John Whitton Bridge
| Meadowbank Bridge | |
|---|---|
 Original Meadowbank Bridge in August 2010 | |
| Coordinates | 33°49′19″S 151°05′20″E / 33.8220°S 151.0888°ECoordinates: 33°49′19″S 151°05′20″E / 33.8220°S 151.0888°E |
| Carries | Main Northern railway line |
| Crosses | Parramatta River |
| Locale | Meadowbank |
| Maintained by | State Heritage |
| Heritage status | listed |
| ID number | 4805744 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | lattice girder |
| Total length | 963 feet (294 m) |
| Longest span | 159 feet (48 m) |
| Number of spans | 6 |
| Piers in water | 5 |
| History | |
| Architect | John Whitton |
| Constructed by | Messrs. Amos Brothers |
| Construction begin | 4 January 1886 |
| Construction end | 14 August 1886 |
| Opened | 17 September 1886[1] |
| Closed | 1980 |
| Replaced by | John Whitton Bridge |
| John Whitton Bridge | |
|---|---|
 Bridge looking south in September 2007 | |
| Carries | Main Northern railway line |
| Crosses | Parramatta River |
| Locale | Meadowbank |
| Named for | John Whitton |
| Maintained by | NSW Trains |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | steel box girders |
| Number of spans | 5 |
| Piers in water | 4 |
| History | |
| Construction begin | 1952 |
| Construction end | 1980 |
| Opened | May 1980 |
| Replaces | Meadowbank Bridge |
The John Whitton Bridge carries the Main Northern railway line across the Parramatta River between the Sydney suburbs of Rhodes and Meadowbank.
First bridge
The original Meadowbank Bridge opened on 17 September 1886 as part of the construction of the Main Northern railway line. It was a lattice truss bridge designed by John Whitton, the Chief Engineer of the New South Wales Government Railways.[2]
Second bridge
As part of plans to quadruple the Main North line, construction commenced on a new bridge to the west of the existing structure. The concrete piers were completed in 1952, before the project was cancelled. Work resumed in the 1970s, with a two-track box girder bridge opening in May 1980. The piers were extended to allow for a further two tracks to be built in the future.[2] The new bridge was named after John Whitton. In 2000, the original bridge was refurbished and reopened for bike and pedestrian use.[3]
See also
References
- ↑ "OFFICIAL TESTING OF THE NEW BRIDGE OVER THE PARRAMATTA.". The Sydney Morning Herald (15,121). New South Wales, Australia. 11 September 1886. p. 9. Retrieved 31 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
- 1 2 Meadowbank (Parramatta River) Underbridge NSW Environment & Heritage
- ↑ "Walkway Plan for Meadowbank Bridge": Railway Digest March 1997 page 9
External links
Media related to John Whitton Bridge at Wikimedia Commons- Flickr gallery