The Transporter Bridge becomes a centenarian!

Hi there, here is a little news piece I wrote about my home town, hope you like it!

The North East’s best-loved landmark turns 100.

TUCKED up in a quiet corner of the North East of England, the defining symbol of Teesside turns 100 years old this year. As it approaches its centenary, the Transporter Bridge, known locally as simply “The Transporter”, has undergone major refurbishments in preparation for the celebrations on 17 October, with improvements such as replacement motors already completed.

One of only a handful of working examples in the world and the only working type in England, the iconic steel monument links Middlesbrough and Port Clarence and is an instantly recognizable feature on the River Tees. The imposing figure of Edwardian engineering was officially opened in 1911 by Queen Victoria’s grandson Prince Arthur of Connaught and resembles two proud steelworkers, hands clasped together at the centre of the river in an act of working-class solidarity.

The partially completed towers of the bridge.

Councillor Paul Thompson, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Member for Streetscene Services and Transport, said: “The Transporter is an iconic landmark which is recognised around the world and of which we are truly proud. It’s fantastic that, nearly 100 years after it first carried people across the river, it is in full working order and looks as good as the day it was opened.”

Since the Transporter’s construction, Teesside became almost immediately synonymous with bridge-building, and throughout the 20th century, Middlesbrough’s historical steel industry has created epic monuments across the globe. Teesside technology has been exported to Tyneside, building the Tyne Bridge in 1928, New Zealand with the Auckland Harbour Bridge in 1959 and the Australia’s monumental Sydney Harbour Bridge, which was opened in 1932 and famously features the epigram "Made in Middlesbrough".

Throughout the last century, the Transporter Bridge has attracted millions of visitors, having featured in the popular television series Auf Wiedersehen Pet and in recent years, has become a centre for extreme sports with dare-devils bungee jumping, zip lining and abseiling from the top of the bridge.

Ironically many Teessiders have never actually crossed the Transporter Bridge, with Port Clarence offering few amenities; however a strong affiliation to Middlesbrough means it conjures up strong emotions and memories for people in the region. The landmark is the North East’s finest hidden gem and here’s hoping it will still be standing for another 100 years to come.

A special calendar has been launched to commemorate this occasion, featuring stunning images taken throughout the bridge’s 100-year history and is available from: the Transporter Bridge Visitor Centre, local and mobile libraries, MIMA and the Dorman Museum.

Thankyou for reading and as ever, please feel free to leave a comment or add me on Twitter!

Emma xx

Summer loves Coral!

So now that summer is here (well it’s started raining again in Liverpool, but that’s beside the point), a pretty, coral trend is emerging, similar to the neutral tones that we’ve seen earlier in the year. Winter saw beige, brown and camel and now summer is rocking pink, peach and coral. And I am loving it, so I thought I’d share with those of you in the blogosphere some of the best that the good ol’ high street can offer, all at affordable prices (because, y’know, I am a student, no designer labels for me just yet. Well apart from my 21^st birthday present, thanks mum and dad!)

This coral spot shirt dress is a must-have for Summer 2011. Accessorised with or without a belt, this dress just hits the spot ;-). Polkadots are just so summery and feminine and at only £36 from Dorothy Perkins, there is just no reason not to buy it! Also, I was in Dorothy P the other day and I spotted (ok, the puns are getting a bit much now) the shirt version for £28. Would it be a bit much to get both?

Next is this gorgeous coral pleated dress from missguided.co.uk. With sequined shoulders, small puffed sleeves and satin cuffs, I am genuinely in love! Team with black heels to make this colour just pop. Also this picture definitely makes me have short hair envy, she looks amazing! And only for £27.00, this dress is a bargain!

This oval wave ring is £8.65 from Topshop. In this season’s hottest colour with mirrored waves, this is statement jewellery at its finest!

Again from Topshop, this cute jersey dress is just the thing for a summer holiday and for looking beautiful on the beach. Also cute for lounging around the house, just team with leggings and a long cardy. £22.00.

And also for those of you going away on a summer holiday, go for frills, spots AND coral with this cute, halter neck bikini. Rocking three looks in one, this bikini is a staple item for your summer wardrobe. Sold at Topshop for £26.50 and worth every penny!

Accessorise with coral with this satin, jewelled box clutch from New Look.  At £15.99, this look is cute, girly and totally affordable. But remember not to over-do the coral when accessorising. Keep the outfit simple with muted, block colours, perhaps with a LBD, and make your accessories stand out rather than your garish colour matching.

One of my ultimate favourites on my coral outfit searches is this stunning wrap dress from Mango, for £34.90. Work coral with nautical style with this statement dress. Team with heels for a different going out number or sandals for a pretty, chic day look. Fave <3

And last but not least, work coral all the way from your fingertips to your toes with this OPI nail varnish in ‘Conga-line coral’. On sale for £7.95, why not treat yourself and give your nails a burnt orange glow this summer? After all, summer is all about painted nails and this colour is bang on trend!

Thanks for reading my blog, hope you enjoyed it. And please leave a comment about anything you liked, disliked or any other coral items you have your eye on! Also, feel free to follow me on Twitter (@emmarobinson14).

‘Til next time,

Emma xx.

B is for... Beginnings.

Hi there,

So here goes... my first ever post in my first ever blog. I am excited and nervous and hope you all like it! Basically, I have decided to start writing a blog to enhance my writing skills and creativity as I am hoping to do a MA in Journalism in September and also because I have seen so many other lovely blogs out there, I have decided to write my own! And I promise to keep it regularly updated with fun, girly things that I am interested in, because I am writing for me first and foremost.

So now that the formalities are over and done with, I’d like to introduce myself. I am Emma Robinson, originally from Middlesbrough (apparently ‘The Worst Place to live in the UK’ according to Location, Location, Location. I no longer watch that show.) and am now living in Liverpool, currently finishing a degree in English Language and Literature. I am a typical Northerner and love to chat to people about almost anything and am completely obsessed with the TV show Only Fools and Horses, to the point where I can recite practically every line from every episode. I like shopping, cheese, my home town and Mr Darcy (:-D) and I hate spiders, arrogance and rude people!

I hope this blog will capture my personality, in that I hope to inject it with some wit, humour and fun along the way and I aim to write posts about almost anything that interests a 20-something year old girl, from fashion, beauty and celeb gossip to current affairs and my own general musings.

I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to follow me on Twitter (@emmarobinson14) if you like what you see!

Emma xx