HMS Pickle

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

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 Svitzer Valiant

SMS Towage Englishman

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

Dove House Hospice Workshop

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

HMP Humber Prison Poems

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

Open Bridges at the Stage at the Dock

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

Mustering On The Hull

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

Kaleido-Bridges

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

HMS Pickle

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

Humber Film and Octovision Media

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

Humber Keel Comrade

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

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 Drypool to Hull Marina: River Journey #5

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 Wilmington to Drypool: River Journey #4

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 Stoneferry to Wilmington: River Journey #3

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 Sutton Road to Stoneferry: River Journey #2

Beverley Beck to Haworth Hall: River Journey #1

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

Visit to M.V. Syntan

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 Photography

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

Open Bridges Workshop Pearson Primary

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

Listening to Hull’s Bridges

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

Hull Bridges – Scale Lane

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

The Bridges of Hull – a Love Story

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