Tees Transporter Bridge celebrated in new calendar featuring historic photographs and artwork by leading artists

THE Tees Transporter Bridge, currently closed and facing an uncertain future, is celebrated in a new calendar bringing together unique archival images from the collections of Teesside Archives, historic postcard views and artworks by leading artists including Mackenzie Thorpe, Sean Durkin and Philip Meadows.

Collated by historian Dr Tosh Warwick and published by Heritage Unlocked, the calendar is the latest celebration of the bridge that dates back to 1911 and is one of the region’s most iconic landmarks. Closed since 2019 due to safety concerns, a recent structural assessment showed that a number of elements in the structure are over-stressed and an investigation into the full structural stability of the bridge is ongoing.

Against the backdrop of high-profile questions about the landmark’s future, the calendar project had brought together artworks that feature the Transporter Bridge and has also collaborated with Teesside Archives and drawn on historic postcards from the collection of the late Paul Stephenson to provide different perspectives on the famous Tees crossing for each month of the year.

Amongst the images featured include Mackenzie Thorpe’s ‘The Boro’, a striking archival snapshot of the men and boys who built the bridge, Sean Durkin’s artwork depicting St. Hilda’s. Philip Meadows’ painting of an aerial view of the Tees and John Severs’ photography of the ‘Steel River’.

Heritage Unlocked’s Dr Tosh Warwick said: “At a time when the Transporter Bridge is facing an uncertain future having been closed for half a decade, I felt that a positive celebration of this iconic crossing would be timely. During these troubled times for the bridge, the calendar showcases the Transporter in a positive light. For each calendar sold, £1 will also support the work of Teesside Archives who take care of local historic records, make them accessible to the public and ensure their survival for future generations. We have also approached the Transporter Bridge Visitor Centre in the hope that the calendar can be made available for visitors to buy at the bridge with sales helping generate income for activities there.”

The Tees Transporter Bridge 2026 Calendar is available for £6.99 (+P&P) alongside a special offer ‘Tees Bridges Bundle’ that includes the calendar alongside The Tees Newport Bridge: The Untold Story of a Steel River Landmark book authored by Tosh Warwick (RRP £!9.99) for a combined cost of just £19.99. The book and calendar can be bought here www.heritageunlocked.com/shop.