Peel River railway bridge, Tamworth facts for kids

The Peel River railway bridge is a special old bridge in New South Wales, Australia. It carries the Main North railway line over the Peel River. This bridge connects two places: North Tamworth and Tambinda, near Tamworth.

It is also known as the Tamworth rail bridge over Peel River or the Tamworth Lattice Railway Bridge. The bridge was designed by John Whitton, who was the main engineer for railways. It was built in 1882 by J. S. Bennett. The iron parts came all the way from England, made by J. & C. Brettell.

Today, the bridge is owned by RailCorp, a government group in New South Wales. Because it's so important, it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999. It was also listed on the now-closed Register of the National Estate in 1989. This bridge is about 454 kilometers (282 miles) from Sydney Central station.

Building Bridges in New South Wales

A Time of Growth and New Railways

From 1873 to 1893, New South Wales was a very busy place. There was a huge effort to build new roads and railway lines. This was a time of great growth, but it ended with a tough economic period.

Engineers like John Whitton, who was in charge of railways, had to be smart with money. They tried to use as many local materials as possible. This meant a lot of strong hardwood timber was used for bridges. Many bridges were made of timber beams and trusses.

Why Metal Bridges Were Needed

However, there were many big rivers to cross. Timber bridges were not strong enough for these long crossings. For these major rivers, special metal bridges were needed. These metal parts had to be brought from England, which was very expensive.

Both the main engineers, William C. Bennett for roads and John Whitton for railways, were from Britain. They chose a popular design called the wrought iron lattice truss bridge. These bridges looked like a criss-cross pattern.

Important Iron Lattice Bridges

Twelve of these special bridges were built for railways. Another 24 were built for roads. These iron lattice bridges are some of the most important bridges from that time. Many of them are still standing and being used today. Eleven are still used for railways, and eighteen for roads.

Here are some of the railway lattice bridges that are still in use:

• 1876 – Macquarie River bridge at Bathurst
• 1881 – Murrumbidgee River bridge at Wagga Wagga
• 1881 – Macquarie River at Wellington
• 1882 – Peel River at Tamworth (this bridge!)
• 1882 – Macdonald River bridge at Woolbrook
• 1884 – Murray River bridge at Albury-Wodonga
• 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, the 1885 Georges River bridge at Como and the 1886 Parramatta River bridge at Meadowbank are now used by people walking or riding bikes. Sadly, one bridge over the Hunter River at Aberdeen was taken down and replaced.

About the Peel River Bridge Design

How the Bridge Looks

The Peel River railway bridge has a single span. This means it crosses the river in one big jump without middle supports in the water. It is made of wrought iron and has a lattice design. This lattice pattern looks like a criss-cross or web.

The main part of the bridge is about 48 meters (159 feet) long. It rests on two strong piers, which are like columns. These piers are made of cast iron cylinders. They were made by the Stockton Forge Co. in England.

How the Bridge Works

The bridge carries a single railway track. The track sits on timber beams, which are supported by metal cross girders. These girders fit into the sides of the main iron trusses. The trusses are the strong, criss-cross parts that hold up the bridge.

The main trusses are straight and have seven triangles in their lattice pattern. They are connected above the track by special arched lattice braces. The bridge also has long ramps leading up to it, especially on the south side.

The iron parts of the bridge were made by J. and C. Brettell in England. The main builders were A. and R. Amos. The bridge was tested on November 16, 1881, to make sure it was safe. It officially opened for trains on January 9, 1882.

Bridge Condition

As of 2006, the bridge was in good physical condition. Most of these old iron lattice railway bridges still have their original parts. They have only needed small repairs or strengthening over the years.

Why This Bridge is Special

A Piece of History

This bridge is part of a very important group of old bridges in New South Wales. These bridges helped build the railway system and shaped the history of the region. Each bridge is a grand sight where it stands.

The wrought iron lattice bridge design was considered very advanced for its time. It was one of the best ways to build large bridges back then.

The Peel River bridge was built in 1882. It is one of the original "Whitton bridges" made of iron lattice. It's a great example of these bridges in an important railway town like Tamworth. Building such a big bridge here showed how important this railway line was. It helped transport coal from Lithgow and farm products from central NSW to the south and Victoria, and vice versa.

Heritage Listing Reasons

The Tamworth rail bridge over Peel River was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999 for several reasons:

• It shows how history unfolded: Twelve wrought iron lattice railway bridges were built in New South Wales between 1871 and 1887. This bridge is one of them.
• It shows great design and skill: All nine of the remaining iron lattice railway bridges are impressive structures.
• It connects with the community: Each iron lattice railway bridge helped connect towns and develop their communities. This made it easier for people to travel and for businesses to grow.
• It helps us learn about history: The iron lattice bridge design was very strong and well-made for its time. It proved to be a very good investment because it lasted so long.
• It represents a special type of place: Together, these iron lattice railway bridges are a significant type of bridge structure.