Great North Run gets landmark sign
Sign and marketing specialist Astley has revealed that it designed and manufactured the gargantuan illuminated logo for the Bupa Great North Run, which will feature on the Tyne Bridge for just six weeks
Thursday, 12 Sep 2013 12:41 GMT
The gargantuan installation was only in place for six weeks in the build up to the Bupa Great North Run
Nova International commissioned the sign to be installed on this iconic landmark in order to promote the race. The project, which took four months to complete, saw a team of twenty people create a 41m wide sign, with each individual letter halo illuminated by LEDs.
In a public statement, the firm comments: “Weighing nearly six tonnes the sign is a major engineering feat. All employees and suppliers were under confidentiality for the project in order to gain maximum impact once the installation process began.
“Our experienced and skilled workforce was challenged both physically and technically on this demanding project, which had to be completed to strict deadlines. The sign was manufactured over three weeks and involved several departments, including metal fabrication, assembly and our electrical assembly unit.”
This prestigious project has been challenging at times but extremely rewarding, and to see the finished signage in-situ on a North East landmark makes everyone at Astley very proud”
Due to the historical nature of the bridge, no mechanical fixings to the structure were allowed to be installed. As a result, all signage was designed to clamp onto the bridge uprights—Astley worked closely with Newcastle City Council on the approval in principle documentation, and submitted both advert and listed building applications.
Astley sales director, David Forrester, comments on the project: “The Great North Run has gone from strength-to-strength since its inception over thirty years ago, and is such an iconic event that when we received the enquiry we were thrilled to get involved. This prestigious project has been challenging at times but extremely rewarding, and to see the finished signage in-situ on a North East landmark makes everyone at Astley very proud.”
Commercial director of Astley, Gavin Redhead, reiterates this sentiment, stating: “Our head office has been in the north east for over 20 years and so to be associated with The Great North Run, an international showcase for the region, is a great opportunity. Despite challenging height and weather conditions, we persevered and successfully installed our biggest signage project to date.”
The sign, which is 16.5m above road level, was in place for six weeks in total and spanned the duration of the Bupa Great North Run and its build-up.
