Parramatta River railway bridge, Meadowbank | |
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![]() The Parramatta River railway bridge in 2014 | |
Location | Main Northern railway line, Meadowbank and Rhodes, City of Canada Bay, New South Wales, Australia |
Coordinates | 33°49′19″S151°05′20″E / 33.8220°S 151.0888°E |
Built | 1886 |
Architect | John Whitton |
Owner | Transport Asset Holding Entity |
Official name | Meadowbank Rail Bridge over Parramatta River; John Whitton Bridge; Meadowbank Rhodes Railway Bridge |
Type | State heritage (built) |
Designated | 2 April 1999 |
Reference no. | 1189 |
Type | Railway Bridge/ Viaduct |
Category | Transport – Rail |
The Parramatta River railway bridge is a heritage-listed former railway bridge and now cycleway which carried the Main Northern line across the Parramatta River between the suburbs of Meadowbank and Rhodes in the City of Canada Bay local government area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The railway bridge was designed by John Whitton and built in 1886. The bridge is also known as the Meadowbank Rail Bridge over Parramatta River, erroneously the John Whitton Bridge and the Meadowbank–Rhodes Railway Bridge. The property is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. [1]
The bridge was built in 1886. [1]
In 1980, a new parallel bridge, the John Whitton Bridge, was built to carry the train line and the historic bridge was taken out of use. [2] After twenty years of disuse, it was converted to a pedestrian bridge and cycleway in the lead-up to the 2000 Summer Olympics. [3]
In 2016, the local mayor and state opposition expressed concern about the deteriorating state of the bridge and called upon the state government to fund repairs and confirm their future plans for the bridge. [3]
The Meadowbank–Rhodes bridge is one of twelve double lattice girder bridges that survive substantially intact in the NSW railway system. As such it is of exceptional heritage significance as evidence of a short lived but highly popular approach to bridge design in which the spanning girders were reinforced by a lattice of bars, adjusted to suit changing structural forces. This bridge is the largest double track lattice girder bridge to be prefabricated in England for export to Australia and has significant variations on the standardised design. The bridge is one of the most architecturally impressive nineteenth century Australian railway structures. A unity in design, lively detail, skilful use of materials and fine workmanship is displayed by the bridge and its abutments. The Meadowbank-Rhodes bridge is an exceptional piece of early Australian railway engineering. [4] [1]
Meadowbank Rail Bridge over Parramatta River was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. [1]
The bridge received a Historic Engineering Marker from Engineers Australia as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program. [5]
Rhodes is an Inner West suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rhodes is located 12 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay. It was formerly part of Concord Municipality until a merger with Drummoyne Council to form Canada Bay in December 2000. People from Rhodes are colloquially known as Rhoders or Rhodesiens.
Rhodes railway station is a heritage-listed railway station located on the Main Northern line, serving the Sydney suburbs of Rhodes and Liberty Grove both in City of Canada Bay, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is served by Sydney Trains T9 Northern Line services.
The Ryde Bridge, also called the Uhrs Point Bridge, are two road bridges that carry Concord Road, part of the A3, across Parramatta River from Ryde in the northern suburbs of Sydney to Rhodes in Sydney's inner west, in New South Wales, Australia.
Meadowbank is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Meadowbank is located 15 kilometres north west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Ryde and part of the Northern Sydney region. Meadowbank sits in a valley on the northern bank of the Parramatta River.
John Whitton, an Anglo–Australian railway engineer, was the Engineer-in-Charge for the New South Wales Government Railways, serving between 1856 and 1890, considered the Father of New South Wales Railways. Under his supervision, it is estimated that 2,171 miles (3,494 km) of railway around New South Wales and Victoria were completed. Whitton was responsible for the construction of parts of the Main Western railway line, in particular the section over the Blue Mountains and the Lithgow Zig Zag, and much of the Main Southern railway line.
The Nepean River railway bridge is a heritage-listed railway bridge that carries the Main Southern railway line across Menangle Road and the Nepean River located at the outer south-western Sydney settlement of Menangle in the Wollondilly Shire local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by John Whitton as the Engineer-in-Chief, of the New South Wales Government Railways and NSW Department of Public Works. The railway bridge was built in 1863 by Messers Peto, Brassey and Betts. It is also known as Menangle rail bridge over Nepean River and Menangle Railway Bridge. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
The John Whitton Bridge is a railway bridge that carries the Main Northern railway line across the Parramatta River, located between the Sydney suburbs of Rhodes and Meadowbank.
The Como railway bridge carries the Illawarra railway line across the Georges River between the Sydney suburbs of Oatley and Como.
The Murray River railway bridge is a heritage-listed Australian railway bridge over the Murray River on the Main Southern line south of Albury in the City of Albury, New South Wales, and on the North Eastern line north of Wodonga in Victoria. The bridge was designed by John Whitton and built from 1883 to 1884 by J. S. Bennett, with iron work supplied by Westwood, Baillie, England. It is also known as the Rail Bridge over Murray River, Albury–Wodonga and the Albury Lattice Railway Bridge and Murray River Underbridge. The bridge is owned by RailCorp, and maintained by the Australian Rail Track Corporation as part of its lease of the line. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999, and added to the Register of the National Estate on 18 April 1989.
