42-746: The Shields Ferry operates across the River Tyne , between North Shields and South Shields in Tyne and Wear , England. The service is operated by the Nexus , the Tyne and Wear PTE . Prior to takeover by the PTE in 1972, it was known as the Market Place Ferry . Records suggest that there have been ferries operating across the River Tyne since 1377. By 1929, there were a total of eleven ferries crossing
84-644: A further fire in May 2020 means that the Staithes is becoming more vulnerable to vandalism and would need extensive financing to preserve it and make it secure. In 2016, Tyne Dock, South Shields was still involved with coal, importing 2 million tonnes of shipments a year. The lower reaches of the Tyne were, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, one of the world's most important centres of shipbuilding , and there are still shipyards in South Shields and Hebburn to
126-406: A mayor. North Tyneside Council initially provided district-level functions, with county-level functions being provided by Tyne and Wear County Council . The county council was abolished in 1986, after only twelve years in existence, and its functions passed to the area's five district councils. In 2002 the council changed to having a directly elected mayor ; prior to that the mayor had been
168-631: A member of the North East Combined Authority since 2024. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2011. It is based at Quadrant East in Cobalt Park , a large business park in the centre of the borough. North Tyneside and its council were created in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 as one of five districts within the new metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear. The district covered
210-540: A more ceremonial position. Since 1986 the council has provided both district-level and county-level functions, with some services being provided through joint arrangements with the other Tyne and Wear councils. In 2024 a combined authority was established covering North Tyneside, County Durham , Gateshead , Newcastle upon Tyne , Northumberland , South Tyneside and Sunderland , called the North East Mayoral Combined Authority . It
252-674: A place of environmental excellence. With its proximity to surrounding coalfields , the Tyne was a major route for the export of coal from the 13th century until the decline of the coal mining industry in North East England in the second half of the 20th century. The largest coal staithes (a structure for loading coal onto ships) were located at Dunston in Gateshead, Hebburn and Tyne Dock, South Shields. The wooden staithes at Dunston, built in 1890, have been preserved, although they were partially destroyed by fire in 2006 and then
294-433: A replacement for the previous landing which opened in 1898, and provides three berths as well as an indoor waiting room, and offices and break rooms for crew. Parts of the old ferry landing signage survives in storage at South Shields Museum. At South Shields Ferry Landing, it is a five minute walk to the recently reconstructed South Shields Interchange , which provides connections with bus and Metro . As of April 2022,
336-486: A replacement for the steamship Northumbrian . It was the first diesel ferry to be commissioned, and had a reputation for unreliability. The ferry's name came from the wife of North East Labour Party leader Andy Cunningham , who was later jailed for corruption. She was also the mother of politician and cabinet minister , Jack Cunningham . The vessel was sold in 1993, when the Pride of The Tyne entered service. Shieldsman
378-585: A single ticket is £2.10 and a day ticket is £3.40. Tickets are purchased from a conductor when boarding the ferry. As the Shields Ferry is operated by Nexus, who also operate the Tyne and Wear Metro, ticketing is integrated with the Metro network. A range of Metro tickets are valid on the Ferry, including all-zone Metro day, week, month and annual tickets, and Transfare tickets, which allow for one-way travel on
420-458: Is chaired by the directly elected Mayor of the North East and oversees the delivery of certain strategic functions across the area. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2011. The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of
462-546: Is now a houseboat on the River Adur in West Sussex . Pride of the Tyne was built by Swan Hunter , Wallsend , at a cost of £1.5 million. It entered service in 1993, and was constructed as a modified version of Shieldsman . The vessel also has a bar, The Admirals Locker , that is available on private hire trips. The vessel was the first river ferry to incorporate all of the new safety features introduced following
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#1732790404879504-570: Is part of the National Cycle Route 1 . All vessels in service are also fully wheelchair-accessible. The ferry service makes just under 25,000 journeys and carries in the region of 500,000 passengers each year. Two vessels currently operate the service, Pride of the Tyne and Spirit of the Tyne . In August 2008, the service's first female general manager, Carol Timlin, was appointed. Seven years later, in November 2015, Nicola Peach
546-429: Is represented, and personified, in a sculpture unveiled in 1968 as part of the new Civic Centre (seat of Newcastle City Council ). Sculpted by David Wynne , the massive bronze figure River God Tyne incorporates flowing water into its design. The Environment Agency is currently working with architects and cultural consultancy xsite, in collaboration with Commissions North, to create a travelling sculpture trail along
588-531: The Celts came: compare Tardebigge . A supposed pre-Celtic root *tei , meaning 'to melt, to flow' has also been proposed as an etymological explanation of the Tyne and similarly named rivers, as has a Brittonic derivative of Indo-European *teihx , meaning 'to be dirty' ( Welsh tail , 'manure'). LJ Ross ' thriller Seven Bridges from the DCI Ryan series evolves around the Tyne bridges. The river
