The Romans built Pons Aelius, a bridge to cross the River Tyne, around 122AD. A fort was also built there, eventually becoming known under the same name; Pons Aelius. The Roman fort was located at the site now occupied by the castle keep in Newcastle.  The fort and settlement were thought to be at the original end of Hadrian's Wall, before it was extended out to Segedunum at Wallsend.

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875 - Several ships with troops, commanded by Halfden, a Danish adventurer, entered the river Tyne, and were cantoned in the adjacent villages for the winter, it being then too late in the year to make any progress in the northern parts of Northumberland.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

In 1248, a considerable part of Newcastle was destroyed by fire.  The timber bridge across the River Tyne here, which had gates at either end, was destroyed by the fire, and though repaired, destroyed again in 1256.

A new stone bridge across the Tyne between Newcastle and Gateshead was built in 1270 AD, replacing an earlier bridge which was destroyed by a fire in 1248. The stone arched bridge was built on the site of the former Roman bridge, it was built jointly by the Town of Newcastle and the Bishop of Durham. A blue stone on the bridge marked the boundary between the town of Newcastle and the Palatinate of the Bishop of Durham, between arches 6 and 7 from the north. The bridge had towers with portcullises at each end, and there was a chapel, shops and houses along the bridge, and even at one time, a temporary prison.

This year, king Edward II invested in the Corporation of Newcastle the conservatorship of the river Tyne.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

"By a sudden inundation of the river Tyne, at Newcastle, a great part of the town wall, which extended along the Quay, was thrown down, and 167 men and women were drowned." 1339 Aug 15.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

Part of Tyne bridge, at Newcastle, was, carried away by a sudden inundation, and one hundred and twenty persons were drowned.

1416. - Thomas Langley, bishop of Durham, recovered from the mayor and burgesses of Newcastle the third part of Tyne bridge, adjoining to Gateshead in the county of Durham, together with a tower which that body had lately caused to be erected thereupon. 

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

The first stone bridge across the Tyne at Newcastle had been built with a grant from the King, and the Bishop of Durham (later the Bishop claimed a third of the bridge, because it adjoined his land).

1559. - As Mr. Anderson, a merchant and alderman of Newcastle, was leaning over the bridge at that place, and handling his ring, he dropt it into the river. Some time after, his servant bought a salmon in the market, in which the same ring was found, and most unexpectedly restored to its owner. The ring is in possession of the family of the Rev. E. Anderson of Yorkshire. It has a fish engraven under the signet.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

There was a 'Great Flood' on the Rivers Tyne, Tees, Wear, Eden and other rivers in the region, after torrential rainfall on the 16th and 17th November 1771. All the bridges in the Tyne Valley were destroyed or badly damaged, except for the bridge at Corbridge. This included the washing away of sections of the Tyne Bridge at Newcastle. On the Wear, 3 arches of the arches of Elvet Bridge in Durham were destroyed. The Tees valley was also badly affected, with the loss of  mills and houses. Reputedly, the River Tees was half a mile wide at Low Coniscliffe during the flood.

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Jan. 14 - The river Tyne, for about four miles below the bridge at Newcastle, was frozen over, and several hundreds of people amused themselves by sliding, skaiting, and other diversions. Above bridge  owing to the uneven state of the ice, no person went upon it. Several workmen were employed to break and clear away those pieces that lay contiguous to the piles of the temporary bridge, lest the motion of the ice, by the rising and falling of the tide, might injure them. On the 18th of January, two young men performed a skaiting match against time below bridge; they were to go three miles down the river, and up again in 16 minutes, but they, with the greatest ease, performed it in 15 minutes.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

Jan. 26. - In the evening, a heavy fail of snow came on at Newcastle and the neighbourhood, which continued almost without intermission all that night and the next day, which was thrown into such dreadful drifts on the high roads in the country, as to render most of them totally impassable, so that the market day in Newcastle did not exceed even the ordinary number of people in the streets on any other day in the week. The frost became so very intense, that those country people residing within a few miles of the town, who surmounted every obstacle to get to market, had their eyes apparently frozen up. The river from Newburn, to about two miles below bridge, was totally frozen and fixed; and hundreds of people were walking and skating thereon every day. Two women going from Newcastle market home, were so fatigued by the deep snow, and benumbed by the frost, that they were obliged to take shelter in a house on the road, at Loosing hill, near Whickham, where they both died in a few hours. The same day a fisherman was found in the snow between Trimdon and Morton moors. A poor fellow, Ralph of Winlaton, well known for selling rods and walking sticks in Newcastle, perished in the snow between Swalwell and Winlaton. The same night, two farmers going from Newcastle to the neighbourhood of Earsdon, were lost on Killingworth-moor; their horses were found next day.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

A new bridge across the Tyne between Newcastle and Gateshead opened in 1781, to replace the Medieval bridge that had been badly damaged in the Great Flood of 1771. The new bridge was designed by Robert Mylne and had 6 arches on its Newcastle section and 3 arches on its Gateshead section. To pay for the bridge tolls were charged to cross it until 1821. The bridge was widened in 1803.

