Newport Transporter Bridge

Newport Transporter Bridge
	Newport Transporter Bridge, view from north
use	Road traffic
Convicted	B4237
Subjugated	River Usk
place	Newport
Entertained by	Newport City Council
construction	Transporter bridge
overall length	197 m
width	3 vehicles side by side
Longest span	181 m
opening	September 12, 1906
toll	Motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians - 50p ; cars - £ 1
	location

51.570555555556 -2.9855555555556Coordinates: 51 ° 34 ′ 14 " N , 2 ° 59 ′ 8" W.

The Newport Transporter Bridge (Welsh: Pont Gludo Casnewydd ) is a transporter bridge over the River Usk in Newport , Wales . It is a Grade I building under monument protection. It was built between 1902 and 1906 according to plans by the French engineer Ferdinand Arnodin and opened on September 12, 1906. The construction is an example of the very rare suspension ferries, of which there are only eight examples worldwide.

Reasons for building a transporter bridge

This type of river crossing was chosen because the banks at the desired location (about two kilometers south of Newport city center) are very low and an ordinary bridge would therefore only have reached the necessary clearance for shipping with very long approach ramps. On the other hand, a ferry would not be usable at low tide.

The masts are 74 m high, the height of the horizontal structure is 54 m above the roadway. The gondola can transport six cars and 120 pedestrians and covers the distance of 197 m at 3 m / s. The drive is located in an engine room above the eastern driveway. This transporter bridge is the largest in the world today; it is the oldest of its kind in the UK.

Others

In 1985 the transporter bridge was closed due to wear and tear. After a £ 3 million repair, it reopened in 1995 and stayed in service until the end of 2007. After reopening in 2010, it only remained in operation for a few months. It is currently in operation between April and September.

The bridge is part of the classified road network (road B4237). National Cycle Network Route 4 crosses the Usk River here, and Route 47 begins on the west bank.

The bridge is widely considered to be Newport's main landmark. It was the focus of the 2000 year celebrations when fireworks were set off along its entire length and has appeared in various films (e.g. Tiger Bay ) and television shows. It costs 50 pence for pedestrians and all types of two-wheelers, and one pound for cars. A day pass allows you to visit the machine house and walk over the bridge girder.