630-706: The Marchioness disaster in August 1989. Spirit of the Tyne entered service in May 2007, as a replacement for Shieldsman . The ferry is an "off-the-shelf" product and differs greatly from its predecessors. It was built in Harlingen, Netherlands , and fitted out in Portsmouth . The design was adapted from the Gosport ferries: Spirit of Gosport and Spirit of Portsmouth . The ferry landing at North Shields
672-519: The Port by 1910. The tidal river has been managed by the Port of Tyne Authority since 1968. The River Tyne has a charity dedicated to protecting and enhancing its waters and surrounding areas. The Tyne Rivers Trust, established in 2004, is a community-based organisation that works to improve habitat , promote better understanding of the Tyne catchment area and build the reputation of the Tyne catchment as
714-574: The River Tyne between Newburn and Tynemouth . Following the opening of the Tyne Tunnel between Jarrow and Howdon in October 1967, ferry traffic saw a significant decline. Today, the Shields Ferry is the only ferry service that remains. The service provides a viable alternative to travelling by Metro via Newcastle , or by road via the Tyne Tunnel. The ferry can be used by cyclists, and
756-439: The River Tyne. The Tyne Salmon Trail will serve as a celebration of the river, its heritage and its increasingly diverse ecosystem. Historically a major symbol in the regional identity of the North East of England, the river plays host to a plethora of different species, the number of which is growing year on year in line with the rivers improving health. The trail looks to capture the imagination of residents and tourists visiting
798-765: The Saxon period: Tynemouth is recorded in Anglo-Saxon as Tinanmuðe (probably dative case ). The Vedra on the Roman map of Britain may be the Tyne, or may be the River Wear. Ptolemy's Tína could be a "misplaced reference" to either this river or the Tyne in East Lothian. There is a theory that * tīn was a word that meant "river" in the local Celtic language or in a language spoken in England before
840-647: The Shields Ferry and either a bus or Metro. River Tyne The River Tyne / ˈ t aɪ n / is a river in North East England . Its length (excluding tributaries) is 73 miles (118 km). It is formed by the North Tyne and the South Tyne, which converge at Warden near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'. The Tyne Rivers Trust measure
882-502: The Tyne has been handled by various bodies over the past 500 years. Conservation bodies have included: Newcastle Trinity House , and the Tyne Improvement Commission. The Tyne Improvement Commission conservation lasted from 1850 until 1968. The 1850–1950 era was the worst period for pollution of the river. The Tyne Improvement Commission laid the foundations for what has become the modern day Port of Tyne. Under
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#1732790404879924-532: The area – providing them with the ultimate 'fact finding' design experience, which celebrates the salmon's migratory journey in the Northeast of England. FINS, REFLECTION and JOURNEY were the first three cubes to be launched in December 2007 from a family of ten. Each cube is inspired by the textures, changing colours, movement and journey of the salmon. With each offering a 'modern day keepsake' to take away, in
966-440: The composition of the council (excluding the elected mayor's seat) was: The next election is due in May 2026. Since the last boundary changes in 2024 the council has comprised 60 councillors representing 20 wards , with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) elected each time for a four-year term of office. Since 2008
1008-580: The council has been based at Quadrant East, a modern office building at Cobalt Park , a large business park in the centre of the borough. With an NE27 postcode , the building comes under the Newcastle upon Tyne post town , although the council itself quotes the address as "North Tyneside" (administratively accurate but not postally). The building is in the part of the borough which was the County Borough of Tynemouth prior to 1974. Prior to 2008
1050-414: The council since 1974 has been as follows: Prior to 2002, political leadership was provided by the leader of the council . In 2002 the council changed to having a directly elected mayor . There have been periods where the mayor is of one party but the majority of the councillors are of another party. The leaders from 1974 to 2002 were: The mayors since 2002 have been: Following the 2024 election ,
1092-454: The county of Tyne and Wear to the east of Wylam . The river subsequently forms the boundary between Newcastle upon Tyne on the north bank and the Borough of Gateshead on the south bank for 13 miles (21 km), in the course of which it flows under ten bridges. To the east of Gateshead and Newcastle, the Tyne divides Hebburn and Jarrow on the south bank from Walker and Wallsend on
1134-600: The east as it approaches the town of Haltwhistle . Paralleling Hadrian's Wall which lies to the north, the river continues past Redburn and Haydon Bridge to join the North Tyne at Warden. This low level east-west corridor through the Pennines is referred to as the Tyne Gap. From the confluence of the North and South Tyne at Warden, the river flows east through Northumberland by Hexham, Corbridge and Prudhoe and enters
1176-550: The form of a designed Bluetooth message. The other cubes will be moving along the River Tyne over one year visiting different locations from Kielder to the Mouth of the Tyne in the summer 2008 before starting their long journey back to their birthplace. For three days, from 18 to 20 July 2008, a temporary bamboo artwork was installed over the Tyne close to the Gateshead Millennium Bridge . The Bambuco Bridge
