Once upon a time people would travel from Newcastle to London by passenger boat as a more effective method of travel than coach and horse, or walking, and one upon a time coal was taken from the Tyne all over the world. Yesterday a polish ship or may be it was Russian, was unloading coal at the Port of Tyne which has now moved down river and located at South Shields for freight and at North Shields for Passengers. No ships are built but at South Shields and Hebburn there was repair work continuing on a drilling platform and a few ships, one an ice breaker, There was one freighter on the North bank of the Tyne at Wallsend, so named because it marked the effective end of the Wall and the there are still ship building cranes as well modern industrial plants and processes along both banks of the river all the way into Newcastle and Gateshead.
Some three decades ago when I first took a boat from South Shields Ferry landing up river, it was a very different experience. True there was ship building taking place on both sides of the river but no one was fishing because of the pollution, and everywhere there was sign of decay and abandoned workplaces and no where was there cared for land, new homes to admire the view, or to attract visitors from afar. I have been looking forward to making the trip again for more than decade, although I was in no rush because I wanted to see change. I had tried last year but all the places were taken so this year I kept in touch with the Nexus site on the internet and booked online a ticket on the first outing of the year and hoped for good weather.
The ticket said that one could board from half an hour before the sailing time of 1pm so I decided on an early sandwich lunch with a banana and was ready to leave midday thinking I would start or join the queue after a brisk mile walk to the ferry landing. Such was my enthusiasm for the trip that I forgone going to see the Masters Football talking place at the Newcastle Metro Arena, or watching England play New Zealand before a packed house at Chester Le Street. England was put into bat first and after an excellent start given by Bell, Petersen had come in and looked as if he was going to score a ton which later I learnt he did, and which would have left the great crowd feeling they had had their money's worth in what was otherwise a one sided game, as had been the 20 20 match I had watched on TV on a recent evening. Many missed the first part of his knock because of horrendous traffic jam and parking problems which left the ground looking only three quarters full at the start and with cameras showing the long queues lines at the gates waiting to have their bags searched to ensure that alcohol was not being taken into the ground. England were having such a good start that for a moment I regretted that I had to leave when I did for the river trip.
There was sunshine between lots of grey cloud, but none looking like rain, so far. It had rained briefly, heavy drops but not fierce rain as I made my way to watch Riot at the Custom's House the previous afternoon. Then it had been warm but today there was a chill edge to wind although it was still pleasant in the full sun, There was no cause to rush and get into a sweat so I took my time arriving just after 12.15 to find no queues but several passengers already on board with several other small groups making there from the Custom's House car parks or down the walk onto the fixed pontoon on which the all weather waiting area has been built. There are berths for three ferries. One at each side and one at the front which is used for the short journey across the Tyne to North Tyneside Our vessel was at the side facing the Custom's House and up river although from the shape it was unclear which was the front and which was the back of the ship, although I hoped I got the back so that I could view the Shields, Jarrow, Hebburn bank as we made our way up river. I was too late for the ideal seats at the side where you could sit at the railings but still found a place under the all weather awning which had been raised along with a few flags. However such was the cool breeze that one party at the end of the row by the railings decided to go for seats against the hull while others from choice had chosen the lower boarding deck close to the refreshment tables where later I was able to buy a large mug of coffee and a chocolate biscuit for the excellent value of 70p. There were Stottie sandwiches and a variety of cakes as well as constants large pots of tea as well as beer and soft drinks.
I settled down in my spot and made notes in preparation for the trip, scoffing some chocolate covered raisins while also watching late arrivals some who appeared unconcerned as the departure time arrived. Then I remembered from the previous occasion, from all those years ago, that the off time was flexible to ensure that no one was left behind including those who had taken the ferry from North Tyneside. Then we were off, going out first to the end of the river to just before reaching the two piers providing great views of the Lawe Top and the Bay of South Shields as well as Tynemouth and the North Tyneside Fish Docks and restaurant area.