Oct. 2. A line of keels was moored across the river Tyne, near Clifford's Fort, and deals laid across them from shore to shore. After carefully examining this extraordinary highway, lord Mulgrave mounted his charger, and accompanied by general Murray, major Heron, and other officers, rode over from the county of Durham to Northumberland. Major Heron then galloped back again. Soon after, lord Mulgrave marched the 1st regiment of royal Lancashire militia, (accompanied by their field pieces and ammunition waggons) from Tynemouth barracks over this bridge to the Herd Sands, when an action took place against a supposed enemy; at the same time, several shells were fired from a battery on the north side, which had a fine effect. The troops were then marched back again, and major Heron (after firing three close volleys), marched the South Shields Volunteers into Northumberland. The adjacent banks and hills were covered with spectators to witness this novel sight.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

Feb. 2. - A most tempestuous wind accompanied with a heavy rain began to blow from the South-west, and continued with little intermission till the morning of the following day, when it abated. The rain caused a considerable flood in the rivers Tyne, Wear, and Tees. At Newcastle the fury of the wind drove the water forward with extraordinary violence, particularly against the bridge over which the spray was carried to a great distance. The low lands to the westward were all flooded....

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

May 16.-Mr. Kent exhibited his Marine Velocipede upon the river Tyne. Being Ascension day, and the weather very fine, he fired his musket, and performed a variety of evolutions with much ease and dexterity, to the great delight of a large concourse of spectators. June 3rd, Mr. Kent exhibited his apparatus at Sunderland, to at least 20,000 spectators.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

Oct. 24. In addition to the inconvenience arising from the strike of the keelmen on the Tyne, a number of seamen proceeded from Shields up the river, in boats, and took the crews from some of the vessels which were loading at the spouts. The mayor of Newcastle, Robert Bell, esq. proceeded down the river, in his barge, with a party of the volunteers and police, and took 32 of the rioters into custody, and carried them down to the Low Lights, at Shields, where 30 were put on board the king's cutter. A mob assembled on the sands, and demanded the liberation of the prisoners, which was refused, and the riot act was read by a Northumberland magistrate, soon after which the crowd dispersed….

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

1822, (Dec. 10.) - The beginning of this month, the keelmen of the Tyne resumed their labours, after a suspension of about 10 weeks, under alleged grievances which the coal owners had determined to resist. At periods during the stick they were very refractory, but by the vigilance of the navy and military employed, together with the prompt assistance of the magistracy, their turbulence was suppressed. The Swan cutter was moored on the south side of the river, opposite to Newcastle Quay, and fired her morning and evening gun. This is supposed to be the only instance of a ship of war having been so far up the Tyne since the rebellion in 1745, when troops were landed at Newcastle from king's ships. In consequence of the restoration of order, the mayor conveyed the thanks of the civil authorities, on the above day, to the officers, seamen, and marines of his majesty's ships the Egeria, Nimrod, and Swan, previous to their departure from the port. The acknowledgments of the civil authorities, and of the gentlemen interested in the coal trade, were likewise conveyed to Lieut. Col. Holmes, 3rd Dragoon Guards, Lieut. Col. Brandling, of the Northumberland and Newcastle Volunteer Cavalry, and the Hon. Captain Liddell, of the Ravensworth Cavalry, for their services in support of the civil power, and the exemplary conduct of the troops under their command.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

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The Scotswood Bridge ("Chain Bridge") over the River Tyne, between Newcastle and Blaydon was opened on the 16th of April 1831. Designed by John Green, the suspension bridge had two stone towers, from which the road deck was suspended by chains. It's building had been passed by parliament in 1829, with construction beginning that year. It was the first bridge over the River Tyne to be opened during Tyneside's industrial era.

