Hawkesbury River railway bridge facts for kids
The Hawkesbury River railway bridge is a very important railway bridge in New South Wales, Australia. It carries the Main North railway line across the wide Hawkesbury River. You can find it just north of the town of Brooklyn, which is on the edge of Sydney. This bridge was the last piece needed to connect the railway lines between major cities like Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Building it was a huge achievement for engineers at the time!
The first railway bridge was built in 1889. Later, a new, stronger bridge replaced it in 1946. The current 1946 bridge is so important that it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999, meaning it's protected for its historical value.
{{Infobox bridge | name = Hawkesbury River railway bridge | image = Hawkesbury River rail bridge.jpg | image_upright = 1.4 | caption = The (current) Hawkesbury Railway Bridge, looking north | pushpin_map = New South Wales | pushpin_relief = 1 | pushpin_map_size = 270 | pushpin_map_caption = Location in New South Wales | coordinates = 33°32′2″S 151°13′42″E / 33.53389°S 151.22833°E
| carries =
| crosses = Hawkesbury River | locale = Brooklyn, New South Wales | starts = Brooklyn (south) | ends = Cogra Bay (north) | owner = Transport Asset Holding Entity | design = Riveted K and Pratt truss bridge | material = Steel | length = 785 metres (2,575 ft) | depth = 56 metres (183 ft) | mainspan = 135.64 metres (445 ft) | number_spans = Eight | piers_in_water = Six | num_track = 2 | designer = Keith 'Mick' King | contracted_designer = Way and Works Branch, NSW Government Railways | builder = NSW Government Railways | fabricator = Structural Workshops, Chullora | begin = 18 July 1939 | open = 1 July 1946 | cost = A£1,400,000 | replaces = First bridge
| extra =
Contents
| Official name | Hawkesbury River Rail Bridge and Long Island Group |
|---|---|
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 4800130 |
| Type | Rail Bridge |
| Category | Transport - Land |
Getting Trains Across the River
Before the first bridge was built, getting trains across the Hawkesbury River was a bit tricky! On 7 April 1887, the railway line opened up to the river. Passengers and goods had to get off the train at a platform on Long Island.
They would then transfer to a large boat with big paddles called the General Gordon. This boat would take them on a three-hour trip across the water to Gosford, where they could catch another train. Later, when the 1.7-kilometre-long (1.1 mi) Woy Woy Tunnel opened, the boat trip became much shorter.
The First Bridge (1889)
Quick facts for kids Hawkesbury River railway bridge(first bridge) |
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First bridge under construction in 1888
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| Coordinates | 33°32′2″S 151°13′42″E / 33.53389°S 151.22833°E |
| Carries | Main North railway line |
| Crosses | Hawkesbury River |
| Locale | Brooklyn, New South Wales |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Riveted truss bridge |
| Material | Steel |
| Total length | 887 metres (2,910 ft) |
| Water depth | 46 to 49 metres (150 to 160 ft) |
| Longest span | 127 metres (416 ft) |
| Number of spans | Seven |
| Piers in water | Five |
| History | |
| Designer | John Whitton |
| Constructed by | Union Bridge Company, New York |
| Construction cost | A£367,000 |
| Opened | 1 May 1889 |
| Closed | 1946 |
| Replaces | General Gordon, a double decker, rear paddled-wheeled steamer |
The Union Bridge Company from New York won the job to build the first bridge in January 1886. The main engineer for the railways, John Whitton, wasn't asked to design it due to some earlier issues. Other companies also helped with the building work. The bridge's supports (called piers) were made of concrete underwater and sandstone above. The large sections of the bridge (called spans) were put together on Dangar Island. Then, they were floated about 1,500 metres (4,921 ft) across the water to the bridge site on special boats called barges.
The first bridge had seven spans, each 127 metres (416 ft) long, making the total length 887 metres (2,910 ft). Five of its piers were sunk to a record-breaking depth of 46 to 49 metres (150 to 160 ft) below high water! The bridge officially opened on 1 May 1889.
Testing the Bridge's Strength
When the bridge was finished, it was the longest structure in Australia to be tested for how much weight it could hold. They used two different ways to check it. One way involved using special tools to measure how much each section of the bridge bent when trains drove onto it.
This testing happened on 24 April 1889, with many important people watching. Trains were slowly driven onto each section to take measurements. They also did a speed test, where four locomotives (train engines) raced across the bridge at top speed.
Problems with the First Bridge
Even though the railway lines leading to the bridge were single tracks, the bridge itself was built wide enough for two tracks. This meant trains often used the bridge as a place to pass each other, which put a lot of stress on the structure.
Within a year, the bridge started showing problems, and the builders had to come back to fix some issues with the piers. Through the 1920s and 1930s, more design problems became clear. By 1938, a serious crack was found in one of the piers. This made it necessary to replace the entire bridge. The ground under the southernmost pier was too soft, and it seems this caused the problems.
During World War II, many trains (up to 100 a day) needed to cross the bridge, making a replacement very urgent. Before the new bridge was ready, trains had to slow down to just 23 km/h (14 mph), and then even 6 km/h (4 mph). The tracks were changed so trains had to go one at a time, to make sure the old bridge wouldn't break.