There was a fierce sharp wind and choppy sea and as we had motored stern first so those of us at the back had got the full blast which sent several scurrying down below or to the front. As we set on the full thirteen mile course to Newcastle, the Newcastle to River mouth boat passed us so it was possible to take picture of a craft similar to our own.
Between the Custom's House and the Port of Tyne Authority buildings and the port docks I was interested to see that the land has now almost been cleared ready for a planned development of mixing housing, offices and recreation facilities, although I may not live to see completion which could take five to ten years, depending upon the economic climate and political vision. Attention was the directed to the North Tyneside bank where a Thompson Cruise ship was tied up next to a North Sea Ferry. Both large vessels but not as large as the freighter which was passing us mid river on its way Poland, Russia, Japan or China, These are not guessed destinations because at work on a Sunday scrap metal was being loaded onto a huge ship while coal from Poland was being unloaded from another and beyond these vessels there were acres of completed Nissan cars from the Sunderland Factory on the former Jarrow slake, a area of marshland when I first arrived, waiting to be shipped from its own dockside to Japan, Europe, the USA and South America. After the Port of Tyne there is the entrance to the river Don at Jarrow and the few minutes trip to St Paul's of Jarrow where the Monks would commence the sea trip to the early part of their monastery at St Peter's Wearmouth Sunderland. Here there is the Shell oil terminal now on strike and a Chemical works whose pong has dominated the town centre from time to time since it was built. You can also see the building from where escalators take you down under the Tyne along the pedestrian tunnel now used only by cyclists although once tens of thousands of men would cross over to their work in the ship yards and pits on both banks of the river, You can also see the large funnels releasing toxic car fumes at both ends of the road tunnel where work has also commenced on the second tunnel, such is the congestion on weekdays and summer weekends.
Just outside of Jarrow Town centre and before reaching Hebburn on the south bank there is the purpose built headquarters of the river police and helicopter landing. I nearly forgot to mention the river pilot tug station. Although the river is wide and deep enough to take the largest of ocean travelling vessels this was not always so and at South Shields there used to be a bar which enabled a foot crossing at certain times and which meant that pre Victorian sailing craft could sometime be held up for weeks in port or waiting to enter port at Newcastle until the water level was high enough. Clearly this was not acceptable once the industrial revolution was underway so the entrance was dredged but this did not affect the infamous rocks close by which has caused the untimely end of hundreds of vessels and which still make the need for pilot boats with the latest technology.
Then we reached the second remaining area of river based activity on both sides. At Hebburn there is ship repair with three customer vessels at the dockside, one an ice breaking ship. The ship building cranes are still there at Wallsend. The official end of the Wall and where ash South Shields there was a larger and more important Fort than that at Newcastle. At Wallsend then is now a modern observation tower which I imagine is similar to the one which had been suggested for Arbela at South Shields but where for the moment those of small minds, no vision and little concern for the welfare of future generations have held sway. Hebburn was once only an industrial working class town where the Catholic club was the posh club and Unionist Club the smaller one, and where it was unknown for a non Catholics to be elected to the town council. Now the extraordinary tall spire of the Catholic Church still dominates the skyline but there are expensive posh houses at the waterside and non Labour Councillors have been elected to the borough council.
Perhaps the best symbol of the civic leaders recognising the opportunity provided by the river is the creation of the Hebburn Marina and the exceptionally attractive riverside park which rises high above creating a country feel space. There are several such spaces between here and Newcastle, as well as Marina's on both sides of the river. Approaching Newcastle on the north bank there is the first of the residential developments along the River Tyne created in the early 1990's and where nearby is the entrance to a tributary from Jesmond and its Dene and an area of cultural development making use of former industrial use buildings.
