Temporary repairs to Whitby’s swing bridge, which North Yorkshire Council (NYC) said would be done before the end of summer, are still not confirmed.
Back in June and July, NYC said several times it was planning to trial a lighter road surface to help stop the bridge getting stuck in warmer weather – as the black road surface was absorbing heat in hot, sunny weather which caused it to expand and get stuck when the bridge opened and closed.
The authority had planned to trial a lighter road surface to deflect, rather than absorb, light and heat by the end of summer and, if it was successful, carry out permanent works.
However, this week a spokesperson for NYC said of the re-surfacing: “Further works to the swing bridge are yet to be confirmed. We will keep the public updated when we have more details.”
It follows a failure on the bridge on Tuesday evening where it got stuck again due to a sensor fault.
The swing bridge was closed for nearly a fortnight in July as engineers effectively shaved off the ends of each side of the bridge to allow it more room to move.
The town was split in two halves and shuttle buses were being put on to take people from one side of town to the other.
The fire service had also been drafted in earlier this year to spray jets of water to cool the road surface during unexpected closures.
The summer season so far in Whitby has been dominated, and not for the first time, by a town divided, a broken bridge and a debate about where the funds were coming from to pay for it.
As a solution seems to have been reached for now, following emergency repairs over the last few weeks, it would appear the very same debate was being had as far back as the 1300s.
A publication by John Freeman, “The History of Whitby’s Swing Bridge and its Predecessors”, produced in 2009 to mark the 100th anniversary of the official opening of the Swing Bridge, gives a fascinating insight into the history of the bridge and how it was just as important to the function of the town then, as it is now.
It is hard to imagine how the harbour would look without the swing bridge, or how the town would have functioned without it, but it seems crossing on foot was done via sandbanks at low tide or stepping stones.
When Whitby had a drawbridge prior to 1835. Picture: Whitby Museum.
The first bridge type structure would have been planks of wood across the estuary, which were pulled back to allow boats through.
Someone though, did have the foresight to make money from people using the bridge by charging a toll to put towards its repairs and maintenance (which does perhaps pose a controversial question for a modern day solution to the bridge’s problems given the amount of people crossing it per day).
The book tells how in 1351, Edward III “granted to his beloved bailiffs and proven men of the town of Whitby authority to collect tolls from all users of the bridge carrying goods for sale in order to pay for its repair.”
It cost ¼ d (quarter of a penny) to take a horseload of corn over the bridge or ½ d for a cartload; two salmon cost ¼ d; 10 sheep, goats or pigs were 1 d while a horse or a cow were ½ d.
For each ship landing goods it cost 3d.
A Sutcliffe image of the bridge taken in 1905. Courtesy of Whitby Museum.
In 1407, Thomas Husey, a merchant left an oak tree in his legacy for bridge repairs.
In the 1600s there was a bit of a row about who owned the bridge – and therefore who should pay for its upkeep.
Was it the responsibility of North Riding County or Whitby Abbey?
In the end the county took charge of it and within 20 years there was a project to remove and rebuild the bridge because the harbour was changing shape, riverside properties were vulnerable to flooding at high tide and there was an argument about dredging causing problems in the harbour.
Now, they do say things take time in politics but talking about the same issues nearly 400 years later is quite something.
Here’s another snippet which may sound a little familiar to regular bridge users of late…
Daily life around Whitby Swing Bridge taken around 1913. Picture: Whitby Museum.
In 1767, it was agreed to build a new bridge with stone piers.
The cost was £2,860 and the stone was to be provided by “the Quarry of John Yeoman Esquire situate in the Constablery of Hawsker cum Stainsecar”.
It was actually ordered by a court that John Hancock would also be paid “Twenty Eight pounds Sixteen shillings and Sixpence Halfpenny” to build a boat to take passengers from one side of the Eske (as it was then referred) and back.
However, all was not well. It was a drawbridge and the pulleys and timbers kept getting caught on passing ships and the gap wasn’t really big enough for the boats.
Twenty years later, Whitby Sessions decided to build a new bridge as it would have been too expensive to repair.
A view over the first swing bridge, in around 1905, from the west looking towards the east side. Picture: Whitby Museum.
The report from the meeting reads: “Having viewed the state of Whitby Bridge and taken every means to inform ourselves of the situation thereof do, First RESOLVE that it appears to us to be more advantageous for the Riding to rebuild the said Bridge than expend any large sum of money in the repairs thereof as it appears that any sum expended now in the repairs thereof might afford but a very temporary relief as from the impaired situation of the present piers the whole bridge may be carried away by any tempestuous weather or damage by shipping.”