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"The largest number of salmon was caught in the Tyne that had taken place for many years. Between four and five hundred were brought into Newcastle market, and were readily sold at from 6d. to 8d. per pound." 13th June 1833.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

"Dr. Bedale, of swimming celebrity, exhibited his aquatic feats in the river Tyne on two occasions during the last week of this month. Many of his positions and movements were very beautiful and scientific. Large crowds attended each day to witness the novelty of the exhibition." July 1833

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

"A fine vessel of aboat eight keels burden, and the only one ever built above the Tyne bridge, was launched at Chatham, in the presence of a large assemblage of spectator. She was called The Frolic, and intended for the Baltic trade." 20th March 1834  Note: Chatham was at the western end of Pipewellgate, Gateshead.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

"A splendid large ship, fully rigged and manned, with one hundred tons of ballast in her hold, and in every respect fitted for sea, was launched from the building-yard of Mr. Reay, Walker- on- the-Tyne, and proceeded to sea on her voyage."

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

"The river Tyne displayed one of the most animating scenes that had ever probably been witnessed upon its waters. The occasion was the holding of a Regatta for the first time in this neighbourhood; and about mid day crowds of well-dressed people were proceeding to the place appointed for the races, a number of equestrians, and carriages filled for the most part with fashionably attired ladies, added considerably to the lively bustle of the scene. The Regatta was appointed to take place at 12 o’clock, and shortly after that hour the stewards, namely, the Right Worshipful the Mayor (Henry Bell, esq.), J. T.Carr, esq., deputy master of the Trinity-house, and W. A. Surtees, esq., arrived in a boat, at the stern of ,which was exhibited a blue silk flag, bearing the arms of the town surmounted by the words “Tyne Regatta,” the barges of the Mayor, the Trinity-house, a private barge, several steamers with their decks thronged with passengers, the gigs which were intended to compete for the prizes, and a large number of other boats followed, and the river at the head of the King’s Meadows, presented a spectacle of a peculiarly striking character."

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

"Mr. Green ascended with his balloon from Tyne-street. North Shields. It was announced that Mr. Brown from Sunderland, would accompany him; but in consequence of a deficiency of gas, Mr. Green durst not attach his car to the balloon, and being determined to ascend, though dissuaded from it, he went up astride a rope in a beautiful and majestic manner, and in about four minutes alighted in the river near Howdon, from which situation he was rescued by some scullermen."

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

"A skiff match took place on the river Tyne, for £100 a-side, between Robert Coombes, the champion of the Thames, and Henry Clasper, the champion of the Tyne, the distance being from Newcastle Bridge to Lemington Point. Clasper ran foul of a keel near the Skinner Burn, but though he lost much ground, Coombes only won at last by six boat lengths. The boats were built for the occasion, Coombes’ weighing 43 lb., and Clasper’s (which was built by himself) 49 lb....."

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

The Collingwood Monument was built in 1845 in honour of Admiral Lord Collingwood, who led the British Fleet to victory at the Battle of Trafalgar after the death of Nelson, saving Britain from likely invasion during the Napoleonic Wars. The statue was sculpted by John Graham Lough, standing on a pedestal designed by John Dobson. The prominent position of the monument means the statue can be seen from the sea and the River Tyne, and marks Collingwood's family connection with North Shields. The 4 cannon on the steps of the monument came from his flagship, the Royal Sovereign.

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"The great race between Henry Clasper, of Derwent haugh, near Newcastle, and Pocock, of London, came off on Tuesday, on the River Tyne; the distance being five miles, from the Tyne-bridge to Lemmington-point, and the race for £100 aside... Clasper won easily by more than a quarter of a mile. A great deal of money has changed hands on the event. The crowd assembled in various craft upon the river and on its banks was immense. The distance was rowed by Clasper in about 42 minutes..."

Illustrated London News, 29 November 1845

The High Level Bridge is a 'double decker' road and railway bridge spanning the River Tyne between Newcastle and Gateshead. The bridge was designed by Robert Stephenson and built between 1847 and 1849. The first passenger train crossed the bridge on the 15th of August 1849, shortly before its formal opening by Queen Victoria later that month.

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"The foundation-stone of the Northumberland Dock at Hayhole, near Howdon, on the Tyne, was laid by Joseph Cowen, esq., Chairman of the River Commissioners. As a proof of the magnitude of the project — the dock is capable of containing 600 ships of various tonnage, and covers an extent of nearly 73 acres, and cost nearly £200,000. The stonework forming the bottom of the dock is Cornish granite, some of the blocks weighing nearly 10 tons. The dock is from the designs of Mr. Brooks, Engineer to the River Commissioners." 

