UK Bridge Opening - Newhaven Swing Bridge, East Sussex

Newhaven Swing Bridge, Newhaven, East Sussex
Date filmed: 04/06/2020
Location: A259, Newhaven
Moving bridge located within the town of Newhaven on the coast in East Sussex, on the very busy A259 main road around Newhaven Town Centre. This bridge has only a few scheduled openings per week, which are usually announced on the day before the bridge's scheduled opening. A typical opening of the bridge lasts around 8-10 minutes or so, causing long queues of traffic to build up.
During a typical opening sequence, the barriers will be lowered around a minute before the bridge tilts slightly, before laterally swinging out at a turning angle of approximately 90 degrees from its starting point (acting almost like an opening gate) to allow vessels with taller masts, as well as the occasional cargo ship, enter the river Ouse around nearby Denton Island and beyond from the English Channel. In this video, the bridge is fully open as the second vessel passes through. The bridge will then swing back round to its starting position when all vessels have passed, tilt back to the angle at which it is level with the road on both sides, and around a minute later, the barriers will re-open.
Halogen wigwags alert drivers and pedestrians to stop when the bridge is scheduled to open, and they flash throughout the entire opening of the bridge (although not shown in this video). The audible warning here consists of two E2S A100 alarms, one on each side of the bridge, on the exit side. These are the same alarms used at level crossings on the Welsh Highland Railway, and the same alarms used at Minehead Level Crossing on the West Somerset Steam Railway, both of which here are reasonably loud to be audible above the constant stream of passing traffic, and across the entire length of the bridge, as well as the approaches to the bridge.
The barriers here have 'Stop' signs on them, and the skirting only covers the pedestrian walkway, with nothing but the barriers stopping vehicles from proceeding, with stands at the end of them. Plenty of railing attempts to stop pedestrians accessing the road around the bridge, as to duck under the barriers illegally. However, there is a considerable gap left between the lowered barriers on one side - large enough to fit a bicycle or person through. These barriers lower slowly, to allow enough time for any pedestrians, cyclists or vehicles to clear the bridge when the warnings activate. The alarms will sound again when the barriers raise, something characteristic about a number of bascule bridges across the UK.
Just as the bridge tilts to open, the large and noisy level crossing beside Newhaven Town Station can just about be heard lowering for an approaching Seaford-bound train. Also, watch your volume during the walk-over section of this video at around 9 and a half minutes in, as a police car was cutting through the traffic to get to an emergency.
Thanks for watching!

[@TheNewhavenCollective]

I love going out at night and watching the swing bridge open, I find it peaceful to watch when there isn't much traffic.

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

I bet!

[@nichola3980]

I often wondered how the bridge swung open, now I know 😁. Great video! 🙂

[@morthren]

I visited this earlier on this year but didn't get to see it operating. Great you managed to catch it!

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

I'm very glad I was able to get down there and record it open, because the bridge hadn't opened again until 6 days after I recorded this, and even when you do get an opening, they can come at very random times of the day.

[@Sandeepparab1]

I seen this during my stay in Newhaven back in 2007..... it was a wonderful experience in tht lovely town......

[@relay_bl1zzrd759]

It is not lovely at all.

[@Carolb66]

Rab video i love watching swing bridges or lift bridges. ❤😊

[@katietice6546]

Thanks so much a always wondered what it would look like I live in Newhaven and never see it

[@usmale4915]

Great bridge and video! Thank you for sharing!

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thanks for the nice comment. 👍

[@trainstrainstrains40]

Nice swing bridge! 😁 Haven't seen one of these for a while!

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

This was the only bascule bridge I'd seen open for myself back in the day. It felt great filming this 👌🏻👌🏻

[@unitytheraz1690]

@@SouthEastLevelCrossings I’ve herd the level crossing

[@davidroberts7425]

Excellent video and description. Most probably for me one of your best ever. Even through in some police action as well.

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thank you very much! I'm glad you enjoyed the video, and liked reading the description! 👍🏻👍🏻😎

[@NWLevelCrossings]

Nice shot!! Love the bridge!!! Those barriers are slow at raising and lowering but anyways, excellent video!! 👍🏻😄

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Cheers! 😁

[@jamesstreeter7342]

I'm the engineer on this bridge 😁

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Cool!

[@Traingenix]

Always preferred these alarms :)

[@pn112upfast]

Nice. Like Preston Dock swing bridge. Lowestoft bridge lifts up that's cool. And Reedham and Somerlayton are swing bridge's for trains.

[@philwise872]

I remember the old one,about half a dozen blokes running around in a circle, this one opened around 1975,the North Quay was alot busier then

[@suffolklevelcrossings2481]

Great as always!

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thanks! 👍🏻😎

[@AutoUnder]

Reminds me a lot of the swing bridge at Preston Docks; that one also tilts back slightly because it's pivot isn't in the centre

[@Jamestrains-kl1ft]

Hi

[@UKLevelCrossingsChannel]

Nice one 👍👍

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thank you very much! 👍🏻😁

[@suzannehaigh4281]

I am so pleased we do not have anything like that where I live, it would drive me mad if in a car and having to wait for that.

[@theuklevelcrossings-channe4454]

Amazing video! 👌😎 Seems like the halogens are real old.

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thanks a lot! 👌🏻👌🏻
These halogens are definitely quite old!

[@dasy2k1]

The last upgrade to a swing bridge I saw done I looked a the back of the new LED wigwag, manufactured by Dorman and supplied by NRS... Makes sense really, no need to have separate suppliers

[@freebrickproductions]

Great video!

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thanks! 👌🏻

[@harveyquinn5494]

Impatient yacht person.

[@Silverstream4life]

Ok so misusing level crossings is bad but misusing swing or lift bridges is the next level

[@nathansrailwayphotography8125]

Great video

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thanks! 👍🏻

[@Max-9632]

Quite slow barriers and also I have never in m life seen a uk bridge opening

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

I hadn't either before I first saw this very bridge open once back in 2012 👍

[@Max-9632]

UK Level Crossings & Trains Channel oh ok

[@sophiemansell2789]

I first saw a opening bridge in 2002 and before I saw it open I was very confused to why there was level crossing type lights there lol

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

I admit it's always been cool seeing level crossing-style lights at bridges like this 😎

[@Extremelybadpiggies]

One of the crossings
Had bells playing while the gates were opening needs fixing

[@liftsfromrblx8844]

great vid

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thank you! 👍🏻😎

[@liftsfromrblx8844]

@@SouthEastLevelCrossings Np

[@ahmads20009]

How do you know when it's bout to open

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Newhaven's Port Authority often publish scheduled openings on their website on the 'Swing Bridge' page (not very far in advance though). Scheduled openings are also advertised on dot-matrix signs either side of the bridge operator's building.

[@SFVnative]

I'm a bit confused; is it rarely open for boats or rarely open for cars?

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

I was referring to the opening for boats, as I described the relatively uncommon occasion where the bridge is opened to let taller vessels into the harbour.

[@SFVnative]

@@SouthEastLevelCrossings Thank you.

[@southerntransport466]

Nice

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thanks! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@smokv1]

I live there

[@zonzeven]

The operator is very slow ...according to the policemen :)

[@NELincsTransport]

Great video

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thanks! 👍🏻👍🏻