The Day The City Split In Two / A River Full Of Stories
We've now posted all 42 of the 'Hull's River Bridges' chapters we had planned for this year's Heritage Open Days festival. Thank you to all our contributors, everyone who has followed the project throughout Heritage Open Days and beyond and to Charlotte and the Heritage Open Days team and Christine & John Netherwood (HODs in … Continue reading Thank you!
Hull's River Bridges: Nye Parry and Madi Boyd Playing the Bridge was an inventive collaboration which transformed Hull’s Scale Lane Bridge into an interactive musical instrument as part of Hull 2017 City of Culture. It was the idea of bridge architect Jonathan McDowell who recognised that like the Gamelan, the bridge can be played by striking the … Continue reading 33 Playing the Bridge – Part 2
Hull's River Bridges: Jonathan McDowell - Scale Lane Bridge, Design & Construction Some memories of the genesis of the distinctive form of Scale Lane Bridge, which won McDowell+Benedetti and our team the competition for the new bridge back in 2005: "Having worked out that a ‘swing’ bridge would be the most economic type of opening bridge … Continue reading 31 Scale Lane Bridge Construction – Jonathan McDowell
Scale Lane Swing Bridge A good introduction to the latest of Hull's River Bridges, at Scale Lane Staithe, is from the City Council's Tourism page: "The first footbridge of its kind in the world to allow people to ride on it while it opens, the Scale Lane footbridge was officially opened by former Lord Mayor … Continue reading 17 Scale Lane Bridge
Pete Curry and George Parkes Pete Curry was the council’s Structures and Safety Manager and Bridge Engineer who co-ordinated and controlled the raising, closing and swinging of all the bridges for the original Open Bridges event in 2017. We asked Pete if he remembered the events captured from June 1977 by George Parkes in the … Continue reading 23 Drypool Bridge Crashes 1977
HHull's River Bridges: Angus Young - My Favourite BRIDge There’s something about a river and its bridges which fascinates me. Perhaps it’s because I grew up in Gateshead and would gaze in awe at the trendy Five Bridges Hotel every time we passed it on the bus heading for Newcastle on the other side of the … Continue reading 40 Angus Young – North Bridge
Hull's River Bridges: Between Bridges - Les Reid Les Reid runs Newark’s unique Heritage Barge ‘Leicester Trader’. It is the last Trent size cargo barge built to fit the old locks of the Trent Navigation Company. Saved from being scrapped in 2008 and renovated by Les and a group of local barge aficionados, the dumb barge … Continue reading 36 Les Reid – Between Bridges
Hull's River Bridges: Painting the Bridges in 1966 by Fred Leason “I was a painter for Hull Corporation for about six years or so, in the sixties. I painted anything. Parks was a good job, swings and roundabouts, the boats in East Park. I painted the girders in the roof of the indoor market. And the five … Continue reading 29 Fred Leason – Painting the Bridges 1966
Hull's River Bridges: Andy Hazell - Hull Fast Film 1992 and Grosvenor Mill “A long time ago I bought a four storey linseed crushing mill on the River Hull, Grosvenor Mill. It was built in 1828 and is a ‘loosely organised pile of bricks’. Ships and barges used to bring chemicals and oils to the factories … Continue reading 27 Andy Hazell – Scott Street and Hull Fast Film
Hull's River Bridges: Scott Street Bridge The original Scott Street Bridge plans date from 1900 and show a beautiful attention to detail. The diagram showing access to the nose bolt locking mechanism by use of Simon D40 hydraulic platform with west cantilever raised through angle of 30° is circa 1983. The photographs below the plans show … Continue reading 10 Scott Street Bridge
Hull's River Bridges: Keith and Trevor - Lightermen Keith and Trevor were Lightermen. They both joined the lighterage in Hull in 1960 and operated dumb barges (lighters), that is a barge without an engine and with only a pole to steer it, taking dry cargoes from the docks to the mills and wharfs on the river … Continue reading 26 A Lighterman’s View – Keith Eastwood and Trevor Branton
Hull's River Bridges: Open Bridges The Day the City Split in Two We commisioned Humber Film Creative Community and Octovision Media to make the Open Bridges film. It was filmed by 16 film makers who captured each bridge movement and from the MV Syntan as she sailed from Beverley to Hull on the night of the … Continue reading 28 Humber Film – Open Bridges 2017
Hull's River Bridges: Michael Pinsky - Symposium at Wilmington Bridge "Michael Pinsky is a British artist whose international projects challenge the status quo on climate change, urban design and societal wellbeing. He explores issues which shape and influence the use of our public realm to create ambitious and provocative installations in galleries and public spaces. Taking the combined roles of … Continue reading 35 Michael Pinsky – Symposium
