The bridge is back!

Now the road outside the honey farm has been fixed (thank you nice workmen)the bridge is being used again which is wonderful! It celebrates its 190th birthday on July 26th, which surely is a cause for celebration?!

Bridge Clean-Up a success!!

The Chain Bridge looks a whole lot tidier after a clean-up operation on July 4th. Thank you thank you to those who took part. Grit and debris we carted away, most of which had been washed down the hill in recent months. A little article even went in the paper, highlighting what had been done and how the bridge is still in need of care.

Update on landslip near the Union Chain Bridge

A glimmer of hope shone from the cover of the Berwick Advertiser this week (Thurs 19th March 2009) as it was announced funding has been sought to fix the road just above the Chain Bridge on the English side. The news that Northumberland County Council has approached the Department of Transport for the money to fix the slip is such a relief. The hole that was created and all the debris around it is such a depressing sight, especially when more visitors are out and about and there will be cyclists on the go again soon too. There are workmen surveying the area most days - last week it was a company called 'The Hole Story'... Plus the council kindly changed the signs at the top of the road to say we still exist! Thank you!

It will be great once the hole is fixed as attention can turn back to the bridge, which at the moment is covered in weeds and has worsening rust. Visit it today if you can!

Visit the Union Chain Bridge in 2009!

Happy New Year! The Union Chain Bridge is poised for many visitors in 2009. Don't forget to pick up a leaflet when you visit the honey farm up the road. At the moment though it's probably best to park at the honey farm and walk to the bridge as (a little depressingly) the road is closed just above the bridge on the English side due to a landslip. Thank you council for making a wee path past the cordoned off area! Just don't look down!

Union Chain Bridge

The Union Chain Bridge spans the River Tweed between Horncliffe, Northumberland, England and Fishwick, Borders, Scotland. When it opened in 1820 it was the longest wrought iron suspension bridge in the world with a span of 137 metres (449 ft), and the first vehicular bridge of its type in the United Kingdom.

Although work started on the Menai Suspension Bridge first, Union Bridge was completed earlier. Today it is the oldest suspension bridge still carrying road traffic. It lies on Sustrans Route 1 and the Pennine Cycleway.

The bridge has been maintained by the Tweed Bridges Trust, since the abolition of turnpike tolls in 1883. It is a Grade I listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Before the opening of the Union Bridge, crossing the river at this point involved an eleven-mile round trip via Berwick-upon-Tweed downstream or a twenty mile trip via Coldstream upstream. (Ladykirk and Norham Bridge did not open until 1888.)

Refurbishments

Temporary replacement hanger.

In addition to the 1902 addition of cables, the bridge has been strengthened and refurbishment on many occasions. The bridge deck was substantially renewed in 1871, and again in 1974, with the chains reinforced at intervals throughout its life.

The bridge was closed to motor vehicles for several months during 2007. A newspaper report available online indicates that the closure happened shortly before 12th April 2007 and was due to one of the bridge hangers breaking. The affected hanger has temporarily been replaced with threaded bar to allow the bridge to reopen to motor vehicles. This losure led to the formation of the Project 2020 group.

In December 2008 the bridge was closed to traffic as a result of a landslide.

Design and construction

The bridge's longevity may owe something to the fact that it was designed by a Royal Navy officer, Captain Samuel Brown. Brown's first design for the bridge was prepared in 1817, and reviewed by the eminent civil engineer John Rennie. Brown had built an experimental suspension bridge with a span of 110 ft, which impressed Rennie. Nonetheless, Rennie asked for changes to the design of the stone abutments and towers.

Brown would have been familiar with the fact that a wooden sailing ship is not totally rigid and designed the bridge on the same basis. Originally the deck was supported by three chains of iron bar links on each side. In 1902 a pair of wire rope cables was added. The decking is of timber and the whole structure is designed to flex slightly under load. Standing on it when a vehicle crosses is reminiscent of being on a ship. For this reason, traffic is now limited to one vehicle on the bridge at any one time.

The bridge proposal, received consent in July 1819 using an Act of Parliament that had been passed in 1802, and construction began 2 August 1819. It opened on 26 July the following year, with an opening ceremony attended by Robert Stephenson among others. Captain Brown tested the bridge in a curricle towing twelve carts, before a crowd of about 700 spectators crossed. The final cost was GB£6,449.

Captain Samuel Brown

Directions

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Facts and Figures

Official name	Union Bridge
Carries	1 lane of roadway
Crosses	River Tweed
Locale	Northumberland and Scottish Borders
Maintained by	Scottish Border's Council
Design	Suspension bridge
Longest span	129 metres (423 ft)
Width	5.5 metres (18 ft)
Opening date	July 26, 1820
Coordinates	55°45′10.04″N 2°6′15.72″