Bredbo River railway bridge, Bredbo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bredbo River railway bridge |
|
|---|---|
Bredbo River bridge
|
|
| Coordinates | 35°58′29″S 149°09′45″E / 35.9748°S 149.1626°E |
| Carries | Bombala railway line |
| Crosses | Bredbo River |
| Locale | Bredbo, Snowy Monaro Regional Council, New South Wales, Australia |
| Owner | RailCorp |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Queen post deck truss viaduct |
| Material | Ironbark |
| Total length | 130 metres (420 ft) |
| Longest span | 13 metres (42 ft) |
| Number of spans | 10 |
| Piers in water | 9 |
| Clearance below | 25 |
| History | |
| Designer | John Whitton; Engineer-in-Chief for Railways |
| Fabrication by | Bryce Henry |
| Construction begin | 1881 |
| Construction end | 1889 |
| Official name: Bredbo Rail Bridge Group; Bredbo River Railway Viaduct | |
| Type: | State heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated: | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference #: | 01029 |
| Type: | Railway Bridge / Viaduct |
| Category: | Transport - Rail |
| Builders: | Main Contractor for the Queanbeyan to Cooma railway |
The Bredbo River railway bridge is a special old railway bridge in New South Wales, Australia. It crosses the Bredbo River near the town of Bredbo. This bridge was built a long time ago, between 1881 and 1889. It was part of the Bombala railway line.
The bridge was designed by John Whitton, who was the main engineer for railways back then. It's also known as the Bredbo Rail Bridge or the Bredbo River Railway Viaduct. Today, it's owned by RailCorp, a government agency. Because it's so old and important, it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999. This means it's protected as a historical site.
Building the Bridge
The railway line was being built to connect Queanbeyan to Cooma in the late 1880s. At that time, the government wanted to save money on building railways. John Whitton, the chief engineer, often used timber (wood) for bridges to keep costs down.
For big rivers like the Bredbo River, Whitton chose a special design called a "Queen post deck truss" viaduct. A viaduct is like a very long bridge with many arches or spans. He had used this design before on other railway lines. This type of bridge was strong and cost less than bridges made of iron.
What the Bridge Looks Like
The Bredbo Rail Bridge is made of timber, which is a type of wood. It has ten sections, called spans. Each span is about 40 feet (12 meters) long. The bridge uses a "Queen post truss" design. A truss is a framework, usually made of triangles, that helps a bridge be strong and stable.
The design for this bridge was actually inspired by an older bridge in England. It was copied from the St Germans viaduct in Cornwall, which was built about 30 years earlier.
The bridge is made from a very strong wood called Ironbark. This wood is known for being tough and lasting a long time. Even though trains no longer use this line, the bridge is still in fair condition. This shows how well it was built!
Why the Bridge is Important
The Bredbo River railway bridge is important for several reasons:
- History: It shows how railways were built in New South Wales when money was tight. Using timber for bridges helped the railway reach the Monaro Region.
- Design: It's an impressive timber structure. You can see it from the Monaro Highway. It shows off the clever engineering of its time.
- Uniqueness: This type of timber bridge, the Queen post deck truss viaduct, is quite rare. There are only a few like it left in New South Wales.
The railway line, and bridges like this one, helped the Monaro Region grow and develop in the late 1800s. The Bredbo viaduct was a smart and strong solution for crossing the river.
