Rusted steel from Tyne Bridge’s restoration may become art. The project marks the bridge’s centenary, engaging students.
Rusty bits are in a display at the restoration info hub on Lombard Street. People can see the bridge’s bad shape there. They hope to use the metal for art to mark the 100th year – the bridge turns 100 in 2028.
Talks happened about using local students, who could design art from the metal. Most of the metal is stored in a warehouse in Washington. Alistair Swan, who works for the city council, said they may do art with the scrap, possibly through a design contest.
Gareth Dawson, who manages the repair work, mentions that the exhibit grabs people’s attention, showing them how bad the materials were. The bridge holds 70,000 cars daily, showing that real repairs are needed.
Steel being removed is not good and must come out for a reason. This gives everyone a clue about the work. Over 1,000 steel repairs will happen, and they will also blast, paint, and repair. Concrete, drainage, and stone will get fixed too, along with new waterproofing and paving. They will protect the sides and replace bridge joints.
Engineers removed more than just rust. Nine tonnes of pigeon poop got scraped up, and workers cleared it under the bridge. It was a gross, tight space where the poop mixed with water leaks, making a sludge.
The guano is marked as unsafe waste, and experts must take the dangerous waste away. It cannot become fertilizer, as it mixed with rusty steel. New mesh keeps pigeons out, which Alistair Swan confirmed.
The exhibit shows old medals given to the original builders. A brochure shows the 1928 opening ceremony, when King George V opened the bridge. The exhibit has behind-the-scenes photos, and you can see a VR tour of the bridge. There’s also a Lego bridge model, and the info hub is open weekdays from 10 AM to 2 PM.