246 ON THE TRACK OF THE MAIL-COACH 



carry them 8 J miles to Chester-le- Street (which I 

 take to have been the first change in Dmiiam) in 

 something less than the hour. 



The old low-level causeway no longer stays the 

 passage of shipping up the Tyne; a hydraulic swing- 

 bridge replaces it. Not even the local mails now pass 

 over from the Side. Such as are for Gateshead go 

 along the modern high-level roadway, and such as are 

 for distant towns, by the rail which is carried on that 

 mighty structure, the High-Level Railway Bridge, 

 t went}'- seven feet overhead and one hundred and 

 twelve above high-water in the Tyne. 



The bridge was designed and carried out b}' those 

 notable civil engineers, Robert Stephenson and 

 Thomas E. Harrison. Completed and opened for 

 traffic August 4, 1850, it cost altogether nearly half 

 a million sterling. 



Once the mail-service between London and the 

 North was threatened with disruption. A great fire 

 broke out at Gateshead in the course of June 24, 

 1866. 



It originated in buildings almost immediately under, 

 at all events in dangerous nearness to, the southern 

 end of the High-Level Bridge. By great exertions 

 the flames were prevented from getting hold of the 

 structure, and, beyond some slight damage to one of 

 the ba}' s, no real harm was done. Mr. Harrison came 

 down, to direct the salvage efforts, by special train 

 from London, at a speed which was then remarkable 

 in railway experience. • 