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

A temporary, but substantial, wooden bridge over the Tyne between Newcastle and Gateshead was opened on the 17th of September 1866. Demolition of the Georgian Tyne Bridge began at the same time. The temporary wooden bridge was built to allow crossing of the Tyne whilst the new Swing Bridge was being constructed.

The first Redheugh Bridge over the River Tyne was built by Thomas Bouch. It was opened in 1871, but eventually needed replacing because of structural faults.

The ship repair firm of Brigham & Cowan was established in 1876 by Thomas Brigham and Malcolm Cowan. The company had dry docks in South Shields and undertook engine, boiler and ship repairs. The company went on to own a number of dry docks in South Shields and Hull.

 < Former dry dock of Brigham & Cowan in South Shields, now the 'Captain's Wharf' residences.

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The Swing Bridge over the River Tyne was first used for road traffic on 15th June 1876 and opened for river traffic on 17th July 1876. It had an innovative design, using hydraulic power to swing open and close. At the time of construction, it was the largest swing bridge ever built. The previous bridge on the site was demolished in 1866-8 so that larger ships could sail upstream to William Armstrong's Elswick works. Armstrong designed and paid for the new bridge. 

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West Wylam Bridge (also known as Hagg Bank Bridge and Points Bridge) was built in 1876 as a railway bridge, designed by William George Laws for the North-Eastern Railway Co.The wrought-iron bridge carried the Scotswood, Newburn and Wylam Railway, to connect the North Wylam Loop with the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway. The bridge was opened on the 6th of October 1876 and was in use for rail services up to 1968. It is now a footbridge and cyclepath.

A floating hospital, commissioned by the River Tyne Port Sanitary Authority, was launched on the River Tyne on 2nd August, 1886. It was built by Wood, Skinner & Co. of Bill Quay and was moored at Jarrow Slake in South Tyneside. The floating hospital had 3 main buildings each with two wards divided by a nurses’ room and bathroom. The floating hospital also had a small mortuary. A yellow and black flag was flown to warn when there was infection on board. 

The second Redheugh Bridge over the River Tyne, built by Sir William Arrol & Co, was opened on 13th August 1901. It replaced an earlier bridge of 1871, which had developed structural problems.

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The Tyne Bridge was officially opened by King George V and Queen Mary.

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The 'new' Scotswood Bridge, over the River Tyne between Scotswood and Blaydon, was opened 20th March 1967. It replaced the old Scotswood Chain Bridge of 1831.

The old bridge > 

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The first vehicular Tyne Tunnel was opened by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh on the 19th of October 1967. The ceremony was held on the north side followed by a 21-gun royal salute. The Queen then travelled through the tunnel to Jarrow. Large numbers of people attended the celebrations on both sides of the tunnel.

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The ESSO Northumbria was launched by Princess Anne on the 2nd of May 1969. The tanker was built at Swan Hunter, Wallsend. It dwarfed the nearby houses in Wallsend as it was being built.

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The Queen Elizabeth II bridge over the Tyne was officialy opened by the Queen on the 6th November, 1981. The bridge was constructed for the Tyne & Wear Metro.

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The third and current Redheugh Bridge, over the River Tyne was built by Edmund Nuttall Ltd and opened by Princess Diana on the 18th May 1983.

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The Gateshead Millennium Bridge was opened to the public on the 17th September 2001, before the formal opening by Queen Elizabeth II on 7th May 2002. The Millennium Bridge is a pedestrian and cycle bridge over the River Tyne. It connects Newcastle Quayside with the Gateshead Quays arts quarter by the SAGE and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. The bridge was designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects. and pivots upwards like an eyelid, slowly opening to form an arch for ships to pass under, with a 25m clearance, which is the same clearance as the Tyne Bridge.

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The international Tall Ships race came along the River Tyne to Newcastle-Gateshead from 25th to 28th July, 2005.

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'Nocturne', by Nayan Kulkarni, opened on the 26th of April 2007. The work is a "permanent light and colour installation built into the fabric of the QEII Metro Bridge". A two-tone colour pattern on the girders of the bridge changes its aspect according to the angle from which it is viewed from during the day. At night, coloured LED lights, give the appearance of a ripple going across the bridge to  match the ebb and flow of the tide of the River Tyne below.

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The Second Tyne Tunnel opened to traffic on the 25th February 2011. Construction work had begun in the spring of 2008. On opening, the new tunnel operated two-lane bi-directional traffic - so that the original tunnel could be temporarily closed for refurbishment.

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