Leycester Creek railway bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leycester Creek railway bridge |
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Leycester Creek railway bridge over Terania Street, 2010
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| Coordinates | 28°48′08″S 153°16′16″E / 28.8021°S 153.2712°E |
| Carries | Murwillumbah railway line |
| Crosses |
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| Locale | Lismore, City of Lismore, New South Wales, Australia |
| Owner | RailCorp |
| Followed by | Colemans Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Truss bridge and viaduct |
| Material | Steel |
| Pier construction | Timber |
| Longest span | 5.2 metres (17 ft) |
| Number of spans | 3 |
| Clearance below | 3.8 metres (12 ft) above Union Street |
| History | |
| Constructed by | Crosbie, Marquand and Co. |
| Construction begin | 1891 |
| Construction end | October 1892 |
| Construction cost | A£22,110 |
| Opened | May 1894 |
| Official name: Lismore railway underbridges | |
| Type: | State heritage (built) |
| Designated: | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference #: | 1044 |
| Type: | Railway Bridge / Viaduct |
| Category: | Transport - Rail |
The Leycester Creek railway bridge is a special railway bridge in Lismore, Australia. It's listed as a heritage site because it's an important part of history. This bridge carries the Murwillumbah railway line over Leycester Creek and two streets, Pine Street and Union Street. It's owned by RailCorp, a government agency in New South Wales.
Building the Leycester Creek Bridge
The Leycester Creek railway bridge was built by a company called Crosbie, Marquand and Co. They also built the Wilson's Creek bridge as part of the same project. The total cost for both bridges was about A£22,110.
Building the bridge wasn't easy. There were some delays, like problems with the iron parts. But the builders finished the bridge in October 1892. When it was done, people said it was the first steel bridge in Australia! The railway line over the bridge officially opened in May 1894.
The Murwillumbah railway line stopped being used in 2004. Since then, the Leycester Creek bridge has not been used by trains.
What the Bridge Looks Like
The Leycester Creek railway bridge is made up of different parts. It has a main section with three steel truss spans. A truss is like a strong framework of triangles that helps the bridge hold weight.
The bridge also has three timber viaduct sections. Viaducts are like long bridges that cross over low areas or floodplains. These timber sections have different lengths: one is about 3.7 meters, another is about 4.9 meters, and the third is about 5.2 meters long.
Why the Bridge is Special
The Leycester Creek railway bridge is part of a group of important bridges in Lismore. These bridges show how challenging it was to build railways in an area that often floods. They were built in 1892 and are a great example of engineering from that time.
Because of its history and design, the Lismore railway underbridges, including this one, were added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999. This means they are protected and recognized as important parts of New South Wales's history.
