The 1876 Swing Bridge sits on the site of the first recorded crossing of the Tyne gorge, a multi-arched stone bridge which dates back to the 2nd Century.

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The Swing Bridge was constructed by Armstrong using the same materials, techniques and labour force that were producing guns at his armament works in Elswick. It sits in the Tyne gorge at the heart of Newcastle and Gateshead, alongside the High Level Bridge and the more recent bridges which create a vista that is instantly recognisable.

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It was built at a time when Tyneside was possibly the leading region in the most advanced and powerful country in the world, by a man at the forefront of the scientific and industrial advances that were transforming society for the first time into the one that we recognise today. Armstrong himself, at Cragside near Rothbury, owned the first house in the world to be lit and powered by hydroelectricity, and he used hydraulics to power what was the largest swing bridge in the world at the time of its construction. The approaches to the bridge are still supported by the old stone structures and consequently the bridge is both Grade II* listed and a Scheduled Monument.

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In more recent years as staffing of the bridge has reduced, Port of Tyne wished to increase the security measures on the bridge. While it was vital that the bridge be secured, the character and aesthetic qualities could not be compromised. Ideally, this was to be achieved using methods that were reversible with minimal aesthetic impact.

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Adelphi Director, Joanna, oversaw the project from development of proposals through to management of contractors on site; this included liaison with Conservation Officers from both Newcastle and Gateshead Council and Historic England and contract administration for the works.