For those of you that know all about transporter bridges read on but for those of you that don’t, wikipeadia is your friend http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transporter_bridge

In 2009 I had my first encounter with a Transporter bridge, I had  go to stay with my (at the time) new friend Lucy, after some food, conversation turned to what exploring could be had. She mentioned a Transporter bridge near by that she had climbed many times before. Being scared of heights I wasn’t very keen on the idea! Not wanting to let the ‘Ladiezz’ down and always liking a challenge I agreed to the task! After a short drive and more of my “I don’t think I want to do this” and a small bit of climbing I crawled up the last part of the stairs to the top. As Lucy bounded about I shakily took some (bad) pictures before unfurling a pirate flag and setting off back down the structure….

My first experience with a transporter bridge had scared the crap but of me but it was exhilarating, id climbed my first bridge! After that I put the climb to the back of my mind but the bug for bridges had been caught…

 Roll on to the beginning of 2011 and eotech had moved to Newport  for a short time, and had climbed the Newport transporter bridge. After telling  me how easy it really was, the task had to be undertaken.
So after a few days and a curious encounter with a base jumper Bordello and Total in tow we were rigging up at the foot of the bridge. The climb was relatively easy just  requiring faith, a firm grip and a liberal covering of anti-vandal grease. We were soon on our way upwards…

 ….Once the lights were off and we were satisfied with our photos from the top deck there was only one thing left to do, climb to the very top of  the towers to admire the view and of course get a group shot and get back to the ground!

...And then there was just one left in the Uk left unclimbed and of  course to go back to Teesside to get
some decent photos! With a party and exhibition in Hartlepool and a friend over from  Holland we thought
showing him up the bridge was the best way to show him what England is really like…

…Now that last dam bridge!
 
We had been warned about the state of the Warrington transporter bridge before we set off on our first reccy, but upon inspection we realised weren’t quite prepared for the state of disrepair, its not just bad, its absolutely diabolical. Im honestly surprised that it hasn’t been demolished or fallen down almost entirely.  As we were obviously unprepared it was left for another day.  I was so close to the hat-trick and shortly after my plan was thwarted by a broken wrist…

...But not for long, I was back! After many attempts to climb to the  structure via rope we abandoned this idea and simply walked onto the site of the live chemical works surrounding the bridge and up! Showering Eotech with rust as we ascended it was the shortest climb of the 3 bridges but it felt like a grand achievement to have finally stood on top of all 3… only another 5 spread around the world to go now!

To be continued....