Restoring an icon - Joint Sealing on the Tyne Bridge

The Tyne Bridge is not only a defining symbol of the North East, it is also a major gateway to the city of Newcastle, often seeing up to 70,00 vehicles use it on a daily basis. This refurbishment programme is vitally needed to restore the much loved bridge to its former glory and preserve it for future generations. The works will also protect the structural integrity of the bridge and ensure it is safe for use in the future.

The bridge is almost 96 years old and Grade II listed. Environmental impacts have resulted in corrosion and loss of sections. Thorough investigations have outlined that more than 1000 repairs need to be carried out to preserve the landmark for future generations. This involves steel, concrete, stonework and masonry repairs, drainage improvements, bridge deck waterproofing, resurfacing, parapet protection and bridge joint replacement, as well as a full paint job.

Maintenance and refurbishment of the Tyne Bridge started in Sept 2023 and could last up to 4 years. Castle and Pryor provided their joint sealing services, which would waterproof elements of the bridge deck.

History of the Tyne Bridge

Construction of the bridge started in August 1925 and was one of seven road bridges crossing the River Tyne. The bridge was officially opened on 10 October 1928 by King George V and has since become a defining symbol of the North East.

Built for the new age of the motorised-vehicle and to cope with increasing traffic crossing the Tyne, the steel and granite bridge was a major engineering feat of the early 20th century. At the time of its construction, the Tyne Bridge was the world’s longest span bridge.

The bridge was upgraded to Grade II* listed status in August 2018 as part of the Great Exhibition of the North. It is one of only 5.8% of structures in England which are Grade II* listed.

What is Joint Sealing?

Joint Sealing involves the application of sealant material to expansion or contraction joints, which allows the materials to move through natural expansion and contraction heat cycles while maintaining a seal, preventing water and contaminate ingress into the joint. Joint sealing can be done on completed or failed joints by raking out existing material, preparing the joint and then re-sealing. We offer our joint sealing services nationwide, across the whole of the UK.

What did we do?

Stas & Frankie, our experienced operatives, completed joint sealing on the bridge deck. Using hot pour N2 sealant, we sealed the joint along the kerb edge, around bridge hangers, arch cord joint and around existing utility covers.

The work was done on budget and on time.

Need a price for your project? Speak to one of our team.