailing Master, John … Continue reading The Bridges of Hull – a Love Story
Open Bridges Hull - the day the city splits in two... #OpenBridgesHull