However the greatest transformation has taken place on the South Bank at Gateshead. Here first next to a small Marina and the oddly named Elephant Hotel there is a large development of contemporary flats being build with river views and then the embankment from the Gateshead Stadium is also being enhanced to create riverside parkland from the former slag heaps and industrial wasteland. There are continuing industrial sites along the river with a derelict area at Felling between Hebburn and Gateshead, but at Wallsend there is a company providing a major transport fleet and another providing tone of the biggest cabling services in the world. There is a major International Paints factory at Gateshead and Spillers has a large and major Mill on the north Bank.
However it is as one approaches journey's end that the extent of transformation becomes apparent. First at Gateshead one can see the £60 million Gateshead College development, then the high rise apartments, the conversation of the former Baltic Flour Mill into the Contemporary Arts centre and then the International Sage Concerts Halls. The transformation is continuing. One the Newcastle Bank there is the recently opened high rise City Lofts projects, the new Law Courts, Hotel developments and Legal Offices as well as the development of the Victorian Buildings into one of the great night life areas in the world. The one aspect which is different from elsewhere is that this is a city which has life throughout the day and night and as with other areas of the river the intention is to create new communities who live and work without reliance on the car.
Then unexpectedly we had the treat of the day as we stopped mid river just before the brilliantly designed Millennium pedestrian and cycle bridge and waited for it to be cleared and then opened to let us briefly pass under continued to the second of the seven bridges across the Tyne which is a feature of Newcastle and Gateshead especially because of their close proximity. Here below the Tyne Bridge, the Sage and the Quayside the ferry did what I can only describe as a twirl and is whirled around and around for several minutes enabling everyone to photo everything before charging back home and allowing the bridge to be closed again.
I know from personal experience, from what I have read and seen on the telly at the cinema that there are grander and many more spectacular places around our planet, some natural and some human kind created, but I know of nowhere else where against odds and the hardships of two world wars, and the financial devastation of the 1920's and the endings of major industrial and manufacturing in the North East on any scale sufficient to support its population, there has been such a determined revival and to recreate communities where people want to live, work and have fun, and have a welcome smile for any stranger. Oh I nearly forgot to mention that the Port of Tyne was recently voted by its users as the best Port in the world because of its efficiency and the welcome of the people. The trips continue fortnightly until September 21st. The cost to adults was £11, concession £8 a family ticket including three children £36. Accompanying the trip is an ad hoc commentary by local men John Grundy or Jonny Johnson. John Grundy's style was perfect, chatty, spontaneous and as thrilled as the rest of us by what was happening along this great river.
Some three decades ago when I first took a boat from South Shields Ferry landing up river, it was a very different experience. True there was ship building taking place on both sides of the river but no one was fishing because of the pollution, and everywhere there was sign of decay and abandoned workplaces and no where was there cared for land, new homes to admire the view, or to attract visitors from afar. I have been looking forward to making the trip again for more than decade, although I was in no rush because I wanted to see change. I had tried last year but all the places were taken so this year I kept in touch with the Nexus site on the internet and booked online a ticket on the first outing of the year and hoped for good weather.
The ticket said that one could board from half an hour before the sailing time of 1pm so I decided on an early sandwich lunch with a banana and was ready to leave midday thinking I would start or join the queue after a brisk mile walk to the ferry landing. Such was my enthusiasm for the trip that I forgone going to see the Masters Football talking place at the Newcastle Metro Arena, or watching England play New Zealand before a packed house at Chester Le Street. England was put into bat first and after an excellent start given by Bell, Petersen had come in and looked as if he was going to score a ton which later I learnt he did, and which would have left the great crowd feeling they had had their money's worth in what was otherwise a one sided game, as had been the 20 20 match I had watched on TV on a recent evening. Many missed the first part of his knock because of horrendous traffic jam and parking problems which left the ground looking only three quarters full at the start and with cameras showing the long queues lines at the gates waiting to have their bags searched to ensure that alcohol was not being taken into the ground. England were having such a good start that for a moment I regretted that I had to leave when I did for the river trip.
