GATESHEAD MILLENNIUM BRIDGE: 20 years on since one of the world's largest cranes lifted the bridge into place

On November 20, 2000 the bridge’s main structure was lifted into place by one of the world’s largest floating cranes, the Asian Hercules II.

Now, 20-years on the bridge is still a staple to connect Newcastle and Gateshead for pedestrians and cyclists.

The Millennium Bridge was the first tilting bridge in the world.

Using two steel arches with a span of 100 metres that can rotate 40 degrees.

Jim Eyre, of Wilkinson Eyre Architects, was the designer and architect behind the bridge.

Jim Eyre

Mr Eyre said: "I think people are proud of it because it's got high recognition - it looks good where it is and the shape of the arch mirroring the Tyne Bridge.

"It sits very well where it is, it probably has the most recognition of all the bridges we've done, of all of our public structures."

In 1996 Gateshead Council launched a competition to design a bridge that would complement Newcastle’s six existing bridges.

Architects were given a strict brief.

After receiving over 150 entries the design by Wilkinson Eyre Architects and Gifford & Partners was accepted in February 1997.

The bridge cost £22 million and construction work began in May 1999.

Mr Eyre said: "We always knew exactly where the bridge was going to go. They wanted this bridge on Baltic Square. It was a Gateshead project, funded by Gateshead and by lottery money. At the time they were pushing Gateshead forward. With the Baltic and before that the Angel of the North.

"Then came the music centre, The Sage - these were all investments of Gateshead Council.

"In the brief we weren't allowed to build anything on the quays."

Within the brief, Mr Eyre said to design the bridge quay to quay would have made it too steep, so he had to find a way of making it longer in length.

He said: "In a big curved line it wasn't so steep, I suggested the idea of tipping it in a big curve."

In 2002 Wilkinson Eyre won the RIBA Stirling Prize for their design of the bridge.

Queen Elizabeth II on the Gateshead side of the Millennium Bridge as she visits the North East of England, Tuesday May 7, 2002.

Martin Gannon, Leader of Gateshead Council, said: "I was there on the day as it sailed up the River and slotted into place.

"For the people of Gateshead and Newcastle I think they have immense pride for it. There are bridges all over the world - the Tyne Bridge that was a huge engineering feat, but there's something about the Millennium Bridge. We looked through the original drawings.

"The council decided to run a competition, eventually there was a process, the people of Gateshead were consulted and they chose that particular design.

Workman manoeuvres the Gateshead Millennium Bridge into position over the river Tyne with the help of one of the world's largest cranes

"I think it made a huge impact on people in the region. It created a circuit around the quays, it was significant.

"There are two symbols that represent the North East and they are the Gateshead Millennium Bridge and The Angel of the North, as part of that people have taken great pride and taken them to their heart."

A small flotilla of boats make their way under the Gateshead Millennium Bridge at mark its 10th anniversary. September 2011