The Second Bridge (1946)
Work on a new bridge started in 1939 because people were worried the old bridge couldn't handle the extra trains and weight needed for World War II. Building the new bridge began in July 1940. Even though they worked hard, it wasn't finished until after the war, opening on 1 July 1946.
The new bridge was built about 60 metres (197 ft) to the west of the old one. It has eight sections (spans) of different lengths. Its piers (supports) go down to depths of up to 56 metres (183 ft), which was very deep! New tunnels were dug through Long Island to the south and Cogra Point to the north for the new railway line.
The New South Wales Government Railways designed and built the new bridge. More than 500 men worked on the project, and sadly, six of them died during construction. There's a special plaque at the southern end of the bridge, near the entrance to the 1946 tunnel, to remember those who lost their lives.
The large sections of the new bridge were built next to the bridge site on the northern side of Long Island. They were then lifted onto barges and floated out to the piers during high tide. Once the new bridge was complete, the old bridge was taken down. However, you can still see the sandstone-topped piers of the first bridge today.
Recent Issues
In 2016, a report found cracks in some of the concrete supports and "consistent defects" in the steel frame of the bridge. Because of this, there are plans to limit how much weight freight trains can carry when crossing the bridge. They might also need to strengthen parts of the bridge to allow heavier loads in the future.
What the Bridge Looks Like
The Bridge Structure
The Hawkesbury River Rail bridge is a steel bridge with eight truss sections, which are strong, triangular frames. It sits on reinforced concrete piers (supports) to the west of where the old 1889 bridge used to be. The bridge crosses the Hawkesbury River from Long Island to the northern shore.
It's about 785-metre (2,575 ft) long and has different types of truss sections. At the southern end, near the entrance to the railway tunnel, there are two plaques on a concrete pier. One plaque celebrates the bridge's opening on 1 July 1946, and the other remembers the workers who died during its construction.
Building Docks
You can see three special construction docks just west of the southern end of the bridge. These docks were used to build the huge steel sections of the 1946 bridge. They are like rectangular cuts made into the rock. Each cutting held a barge that supported the large bridge sections as they were being built. Once ready, these sections were floated out to the piers and lifted into place.
Parts of the First Bridge Still Remain
The southern end support (abutment) of the first bridge is still there. It's made of concrete and sandstone and rises about 20 metres (66 ft) above the water. It has a classic design. On top of this old abutment, there's a building from the 1960s. Inside this building, attached to the abutment, is a large metal plaque that used to be on the first section of the old bridge. It celebrates the construction of the bridge by the Union Bridge Company. You can also see old graffiti on the southern abutment, some dating back to 1901!
North of this abutment, you can see a series of large sandstone piers (supports) still standing in the Hawkesbury River. The top part of the old bridge is gone, but the piers remain.
Why This Bridge is Special
Both the current and the first Hawkesbury River Rail Bridges are very important historical sites for New South Wales. They are part of a railway area that shows how much railway building changed in NSW between the 1880s and 1970s.
When the 1889 Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge was finished, it didn't just connect Sydney to Newcastle. It actually linked the railway systems of South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland, creating a continuous rail network across Australia! Sir Henry Parkes used this bridge as a powerful symbol of Federation (when the Australian colonies joined together to form a country). He even gave a famous speech at its opening, which some say was his first Federation speech. The remaining parts of the old bridge remind us of these important events.
The old and new bridges, along with the tunnels on Long Island, also show the huge amount of money and effort put into the railway system in NSW during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The quality of the work on both bridges shows the great pride and confidence people had in the railways back then.
The old sandstone parts of the first Hawkesbury River Bridge and the current bridge look amazing in their setting on the Hawkesbury River. The way these man-made bridges and tunnels contrast with the beautiful natural landscape helps people appreciate the amazing engineering that went into building the railway line. This view has made the train journey itself a popular trip for many generations.
The 1889 Hawkesbury River Bridge was a huge technical achievement for its time. It was the fourth largest bridge built in the world, and one of its foundations went down 49 meters, making it the deepest bridge foundation in the world! It was also the longest bridge in Australia, pushing bridge design and building methods to their limits. It was the first major bridge in Australia to use steel, as earlier bridges were made of wrought iron. Its remaining parts show how engineering technology changed from British to American designs during that time.
The 1946 railway bridge was also a major technical achievement. Its large steel sections, joined by rivets, and its foundations were still among the deepest in the world when it was built. It remains the longest railway bridge built specifically for trains in the NSW network. The bridge itself, along with the remaining construction docks, show the amazing technical skills used to build it. The docks, in particular, give us direct evidence of how they built the bridge in this challenging river environment.
The Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge was officially listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
Engineering Award
The bridge is recognized as a National Engineering Landmark by Engineers Australia. This means it's considered a very important example of engineering in Australia.
Images for kids
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Original and replacement under construction, c. 1945
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First and second bridges side by side
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Second bridge - a pylon from the first bridge can be seen in the background
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