There was sunshine between lots of grey cloud, but none looking like rain, so far. It had rained briefly, heavy drops but not fierce rain as I made my way to watch Riot at the Custom's House the previous afternoon. Then it had been warm but today there was a chill edge to wind although it was still pleasant in the full sun, There was no cause to rush and get into a sweat so I took my time arriving just after 12.15 to find no queues but several passengers already on board with several other small groups making there from the Custom's House car parks or down the walk onto the fixed pontoon on which the all weather waiting area has been built. There are berths for three ferries. One at each side and one at the front which is used for the short journey across the Tyne to North Tyneside Our vessel was at the side facing the Custom's House and up river although from the shape it was unclear which was the front and which was the back of the ship, although I hoped I got the back so that I could view the Shields, Jarrow, Hebburn bank as we made our way up river. I was too late for the ideal seats at the side where you could sit at the railings but still found a place under the all weather awning which had been raised along with a few flags. However such was the cool breeze that one party at the end of the row by the railings decided to go for seats against the hull while others from choice had chosen the lower boarding deck close to the refreshment tables where later I was able to buy a large mug of coffee and a chocolate biscuit for the excellent value of 70p. There were Stottie sandwiches and a variety of cakes as well as constants large pots of tea as well as beer and soft drinks.
I settled down in my spot and made notes in preparation for the trip, scoffing some chocolate covered raisins while also watching late arrivals some who appeared unconcerned as the departure time arrived. Then I remembered from the previous occasion, from all those years ago, that the off time was flexible to ensure that no one was left behind including those who had taken the ferry from North Tyneside. Then we were off, going out first to the end of the river to just before reaching the two piers providing great views of the Lawe Top and the Bay of South Shields as well as Tynemouth and the North Tyneside Fish Docks and restaurant area.
There was a fierce sharp wind and choppy sea and as we had motored stern first so those of us at the back had got the full blast which sent several scurrying down below or to the front. As we set on the full thirteen mile course to Newcastle, the Newcastle to River mouth boat passed us so it was possible to take picture of a craft similar to our own.
Between the Custom's House and the Port of Tyne Authority buildings and the port docks I was interested to see that the land has now almost been cleared ready for a planned development of mixing housing, offices and recreation facilities, although I may not live to see completion which could take five to ten years, depending upon the economic climate and political vision. Attention was the directed to the North Tyneside bank where a Thompson Cruise ship was tied up next to a North Sea Ferry. Both large vessels but not as large as the freighter which was passing us mid river on its way Poland, Russia, Japan or China, These are not guessed destinations because at work on a Sunday scrap metal was being loaded onto a huge ship while coal from Poland was being unloaded from another and beyond these vessels there were acres of completed Nissan cars from the Sunderland Factory on the former Jarrow slake, a area of marshland when I first arrived, waiting to be shipped from its own dockside to Japan, Europe, the USA and South America. After the Port of Tyne there is the entrance to the river Don at Jarrow and the few minutes trip to St Paul's of Jarrow where the Monks would commence the sea trip to the early part of their monastery at St Peter's Wearmouth Sunderland. Here there is the Shell oil terminal now on strike and a Chemical works whose pong has dominated the town centre from time to time since it was built. You can also see the building from where escalators take you down under the Tyne along the pedestrian tunnel now used only by cyclists although once tens of thousands of men would cross over to their work in the ship yards and pits on both banks of the river, You can also see the large funnels releasing toxic car fumes at both ends of the road tunnel where work has also commenced on the second tunnel, such is the congestion on weekdays and summer weekends.
Just outside of Jarrow Town centre and before reaching Hebburn on the south bank there is the purpose built headquarters of the river police and helicopter landing. I nearly forgot to mention the river pilot tug station. Although the river is wide and deep enough to take the largest of ocean travelling vessels this was not always so and at South Shields there used to be a bar which enabled a foot crossing at certain times and which meant that pre Victorian sailing craft could sometime be held up for weeks in port or waiting to enter port at Newcastle until the water level was high enough. Clearly this was not acceptable once the industrial revolution was underway so the entrance was dredged but this did not affect the infamous rocks close by which has caused the untimely end of hundreds of vessels and which still make the need for pilot boats with the latest technology.