1218-552: The management of the Tyne Improvement Commissioners, over a period of the first 70 years the Tyne was deepened from 1.83 to 9.14 m (6 feet 0 inches to 30 feet 0 inches) and had 150 million tonnes dredged from it. Inside these 70 years, the two Tyne piers were built; Northumbrian, Tyne and Albert Docks were built, as well as the staithes at Whitehill and Dunston. This infrastructure enabled millions of tonnes of cargo to be handled by
1260-465: The north bank. The Tyne Tunnel runs under the river to link Jarrow and Wallsend. Finally the river flows between South Shields and Tynemouth into the North Sea . Thomas John Taylor (1810–1861) theorised that the main course of the river anciently flowed through what is now Team Valley , its outlet into the tidal river being by a waterfall at Bill Point (in the area of Bill Quay ). His theory
1302-515: The project, funding from the Government's Getting Building Fund was no longer available. As a result of this, the redevelopment project has been pushed back until at least 2023. The ferry landing at South Shields was opened in July 1999, with construction commencing once there was sufficient room for redevelopment of the area, following the closure of Harton Low Staithes in July 1993. It served as
Shields Ferry - Misplaced Pages Continue
1344-403: The south of the river. To support the shipbuilding and export industries of Tyneside, the lower reaches of the river were extensively remodelled during the second half of the 19th century, with islands (including Kings Meadow , the largest) removed and meanders in the river straightened. Nothing definite is known of the origin of the designation Tyne , nor is the river known by that name until
1386-718: The village of Bellingham before the River Rede enters as a left-bank tributary at Redesmouth . It passes Hadrian's Wall near Chollerford before joining the South Tyne near Warden to the northwest of Hexham. The South Tyne rises at Tyne Head on Alston Moor , Cumbria close to the sources of the Tees and the Wear . Initially it flows north through the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), enters Northumberland downstream of Alston and turns to
1428-690: The whole Tyne catchment as 2,936 km (1,134 square miles), containing 4,399 km (2,733 miles) of waterways. The Ordnance Survey records 'the source of the North Tyne river' at grid reference NY 605974 at Deadwater, a few tens of metres short of the Scottish border. It flows southeast through the village of Kielder before entering first Bakethin Reservoir and then Kielder Water , both set within Kielder Forest . It then passes by
1470-416: The whole area of three former districts and parts of another two, which were all abolished at the same time: The whole area had been in Northumberland prior to the reforms; as a county borough, Tynemouth had been independent from Northumberland County Council but had been part of Northumberland for ceremonial purposes. The new district was granted borough status from its creation, allowing it to appoint
1512-621: Was allocating £47 million to the North East Local Enterprise Partnership from the Get Building Fund for 18 major projects in the region, to help boost the local economy following the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, a total of £8.8 million funding was secured, with the project being partly financed (£5.5 million) by the fund. In July 2021, it was announced that due to the time constraints of
1554-404: Was appointed as the service's first female crew member. Peach was later promoted to be the company's first female captain in May 2016, after obtaining her boat master's licence. Usually, only one ferry is in operation at a time, although both are used during peak periods. The service typically operates half-hourly, with a seven minute crossing time. Freda Cunningham was commissioned in 1972, as
1596-409: Was constructed by Hancock Shipbuilders, Pembroke Dock , and entered service in 1976. The ferry is double-ended and could operate either way, however she typically worked one way and turned around during the crossing. She could carry 350 passengers in public service, or a reduced capacity of 250 on private hire. The Shieldsman was retired early in 2007 to be replaced by the new Spirit of the Tyne , and
1638-403: Was created as part of that year's 'SummerTyne' festival. North Tyneside Council North Tyneside Council , or North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council , is the local authority for the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear , England. It is a metropolitan borough council and provides the majority of local government services in the borough. The council has been
1680-579: Was made to North Tyneside Council by the North of Tyne Combined Authority in March 2019, to develop a regeneration master plan for North Shields. Following storm damage to the ferry landing at North Shields, the Shields Ferry was suspended between 11 November and 21 December 2019, whilst repairs were undertaken. In August 2020, it was confirmed by the Department for Communities and Local Government that it
1722-583: Was not far from the truth, as there is evidence that prior to the last ice age , the River Wear once followed the current route of the lower River Team and merged with the Tyne at Dunston . Ice diverted the course of the Wear to its current location, flowing east the course of the Tyne) and joining the North Sea at Sunderland . The River Tyne is estimated to be around 30 million years old. The conservation of
Shields Ferry - Misplaced Pages Continue
1764-438: Was opened in July 2004, providing better accessibility and passenger waiting facilities than its predecessor. Passengers at North Shields Ferry Landing can travel to the town centre by 19 or 317 bus. Alternatively, it is a ten minute walk to the town centre via Borough Road. In November 2018, North Tyneside Council announced plans to consider the feasibility of moving the ferry landing at North Shields. An award of £200,000
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