Mr Freeman’s research for his book, finds that it took until 1835 to rectify the situation.
Plans to replace the drawbridge were made up in 1813, a committee the following year ruled the whole of the North Riding would be faced with the financial burden, and only Whitby people would benefit from a new bridge.
It was another 18 years, 1832, before a council order was issued “for the building of a new bridge at Whitby”.
The drawbridge was demolished in 1833 and in 1834 foundations for the new bridge laid.
Bridge staff, Jack Usher and Frank Turner. Picture is courtesy of Whitby Museum and taken in the 1970s.
Francis Pickernell was the resident engineer and had been involved with many other Whitby harbour projects.
This one is said to have cost £10,000 and a ceremony with much pomp was had at the opening.
However, the celebration was short-lived.
Boats were getting bigger, the fishing fleet was expanding, ship-building was thriving. The bridge’s narrow opening was a problem and it was suffering from collision damage. By 1894, it was deemed “inadequate”.
It was closed for major repairs and so, some 130 years before what we have seen already this summer, a ferry was put on to get people over the river (the new bridge wasn’t opened until 1980).
The bridge on Peace Day in July 1919. It was a commemoration throughout the UK and British Empire, to mark the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, ending the First World War. Picture: Whitby Museum.
In nine hours, 6,647 people had used the ferry.
Another issue, by now, was vehicles using the bridge, as well as pedestrians and boats.
In 1906, Whitby Urban District Council (W.U.D.C) took on the responsibility of the bridge from the Harbour Board, wanting to tackle what had become an “urgent problem”.
After a lengthy negotiation with the County Council, it was agreed W.U.D.C would, within ten years, replace it with a bridge “not less than 23 feet wide and of sufficient strength to carry a traction engine weighing 15 tons.”
Flags, bands and pomp and ceremony led the celebrations for Whitby’s swing bridge opening. Picture: Whitby Museum.
The current swing bridge was designed by J Mitchell Moncrieff of Newcastle and built by Heenan and Froude Ltd, who also built Blackpool Tower.
A temporary bridge was built over the river so the old one could be demolished, making way for what is the fourth known official bridge, with makeshift and other structures having served a purpose too for hundreds of years.
The western supports went 39 feet below water level before finding stable ground, dolphins were put around the piers to protect the structure from collision damage and the surface was made from granite chips to keep the weight as low as possible.
Tests before opening found it took the bridgemen five minutes and four seconds to open the bridge by motor, and 11 minutes and 20 seconds by hand.
The old bridge and an image taken from the lower harbour so will pre-date 1909. Picture: Whitby Museum.
It cost £22,582 14s and 4d to build the current swing bridge, officially opened in July 1909 by Mrs W Gervase Beckett, the wife of a local MP to large crowds, flags flying and bands playing.
Since “The History of Whitby’s Swing Bridge and its Predecessors” was published, discounting the last few months, there have been numerous questions over the future of the swing bridge.
When Mr Freeman wrote about his thoughts on the future of the bridge, he asked if it would be traditional, pedestrian, pedestrian and vehicle, or on another site?
When he wrote, “The unthinkable is that after so many centuries we have no bridge there at all” – did he realise it would so soon be a relevant concern?
Whitby’s swing bridge as it is now. Picture: Ceri Oakes
Whitby’s Swing Bridge will stay closed for another week, North Yorkshire Council has announced this afternoon (Thursday).
The current works were expected to be completed tomorrow (Friday July 10) but are now expected to be complete by Friday July 17.
In a new update, North Yorkshire Council (NYC) said the bridge will continue to be closed to vehicles and there will also be a period of closure to pedestrians.
This will be from 6pm on Monday July 13, to 2am on Tuesday July 14.
It is to allow work to be carried out which requires the bridge to be opened for river traffic.
Engineers working on the swing bridge this week. Picture: Ceri Oakes
While the pedestrian closure is in place, a shuttle bus will operate on Monday from 6pm until midnight.
This week’s works, so excavations behind the steel plate could be created, allowing additional space for the bridge to swing, were supposed to be completed tomorrow.
They followed an overnight closure last week to allow engineers to ‘shave off’ the ends of the bridge which meet. It was believed heat from the weather was causing expansion of the road surface and metal stoppers.
Over the last couple of months there have been several other occasions where the bridge wouldn’t close again and the fire service have cooled the road surface with jets of water.
Engineers were planning later this summer to re-surface the bridge with a lighter coloured road surface, which will reflect heat and the sun’s rays, rather than absorb them and expand.
