River Drive, bridge

River Drive Bridge dates from the 1930s, when the riverside underwent large-scale transformation. Most of the 18th Century dwellings had already been demolished and replaced by new industries. The bridge was needed in order to make them more accessible than the existing narrow thoroughfares. This was no small undertaking since the bridge had to cross the railway terminus.
The bridge, originally known as Heugh Bridge, took two months to build, at a cost of £35,000, and was officially opened in August 1939 by the then Minister of Transport, Captain Euan Wallace. The bridge is similar in appearance to the Tyne Bridge, but on a much smaller scale. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the River Drive Bridge confused German bombers during World War II, thinking that they were over Newcastle upon Tyne. LOCAL LIST