Then we reached the second remaining area of river based activity on both sides. At Hebburn there is ship repair with three customer vessels at the dockside, one an ice breaking ship. The ship building cranes are still there at Wallsend. The official end of the Wall and where ash South Shields there was a larger and more important Fort than that at Newcastle. At Wallsend then is now a modern observation tower which I imagine is similar to the one which had been suggested for Arbela at South Shields but where for the moment those of small minds, no vision and little concern for the welfare of future generations have held sway. Hebburn was once only an industrial working class town where the Catholic club was the posh club and Unionist Club the smaller one, and where it was unknown for a non Catholics to be elected to the town council. Now the extraordinary tall spire of the Catholic Church still dominates the skyline but there are expensive posh houses at the waterside and non Labour Councillors have been elected to the borough council.
Perhaps the best symbol of the civic leaders recognising the opportunity provided by the river is the creation of the Hebburn Marina and the exceptionally attractive riverside park which rises high above creating a country feel space. There are several such spaces between here and Newcastle, as well as Marina's on both sides of the river. Approaching Newcastle on the north bank there is the first of the residential developments along the River Tyne created in the early 1990's and where nearby is the entrance to a tributary from Jesmond and its Dene and an area of cultural development making use of former industrial use buildings.
However the greatest transformation has taken place on the South Bank at Gateshead. Here first next to a small Marina and the oddly named Elephant Hotel there is a large development of contemporary flats being build with river views and then the embankment from the Gateshead Stadium is also being enhanced to create riverside parkland from the former slag heaps and industrial wasteland. There are continuing industrial sites along the river with a derelict area at Felling between Hebburn and Gateshead, but at Wallsend there is a company providing a major transport fleet and another providing tone of the biggest cabling services in the world. There is a major International Paints factory at Gateshead and Spillers has a large and major Mill on the north Bank.
However it is as one approaches journey's end that the extent of transformation becomes apparent. First at Gateshead one can see the £60 million Gateshead College development, then the high rise apartments, the conversation of the former Baltic Flour Mill into the Contemporary Arts centre and then the International Sage Concerts Halls. The transformation is continuing. One the Newcastle Bank there is the recently opened high rise City Lofts projects, the new Law Courts, Hotel developments and Legal Offices as well as the development of the Victorian Buildings into one of the great night life areas in the world. The one aspect which is different from elsewhere is that this is a city which has life throughout the day and night and as with other areas of the river the intention is to create new communities who live and work without reliance on the car.
Then unexpectedly we had the treat of the day as we stopped mid river just before the brilliantly designed Millennium pedestrian and cycle bridge and waited for it to be cleared and then opened to let us briefly pass under continued to the second of the seven bridges across the Tyne which is a feature of Newcastle and Gateshead especially because of their close proximity. Here below the Tyne Bridge, the Sage and the Quayside the ferry did what I can only describe as a twirl and is whirled around and around for several minutes enabling everyone to photo everything before charging back home and allowing the bridge to be closed again.
I know from personal experience, from what I have read and seen on the telly at the cinema that there are grander and many more spectacular places around our planet, some natural and some human kind created, but I know of nowhere else where against odds and the hardships of two world wars, and the financial devastation of the 1920's and the endings of major industrial and manufacturing in the North East on any scale sufficient to support its population, there has been such a determined revival and to recreate communities where people want to live, work and have fun, and have a welcome smile for any stranger. Oh I nearly forgot to mention that the Port of Tyne was recently voted by its users as the best Port in the world because of its efficiency and the welcome of the people. The trips continue fortnightly until September 21st. The cost to adults was £11, concession £8 a family ticket including three children £36. Accompanying the trip is an ad hoc commentary by local men John Grundy or Jonny Johnson. John Grundy's style was perfect, chatty, spontaneous and as thrilled as the rest of us by what was happening along this great river.
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