Macdonald River railway bridge, Woolbrook facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Macdonald River railway bridge, Woolbrook |
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Macdonald River railway bridge, 2012
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| Coordinates | 30°58′04″S 151°20′51″E / 30.9679°S 151.3476°E |
| Carries | Main Northern railway |
| Crosses | Macdonald River |
| Locale | Woolbrook, Walcha Shire, New South Wales, Australia |
| Other name(s) |
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| Owner | RailCorp |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | lattice girder bridge |
| Material | Wrought iron |
| Pier construction | Brick |
| Longest span | 48 metres (157 ft) |
| Number of spans | 1 |
| History | |
| Designer | Sir John Fowler for John Whitton |
| Contracted lead designer | New South Wales Government Railways |
| Constructed by | J. S. Bennett |
| Fabrication by | J. & C. Brettell, Worcester, England (ironwork) |
| Construction end | 1882 |
| Official name: Woolbrook rail bridge over McDonald River; Woolbrook Lattice Railway Bridge | |
| Type: | State heritage (built) |
| Designated: | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference #: | 1067 |
| Type: | Railway Bridge/ Viaduct |
| Category: | Transport - Rail |
| Builders: |
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The Macdonald River railway bridge is a special railway bridge in Woolbrook, Australia. It carries the Main Northern railway line over the Macdonald River. This bridge is very old, built in 1882. It was designed by John Whitton, who was the main engineer for the New South Wales Government Railways. The bridge is also known as the Woolbrook rail bridge over the Macdonald River or the Woolbrook Lattice Railway Bridge. It's owned by RailCorp, a government group in New South Wales. Because it's so important to history, it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999.
Contents
How the Bridge Came to Be
Between 1873 and 1893, there was a huge effort to build new roads and railways in New South Wales. This was a time of great growth, but it ended with a tough economic period.
Even with all the building, engineers like John Whitton had to save money. They used a lot of local wood for bridges. But for very wide rivers, wood wasn't strong enough. These big bridges had to be made of metal. The metal parts came all the way from England, which was very costly.
Engineers from Britain chose a design called the wrought iron lattice truss bridge. This design used strong, criss-cross patterns of iron. Twelve of these bridges were built for railways, and 24 for roads. These metal bridges are some of the most important ones from that early time. Many of them are still standing and being used today!
Other Lattice Railway Bridges
Here are some other important railway bridges that use the same lattice design:
- 1876 – Macquarie River bridge at Bathurst
- 1881 – Macquarie River at Wellington
- 1882 – Peel River bridge at Tamworth
- 1882 – MacDonald River bridge at Woolbrook (this one!)
- 1884 – Murray River bridge at Albury
- 1884 – Macquarie River bridge at Dubbo
- 1885 – Murrumbidgee River bridge at Narrandera
- 1887 – Lachlan River bridge at Cowra
Some of these old railway bridges have been changed for other uses. For example, two were turned into paths for walking and cycling.
What the Bridge Looks Like
The Macdonald River railway bridge has one main section, called a span. It's made of wrought iron in a lattice (criss-cross) pattern. The main part of the bridge is about 48 meters (159 feet) long.
The bridge carries a single railway track. It has strong metal beams that support the track. The main criss-cross parts of the bridge are connected above the track by curved, lattice-patterned braces. The ends of the bridge, called abutments, are made of brick. The metal parts of the bridge were made in England.
This bridge is special because it's the only iron lattice railway bridge that has brick abutments.
Bridge Condition
The bridge is in good shape! Even though it's very old, most of its original parts are still there. In 2017, it was noted that trains crossing the 135-year-old bridge had to slow down to about 30 kilometers per hour (19 mph).
Why This Bridge is Important
This bridge is one of the important wrought iron bridges designed by John Whitton in the 1870s. It's a great example of how bridges were built a long time ago. The lattice girder design was a new and strong way to build bridges back then.
These iron lattice bridges are a very important group of old bridges in New South Wales. They helped a lot with the history and growth of the area by allowing railways to expand. Each bridge is an impressive sight. At the time they were built, the wrought iron lattice bridge was considered one of the best designs for large bridges.
The Woolbrook rail bridge was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999 for several reasons:
- It shows how history unfolded in New South Wales.
* Many wrought iron lattice railway bridges were built between 1871 and 1887. This bridge is one of them. Most of these bridges are still used today.
- It shows great design and building skill.
* All nine of the iron lattice railway bridges are impressive structures to look at.
- It connects strongly with the community.
* Each iron lattice railway bridge crossed a major river. This helped railway lines reach new areas, which was good for people and businesses.
- It can teach us about history.
* The iron lattice bridge was a very strong and well-designed structure for its time. It has lasted a long time, showing it was a smart and cost-effective way to build bridges.
- It represents an important type of structure.
* Together, the iron lattice railway bridges are a significant group of bridge designs.
