Guildford Railway Bridge

Guildford Railway Bridge
Southbound bridge view from northbound bridge
Carries	Eastern railway line
Crosses	Swan River
Begins	Guildford
Ends	Bassendean
Owner	Public Transport Authority
Characteristics
Material	Steel
Piers in water	5
Rail characteristics
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
History
Constructed by	John Holland
Opened	1st: 15 June 1969 2nd: 12 October 1975

The Guildford Railway Bridge is a pair of bridges that carry the Eastern railway line across the Swan River in Perth, Western Australia.

History

The original bridge was a timber viaduct that opened in 1880 as a combined rail and road bridge. In February 1898, a new two track bridge opened downstream. In 1939 the original timber trusses were replaced by steel girders. ^[1] The original bridge remained as a road bridge and later a foot bridge until demolished in the late 1960s. ^[2]

As part of the project to standardise the line from Kalgoorlie to Perth, on 15 June 1969 a new single track standard gauge steel girder bridge on concrete supports built by John Holland opened. ^{[3] [4] [5]} The existing bridge was retained for narrow gauge services. ^{[2] [6]}

On 12 October 1975, an identical steel girder bridge opened on the site of the 1880 structure. ^[2] It was built as a dual gauge structure with the 1969 bridge also converted to dual gauge allowing the 1898 bridges to be demolished. ^[7]

References

1. Strengthening of Bridges Railway Gazette 18 June 1940 page 166
2. Minchin, RS; Higham, GJ (1981). Robb's Railway Fremantle to Guildford Railway Centenary. Australian Railway Historical Society. pp. 19–21. ISBN   0-9599690-2-0.
3. Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 363 January 1968 page 6
4. WA Standard Gauge Progress Report Network July 1968 page 4
5. Standard Gauge Progress in Perth Metropolitan Area Railway Transportation November 1968 page 26
6. O'Connor, Colin (1985). Spanning Two Centuries. University of Queensland Press. pp. 224/225. ISBN   0 7022 1798 0.
7. Westrail to Landscape Guildford Bridge Westrail News Letter March 1976 page 10

External links

Media related to Guildford railway bridge at Wikimedia Commons

• Guildford River Bridge over Swan River InHerit