Occasionally the new set of lights on the Newport Bridge are put on for a short display. Stainton’s, over at Billingham Reach, who installed this well engineered set of computer controlled LED lights, will, work commitments permitting, provide the manpower to do the full show. However, permission comes from the Highways and Transport Department in Stockton who are responsible for the Newport Bridge and any the impact that the lighting might have on traffic. Accordingly demos tend to be in the late evening.
Members of the Newcomen Society for the Study of Industrial History, who were up on Teesside for the first time, were lucky enough to get a chance to see what it was like, and viewed it in the middle of a late evening thunderstorm. Everyone got soaked. But the display was not a washout, with the thunder and lighting adding to the excitement. These pictures don’t do justice to what was seen.
Photograph and details courtesy of Fred Starr.
Picture Stockton Archive 
I get the impression that concern about what the traffic might do, both on the bridge approach itself, and the nearby A19, results in the lights only being put on occasionally..
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This is the first time I have seen this light show, great pictures Fred. But why? are the lights not in use more often. Just like the Train statue in Stockton. It only goes on once a day, what a waste.
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