Hull's River Bridges: The Hull and Barnsley Railway Swing Bridge The Hull and Barnsley Railway Swing Bridge was built in 1885 over the River Hull on Bankside. It is still in use, carrying freight to and from King George and Queen Elizabeth Docks. The bridge and its operating cabin are Grade II listed. The bridge can … Continue reading 5 Railway Bridge
Hull's River Bridges: Stoneferry Bridge Stoneferry Bridge, like Ennerdale Link, is actually two bascule bridges, working independently and each carrying two lanes of traffic. Built between 1988 and completed on 23rd July 1991, they replaced the original swing bridge built in 1905. The website Structurae notes they are "twin Shadoof-type bascule bridges with 32 meter counterbalanced … Continue reading 3 Stoneferry Bridge
Hull's River Bridges: John Dean - Delivering Stoneferry and Other Stories We first met John during A River Full of Stories. His invitation to travel with him and shipmate Kevin on the George Dyson from Hull to York via Goole in january 2020 was a once in a lifetime experience which we'll never forget. John runs … Continue reading 24 John Dean – Delivering Stoneferry
Wawne and Stoneferry Wawne This magic lantern slide of the ferry at Wawne on the River Hull was taken at some point in the late 1890s. By the time I came across it, it had gathered about 125 years’ worth of dirt and dust. However, after a few days of careful restoration this remarkable image … Continue reading Ferry Part 4
It’s seven years today since Open Bridges night! We chose the autumn equinox for the event, to draw attention to, and celebrate the lifeblood of the city, the River Hull, by separating the city east and west, raising or closing all the bridges over the river simultaneously with priority to river vessels. The equinox is … Continue reading Open Bridges 7th Anniversary
We have linked up with artist Jack Pell, whose first institutional solo exhibition 'Byland's Super Saga' (currently at Humber Street Gallery, Hull) is a fascinating and magical multi media exploration of Hull and surrounding areas' waterways, bridges, myths, legends, and history reimagined. You are invited to join us in conversation with artist Jack Pell, as we explore … Continue reading Byland’s Super Saga – Jack Pell
Our friend Andy Hazell contributed a chapter to our book 'A River Full of Stories', with some evocative photographs from Grosvenor Mill, and the Old Harbour and dry docks at night. Here Andy revisits his time living at the mill overshadowing Scott Street Bridge, with a great view from above, of the bridge and traffic, … Continue reading From Grosvenor Mill – Andy Hazell
These photographs were taken from the same vantage point at the same time from the fourth (or fifth) floor of a Wincolmlee Warehouse at some point before 1979. Before '79 presumably because there's still steam emanating from the Sculcoates power station cooling tower, in the distance behind Scott Street Bridge. It's great to see the … Continue reading From a Wincolmlee Warehouse
The original bridge linking west and east Hull at Drypool was also known as Salthouse Lane Bridge. The article below, along with the engravings, is the original report as it was published in the Engineer, in London on the evening of Friday 3rd January 1890. The map of the bridge site prior to its development … Continue reading Drypool Bridge – The Engineer
Yesterday, and a flooded wharf and tow path at Beverley. A lovely bright morning and a swollen River Hull, drifting lazily by. The second gallery of photographs were taken on a hot midsummers day in 2015. Photo's by Richard Duffy-Howard Rich and Lou Duffy-Howard If you've enjoyed the post, we'd be grateful if you'd subscribe … Continue reading Beverley’s Historic Shipyard
Steven Oakden contacted us last year with his own personal story about the river. His story evocatively captures the last movements of the motor barge Swinderby in 2022. Part 4 is the final part of his story. All text and photographs copyright Steven Oakden. DEcember 5, 2022 A cold and dull day as I ventured … Continue reading Chasing the Swinderby by Steven Oakden – Part 4
Steven Oakden contacted us last year with his own personal story about the river. His story evocatively captures the last movements of the motor barge Swinderby in 2022. This is the second of four parts. All text and photographs copyright Steven Oakden. About Swinderby Built in 1974 by the New Holland Ship Yard for the … Continue reading Chasing the Swinderby by Steven Oakden – Part 2
Steven Oakden contacted us last year with his own personal story about the river. His story evocatively captures the last movements of the motor barge Swinderby in 2022. This is the first of four parts. All text and photographs copyright Steven Oakden. Urban Exploration My first sighting of the River Hull was on a very … Continue reading Chasing the Swinderby by Steven Oakden – Part 1