Dillinger heavy plate for the
bridge Northern Spire

The three-span cable-stayed bridge, supported by a single double pylon, spans the River Wear from Castletown to Pallion in the north east England.

Because of its soaring centerpiece consisting of an A-frame curved 1,550 t steel pylon, it was named “The Northern Spire”. With its 105 m (344 ft) it is taller than Big Ben (96 m) and twice the height of Nelson’s Column (52 m) in London.

Formerly known as “New Wear Crossing”, the 336 m (1,102 ft) long and 25 m (82 ft) wide bridge comprises four traffic lanes as well as dedicated cycle ways and foot paths along its full length. It is part of a wider strategic transport plan to improve the road network between the A19 and Port of Sunderland and Sunderland City Centre with an aim of allowing Port expansion and providing access to key development sites along the river.

For this impressive structure, Dillinger supplied 3,170 t heavy plates in the grades S355M/ML, S355K2+N, S355J2+N, S355J2C+N, S460M/ML.