Murrumbidgee River railway bridge, Narrandera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Murrumbidgee River railway bridge |
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Heritage boundaries
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| Coordinates | 34°45′31″S 146°32′09″E / 34.7587°S 146.5357°E |
| Carries | Tocumwal railway line |
| Crosses | Murrumbidgee River |
| Locale | Narrandera, Narrandera Shire, New South Wales, Australia |
| Other name(s) | Narrandera Lattice Railway Bridge |
| Owner | Transport Asset Holding Entity |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Lattice truss |
| Material | Wrought iron |
| Pier construction | Cast iron |
| Longest span | 48 metres (159 ft) |
| Number of spans | 2 |
| History | |
| Designer | John Whitton |
| Constructed by | Halliday & Owen |
| Fabrication by | Westwood, Baillie, England |
| Construction begin | 1884 |
| Construction end | 1885 |
| Official name: Narrandera rail bridge over Murrumbidgee River; Narrandera Lattice Railway Bridge | |
| Type: | State heritage (built) |
| Designated: | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference #: | 1050 |
| Type: | Railway Bridge/ Viaduct |
| Category: | Transport - Rail |
| Builders: |
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The Murrumbidgee River railway bridge is a historic railway bridge in New South Wales, Australia. It crosses the Murrumbidgee River between Narrandera and Gillenbah. This bridge was an important part of the Tocumwal railway line.
It was designed by John Whitton, who was the chief engineer for railways at the time. The bridge was built between 1884 and 1885 by Halliday & Owen. The special iron parts for the bridge came all the way from an English company called Westwood, Baillie. This bridge is also known as the Narrandera Lattice Railway Bridge.
Because of its historical importance, the bridge was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. It was also listed on the now-closed Register of the National Estate in 1990.
Building Bridges in New South Wales
The Need for Strong Bridges
Between 1873 and 1893, New South Wales had a huge building boom. Many new roads and railway lines were being built across the state. This was a time of great growth, but it ended with a tough economic period.
During this time, engineers like William C. Bennett (for roads) and John Whitton (for railways) had to find ways to save money. They used a lot of local wood, especially for smaller bridges. But for big rivers, they needed very strong, long bridges that wood couldn't provide.
These large bridges had to be made of metal and were imported from England. This made them very expensive for the government.
Iron Lattice Bridges
Both chief engineers were from Britain. They chose a popular design called the wrought iron lattice truss bridge. These bridges were known for their strength and unique criss-cross (lattice) pattern.
Twelve of these bridges were built for railways, and 24 for roads. They are considered some of the most important bridges from that time. Many of them are still standing and being used today. Ten railway lattice bridges and 18 road lattice bridges are still in service.
Railway Lattice Bridges Still Standing
Here are some of the railway lattice bridges that are still around:
- 1876 – Macquarie River bridge at Bathurst
- 1881 – Macquarie River at Wellington
- 1882 – Peel River bridge at Tamworth
- 1882 – MacDonald River bridge at Woolbrook
- 1884 – Murray River bridge at Albury
- 1884 – Macquarie River bridge at Dubbo
- 1885 – Murrumbidgee River at Narrandera (this bridge!)
- 1887 – Lachlan River bridge at Cowra
Some lattice railway bridges were later changed for other uses. For example, the 1885 bridge over the Georges River at Como and the 1886 bridge over the Parramatta River at Meadowbank are now used by walkers and cyclists.
One bridge, built in 1871 over the Hunter River at Aberdeen, was taken down and replaced with a steel bridge.
The Narrandera Bridge Story
The Murrumbidgee River bridge at Narrandera was built by Halliday and Owen. They were the main contractors for the entire railway line project from Narrandera to Jerilderie. Building this bridge was the biggest engineering challenge on that part of the line.
During its construction, a temporary bridge was put up. This allowed trains to cross the river while the main bridge was being built. Because the permanent bridge took a bit longer to finish, the official opening of the railway line was delayed until July 1885.
The Tocumwal railway line, which the bridge was part of, officially closed in December 1988. However, people sometimes talk about reopening the line. Reports suggest that if the line were to reopen, this bridge is in good enough shape to be used again with only minor repairs.
How the Bridge is Built
The Murrumbidgee River railway bridge at Narrandera has two main sections, called spans. It's a continuous iron lattice bridge. Each span is about 48.5 meters (159 feet) long. The lattice design has a criss-cross pattern with four triangles.
The bridge stands on strong supports called piers. These piers are made of pairs of cast iron cylinders. These cylinders were supplied by a company called Stockton Forge Co. from England.
The bridge was designed to carry a single railway track. It uses metal beams and cross-girders to support the track. The main parts of the bridge are the 'through type' lattice trusses. These trusses are connected above the track by special arched lattice braces.
The company Westwood, Baillie made the metal parts for the bridge. Halliday and Owen were the main builders who put it all together. The bridge started carrying trains in May 1885.
In 2006, the bridge was reported to be in good physical condition. It still has most of its original parts. Only small repairs and strengthening work have been done over the years. A report from 2012 also said the bridge "appears to be sound." This means it would likely need only small repairs to be used again.
Why the Bridge is Important
This bridge is part of a very important group of old bridges in New South Wales. These bridges helped build the railway network and played a big role in the state's history and growth. The Narrandera bridge itself is a very impressive structure. When it was built, wrought iron lattice bridges were considered the best technology for large bridge projects.
The Narrandera rail bridge was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999 for several reasons:
- It shows how New South Wales developed: Twelve wrought iron lattice railway bridges were built between 1871 and 1887. These bridges were key during a big railway building period.
- It shows great design and skill: All nine of the surviving iron lattice railway bridges are impressive to look at. They show high levels of creative and technical achievement.
- It connects with the community: Each iron lattice railway bridge crossed a major river. This helped the railway lines reach new areas, which was important for the people and businesses in those districts.
- It helps us learn about history: The iron lattice bridge design was very strong and well-made for its time. Its durability shows it was a very good investment.
- It represents an important type of structure: Together, these iron lattice railway bridges are a significant example of a specific type of bridge construction.
Images for kids
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Narrandera railway bridge.