The Macdonald River railway bridge is a heritage-listed railway bridge that carries the Main Northern Line across the Macdonald River located in Woolbrook, in the Walcha Shire, New South Wales, Australia. The railway bridge was designed by John Whitton as the Engineer-in-Chief for the New South Wales Government Railways and built during 1882 by J. S. Bennett, with iron work by J. & C. Brettell, Worcester, England. The railway bridge is also known as the Woolbrook rail bridge over the Macdonald River and the Woolbrook Lattice Railway Bridge. The bridge and adjacent infrastructure is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. The bridge was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 and was added to the Register of the National Estate on 18 April 1989.
The Macquarie River railway bridge is a heritage-listed disused railway bridge across the Macquarie River that was previously located on the Main Western line in Bathurst in the Bathurst Region local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1876. It is also known as Bathurst Rail Bridge over Macquarie River and Bathurst – Kelso Railway Bridge. The property is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. The bridge was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 and was added to the Register of the National Estate on 18 April 1989.
The Dubbo rail bridge over Macquarie River – Wambuul is a heritage-listed railway bridge on the Main Western line across the Macquarie River, located west of the Dubbo central business district in New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by John Whitton as the Engineer-in-Chief for the New South Wales Government Railways. The bridge was built during 1884 by Benjamin Barnes, with ironwork by Cochrane & Co, Middlesborough, England. The railway bridge is also known as the Dubbo Lattice Railway Bridge. The property is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. The bridge was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 and was listed on the Register of the National Estate on 18 April 1989.
The Bredbo River railway bridge is a heritage-listed former railway bridge carrying the Bombala railway line over the Bredbo River at Bredbo in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by John Whitton in his capacity as Engineer-in-Chief for Railways and built from 1881 to 1889. It is also known as the Bredbo Rail Bridge and the Bredbo River Railway Viaduct. The property is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. On 1 December 2020, changes were made to exemptions relating to the bridge's heritage status.
The Lachlan River railway bridge is a heritage-listed former railway bridge which carried the Blayney–Demondrille railway line over the Lachlan River at Cowra, Cowra Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by John Whitton in his capacity as Engineer-in-Chief for Railways. The bridge was built from 1886 to 1887 by contractors Fishburn & Co. It is also known as the Cowra Rail Bridge over Lachlan River and the Cowra Lattice Railway Bridge. The property is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
The Peel River railway bridge is a heritage-listed railway bridge that carries the Main North line across the Peel River connecting North Tamworth to Tambinda, both in the Tamworth Regional Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The railway bridge was designed by John Whitton as the Engineer-in-Chief for Railways and built during 1882 by J. S. Bennett, with iron work by J. & C. Brettell, Worcester, England. The bridge is also known as the Tamworth rail bridge over Peel River and the Tamworth Lattice Railway Bridge. The property is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. The bridge was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 and was added to the Register of the National Estate on 18 April 1989.
Murrumbidgee River railway bridge is a heritage-listed disused railway bridge on the Tocumwal railway line crossing from Narrandera to Gillenbah, both in Narrandera Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by John Whitton in his capacity as Engineer-in-Chief for Railways, and built in 1884–85 by Halliday & Owen with ironwork supplied by English firm Westwood, Baillie. It is also known as Narrandera Lattice Railway Bridge. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 and was added to the Register of the National Estate on 15 May 1990.
The Old Como railway bridge is a heritage-listed former railway bridge and now footbridge and water main carrier over the Georges River between Como and Oatley in the Sutherland Shire Council and Georges River Council local government areas of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by John Whitton and Dept of Railways and built from 1883 to 1885 by C. and E. Millar. The property is owned by Sydney Water, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 15 November 2002.
The Yarraford Rail Bridge is a heritage-listed closed railway bridge that carried the Main Northern Line across Beardy Waters, situated 694.371 kilometres (431.462 mi) from Central station, near Glen Innes, in the Glen Innes Severn local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The bridge was designed by John Whitton in his capacity as Engineer-in-Chief for Railways and built in 1886. It is also known as Beardy River Railway Viaduct. The property is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
The Severn River railway bridge is a heritage-listed railway bridge that carries the Main Northern Line across the Severn River at Dundee, Glen Innes Severn, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by John Whitton in his capacity as Engineer-in-Chief for Railways and built in 1886. It is also known as Severn River Railway Viaduct. The property is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
The Coxs River railway bridges are two heritage-listed railway bridges that carry the Main Western Line over the Coxs River at Wallerawang, City of Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia. The bridges were designed by engineering staff of the New South Wales Government Railways and built in 1870 by day labour. The property is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
This Wikipedia article was originally based on Meadowbank Rail Bridge over Parramatta River , entry number 01189 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence , accessed on 2 June 2018.
Media related to John Whitton Bridge at Wikimedia Commons