Yass River railway bridge, Yass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yass River railway bridge |
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| Coordinates | 34°50′21″S 148°54′22″E / 34.8392°S 148.9062°E |
| Carries | Yass Town Tramway |
| Crosses | Yass River |
| Locale | Yass, Yass Valley Shire, New South Wales, Australia |
| Other name(s) |
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| Owner | RailCorp |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Pratt truss bridge |
| Material | Steel |
| Pier construction | Brick |
| Total length | 61 metres (200 ft) |
| Longest span | 61 metres (200 ft) |
| Number of spans | 1 |
| History | |
| Contracted lead designer | C. Fischer |
| Engineering design by | NSW Government Tramways |
| Constructed by | McGill & Son |
| Fabrication by | O. McMasters, North Sydney |
| Construction end | 1892 |
| Construction cost | A£5,412 |
| Inaugurated | 20 April 1892 by the Earl of Jersey, NSW Governor |
| Closed | 14 November 1988 (regular services) |
| Official name: Yass Town rail bridge over Yass River; Yass Town Truss | |
| Type: | State heritage (built) |
| Designated: | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference #: | 1292 |
| Type: | Railway Bridge/ Viaduct |
| Category: | Transport - Rail |
| Builders: |
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The Yass River railway bridge is a special old railway bridge in Yass, Australia. It used to carry the Yass Town Tramway across the Yass River. This bridge is considered important because of its history and design. It was designed by engineer C. Fischer and the NSW Government Tramways. The bridge was built in 1892 by O. McMasters (who made the parts) and McGill & Son (who put it together).
This bridge is also known as the Yass Town rail bridge over Yass River or the Yass Town Truss. It is owned by RailCorp and was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. This means it's protected because of its historical value.
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Building the Yass River Bridge
The story of the Yass River bridge began in the 1870s. Back then, plans were made to extend the main railway line, called the Main South Railway, to the town of Yass. However, the chief engineer, John Whitton, found that building the line through Yass would need many expensive bridges over the Yass River.
So, the railway line was moved about 5 kilometers (3 miles) north. This new route avoided crossing the river, but it also bypassed Yass town. The people of Yass were very upset about this.
A Special Tramway for Yass
Even though the main railway line didn't go through Yass, the townspeople kept asking the government for a connection. Finally, in 1889, the government agreed to build a smaller railway line, or "tramway," from the main line station (which was renamed Yass Junction) into Yass town.
At first, some thought the tramway could stop at the Yass River. People and goods would then be moved the short distance into town by an existing road bridge. But it was decided that the tramway needed to go all the way into the town. This meant a large steel bridge, 61 meters (200 feet) long, had to be built over the river.
The Bridge's High Cost
Building this bridge was very expensive for a small tramway. The whole tramway line cost about A£13,156 (Australian pounds, an old type of money). The bridge itself cost A£5,412. In total, the project cost A£27,318. The bridge alone made up 20% of the total cost!
The tramway was officially opened by the Governor of New South Wales, the Earl of Jersey, on 20 April 1892. Even though the railway company wasn't happy with how much the line cost to build and run, the bridge was a big step forward in bridge design.
A New Way to Build Bridges
Before this bridge, most large metal railway bridges in New South Wales were made of heavy wrought iron and imported from England. But things were changing. Engineers started to see that American bridge designs were better and more cost-effective.
The Yass River bridge was the very first large American-style steel bridge built for a railway in New South Wales. It showed the way for future bridges. After this, more American-style bridges were built, like those on the Murwillumbah railway line. This marked a shift from British to American bridge building technology in Australia.
What the Bridge Looks Like
The Yass River railway bridge has one main section, called a span. It's a lightweight steel bridge designed in a style called a Pratt truss. A truss is a framework of connected triangles that makes the bridge strong. This main span is 61 meters (200 feet) long.
The bridge rests on strong brick supports, called piers. There are also wooden beam sections leading up to the main bridge. Even though the bridge is no longer used, it still looks much like it did when it was first built.
Why the Bridge is Important
The Yass Town railway bridge is very important for several reasons:
- It was a major part of the Yass Tramway, which was a well-known project in its time.
- It's a very noticeable and impressive structure over the Yass River. You can easily see it from nearby parkland and from the road.
- It was the first American-style bridge used for a railway in New South Wales. This helped change how bridges were built in the region, moving away from older British designs.
- Even though it's not used anymore, the bridge is still in its original condition. It's a landmark in the history of railway bridges in New South Wales.
