Armstrong Bridge, NEWCASTLE
Armstrong Bridge, which spans the Ouseburn Valley in Jesmond, Newcastle, is one of the North East’s most recognisable landmarks. Built in 1876 by the renowned industrialist William Armstrong, the Grade II listed wrought iron structure has long been a focal point for the community. Over the years, it has carried generations of residents and visitors, and today remains a vibrant space, hosting markets, commuters, and wildlife alike. With such a rich heritage and architectural significance, any upgrade to its lighting system required a solution that combined sensitivity with technical precision.
The existing ornamental lanterns on Armstrong Bridge had deteriorated significantly over time. Water ingress into the gear trays had caused widespread damage, while the ageing sodium lamps were becoming inconsistent in colour and were approaching the end of their service life.
When we assessed the site, it quickly became clear that this was not a straightforward lantern replacement. The existing lanterns could not be removed from the bridge, meaning any refurbishment work had to be carried out at height. The bridge also serves as a marketplace, cycleway and pedestrian route, so the lighting needed to provide a safe environment without introducing unnecessary levels of brightness.
There were also important environmental and heritage considerations. Bat habitats beneath the bridge meant light spill needed to be carefully controlled, while the Grade II listed status of the structure meant any new lighting components had to remain discreet and preserve the appearance of the original lanterns.
To overcome these challenges, Snapfast worked with our partners at Vision Illumination to develop a bespoke LED retrofit solution. A custom IP67 LED gear tray was designed to fit within the existing lantern housings, allowing the original lanterns to remain in place with no exposed optics or visible alteration to their appearance.
The retrofit provided a modern, reliable LED lighting solution while allowing the existing heritage lanterns to be retained. Careful consideration was also given to colour temperature and light distribution to balance the requirements of the bridge, its users and the surrounding environment.
By standardising the retrofit components, warranties and maintenance requirements across the scheme, Snapfast was able to provide a practical long-term solution while avoiding the cost, disruption and visual impact associated with replacing the original lanterns.
The result
The completed project has given Armstrong Bridge a reliable and energy-efficient lighting system while retaining the character of the original heritage lanterns.
The bridge continues to provide a well-lit environment for residents, cyclists, visitors and market users, while careful control of the lighting helps minimise unnecessary light spill into the surrounding environment.
Importantly, the original lanterns remain in place and the retrofit is virtually invisible. To the casual observer, very little has changed — but behind the scenes, the lighting has been brought up to modern standards.
For Snapfast, the Armstrong Bridge project is a good example of how we approach difficult lighting requirements: understand the problem, work with the right partners and find a practical way to improve the existing installation without compromising what makes the site unique.