The swing bridge in Whitby will be closed to vehicles all week as North Yorkshire Council (NYC) works again to repair it following several failures in the last few weeks.
As the bridge failed again over the weekend, a road sign was suddenly placed at each side of the bridge saying it will be closed from today until Friday.
Pedestrian access will still be possible.
NYC says it is now excavating behind the steel plate to create additional space for the bridge to swing.
The authority added, however, that it doesn’t know the full extent of the work required until the excavation begins.
Last week, NYC closed the bridge on Tuesday for an emergency repair following a weekend where the bridge failed numerous times.
Engineers were going to remove build up of corrosion on the deck ends, which NYC said was being made worse by the extreme heat.
It was also planning this summer to re-surface the bridge in a lighter colouring to reflect, rather than absorb, the sun’s rays to help prevent the surface expanding.
The Anchor had approached NYC last week for further updates on whether this has been successful.
Today a spokesperson added: “Details of what is required and any further works will be communicated when we can.”
Whitby’s swing bridge will undergo an emergency repair this week after a series of closures and chaos over recent weeks caused by hot weather causing the bridge to fail.
Over the the last seven days the swing bridge has got stuck when opening and closing several times.
It meant the bridge was unpassable for pedestrians and vehicles, with people having to walk from one side of town to the other and cars all having to divert over the new bridge with long tailbacks and traffic jams as a result.
North Yorkshire Council announced this afternoon (Monday) a team of bridge and highways experts from North Yorkshire Council will work through the night tomorrow (Tuesday) to try and resolve the issues stopping the swing bridge from closing properly.
The work will require a full road closure on site from 6pm tomorrow (Tuesday, June 30) to 2am on Wednesday (July 1).
Engineers will attempt to remove any corrosion from the ends of the two sections of the bridge, which meet when it is opened and closed.
A shuttle bus will be in place from 6pm to midnight tomorrow to ferry people across the two sides of town.
North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director for highways and infrastructure, Barrie Mason, said: “We fully appreciate the impact this issue is having on the town, its residents, businesses and visitors and we will do everything we can to get to the bottom of it as quickly as possible.
“The structure is inspected every three months, but for this particular programme we will be looking for, and removing, any build-up of corrosion on the deck ends.
“Normally the function of the swing bridge’s own opening and closing would naturally remove any rust building up as the two sides move. The extremes of heat we have seen may well have impacted on this, so we will be looking for any signs of that.
“Some noise is to be expected, and there may be a delay in starting if the bridge is too warm, but we are committed to sorting it out.
“In the near future, we are also looking to put in some light-coloured high friction surfacing as a further measure to reduce heat build-up.
“I want to thank everyone for their patience and reassure them we are taking this very seriously. While we do this, we ask that people don’t take unnecessary risks and respect the closure.”
The current swing bridge was built in 1908. The bridge spans 75 feet and each section can be operated independently to swing horizontally.
Experimental works to help prevent Whitby Swing Bridge getting stuck are set to be trialled before the end of summer.
Over recent weeks the bridge has failed during hotter temperatures and on occasions has seen the fire service called to cool the road surface on the bridge with water jets.
Engineers say the issue is being caused by the black road surface absorbing thermal energy in hot and sunny weather, which is leading to thermal build up and expansion.
Whitby Swing Bridge. Picture: Ceri Oakes
It then means the swinging spans are interfering with each other and the edges of each section of the bridge when it opens and closes.
Engineers are going to trial using a light coloured surfacing, which will reflect the sun’s rays, helping to reduce the thermal build-up in the bridge and reduce the expansion.
It is planned to split the project into two phases – proof of concept, then full resurfacing.
Whitby Swing Bridge is 115 years-old. Picture: Ceri Oakes
In the first phase, North Yorkshire Council says it hopes to lay a light high friction surfacing on the bridge before the end of summer, and if it is successful in reducing thermal expansion, will carry out full resurfacing in the next couple of years.
Coun Neil Swannick, representing the Whitby Streonshalh division which includes the harbour on NYC said: “I recognise that closures of the swing bridge can be very frustrating for residents, traders and tourists alike, but North Yorkshire Council will always try to get the bridge working again as quickly as possible.
“We are up against problems inherent in keeping a 115 year-old bridge working in times when climate change is creating extreme conditions, which were not anticipated when the bridge was built.
“I am hopeful that the plan to cover the black tarmac with a light coloured high-friction surfacing this summer will at least reduce the number of mechanical problems and that, if this plan works, the job can be completed out of season.”
He added the issue was not unique to Whitby Swing Bridge and owners of many other swing bridges are finding similar problems occurring frequently.
