Peel River railway bridge, Tamworth

Peel River railway bridge, Tamworth
Peel River railway bridge, Tamworth
Coordinates	31°05′06″S150°55′24″E / 31.0849°S 150.9232°E
Carries	Main North line
Crosses	Peel River
Locale	Tamworth, Tamworth Regional Council, New South Wales, Australia
Begins	North Tamworth (north)
Ends	Taminda (south)
Other name(s)	Tamworth rail bridge over Peel River; Tamworth Lattice Railway Bridge;
Owner	Transport Asset Holding Entity
Characteristics
Design	Lattice girder bridge
Material	Wrought iron
Pier construction	Cast iron
Total length	48 metres (157 ft)
Longest span	48 metres (157 ft)
No. of spans	1
Rail characteristics
No. of tracks	One
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
History
Designer	Sir John Fowler for John Whitton
Constructed by	J. S. Bennett
Fabrication by	J. & C. Brettell, Worcester, England (ironwork)
Construction end	1881
Opened	9 January 1882
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name	Tamworth rail bridge over Peel River; Tamworth Lattice Railway Bridge
Type	State heritage (built)
Designated	2 April 1999
Reference no.	1058
Type	Railway Bridge/Viaduct
Category	Transport – Rail
Builders	J. S. Bennett; J. & C. Brettell, Worcester, England (ironwork);
Location

Last updated September 20, 2024

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 Taminda, 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^[1] and was added to the (now defunct) Register of the National Estate on 18 April 1989.^[2]

History

During the 20-year period 1873-1893 there was a massive programme of public works in New South Wales, particularly in expanding the road and rail networks. It was a boom period that ended with a severe economic depression.^[1]

Despite the boom conditions, the respective Chief Engineers, for Roads (William C. Bennett) and for Railways (John Whitton) were constrained to economise by using as much local material as possible, consequently an enormous amount of hardwood timber was used for bridgeworks, mostly timber beam and timber truss bridges.^[1]

However, there were many major rivers to be crossed, requiring long span bridges, for which no form of timber bridge was suitable. These large bridges had to be metal and supplied from England, a very expensive import cost to the successive colonial governments.^[1]

Both Chief Engineers were British so they chose the widely used wrought iron lattice truss bridge in the half-through form. Twelve of these were built for the railways and 24 for roads. These two sets of iron lattice bridges are the most significant group of bridges of the colonial period. A high percentage are extant and still in use, eleven on railways and eighteen on roads.^[1]

The current railway lattice bridges are:^[1]

1876 – Macquarie River railway bridge at Bathurst
1881 – Murrumbidgee River railway bridge at Wagga Wagga
1881 –Macquarie River at Wellington
1882 – Peel River at Tamworth
1882 – Macdonald River railway bridge at Woolbrook
1884 – Murray River railway bridge at Albury-Wodonga
1884 – Macquarie River railway bridge at Dubbo
1885 – Murrumbidgee River railway bridge at Narrandera
1887 – Lachlan River railway bridge at Cowra

Two former railway lattice bridges (1885 Georges River railway bridge at Como and 1886 Parramatta River railway bridge at Meadowbank) were converted for use by pedestrian/cycle ways.^[1]

The 1871 lattice railway bridge over the Hunter River at Aberdeen was replaced by steel girders and demolished.^[1]

Description

A single-span wrought iron lattice bridge. The span is 48-metre (159 ft) to centres of piers and the lattice work has seven triangulations. The piers are pairs of cast iron cylinders, supplied by the Stockton Forge Co., England.^[1]

The bridge carries a single 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge railway, with transomes on timber stringers on metal cross girders, which frame into the sides of the lower chords. The main trusses are simply supported, through type lattice trusses. They are of constant depth with seven triangulations and are connected together above the track by characteristic arched latticed braces. The trusses rest on twin, cast iron cylinder piers. There are extensive approaches, particularly on the south side. The superstructure was fabricated by J. and C. Brettell, Worcestor, England; A. and R. Amos were the principal contractors. It was load tested on 16 November 1881 and placed in service on 9 January 1882.^[2]

Condition

As at 16 March 2006, the physical condition was good. Apart from relatively minor technical works of repair and strengthening, all the iron lattice railway bridges retain their original fabrics.^[1]

Heritage listing

As at 16 March 2006, this bridge was a member of the most significant group of colonial bridges in New South Wales. Collectively, as items of railway infrastructure, they contributed significantly to the history and development of New South Wales. Each bridge is an imposing structure at its site. In terms of contemporary bridge technology the wrought iron lattice bridge was among the best for major bridgeworks.^[1]

The bridge built in 1882 is one of the original iron lattice Whitton bridges and is an important surviving element from the most significant period of railway development. It is an excellent example in an important railway town. The building of such a relatively large structure on this cross country line reflects the importance that the railway administration gave to this line to provide an outlet for coal from Lithgow, and produce from central NSW, to reach the south and Victoria and vice versa.^[1]

Tamworth rail bridge over Peel River was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria.^[1]

The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.

Twelve wrought iron lattice railway bridges were built in New South Wales during the boom period for railway construction 1871–1887, starting at Aberdeen and ending at Cowra. Nine of the survivors are owned and managed by the RailCorp.^[1]

The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.

All nine iron lattice railway bridges are imposing structures.^[1]

The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.

Every iron lattice railway bridge crossed a major river which made it possible for the railway extension to develop the districts reached, socially and commercially.^[1]

The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

The iron lattice bridge was a technically sound structure for the bridge technology of the late colonial period. Its strength and durability have shown it to have been a very cost-effective form of bridge.^[1]

The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places/environments in New South Wales.

Collectively, the iron lattice railway bridges represent a significant class of bridge structure.^[1]

Related Research Articles

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murrumbidgee River railway bridge, Wagga Wagga</span> Bridge in New South Wales, Australia

The Murrumbidgee River railway bridge is a former railway bridge that carried the Main Southern railway line across the Murrumbidgee River in Wagga Wagga, Australia. The original bridge, erected in 1881, was replaced in 2006.

The Denison Bridge is a heritage-listed footbridge over the Macquarie River in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. It is the fourth oldest metal truss bridge existing in Australia.

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 Yass River railway bridge is a heritage-listed disused railway bridge that carried the Yass Town Tramway across the Yass River at Yass, Yass Valley Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by engineer C. Fischer and NSW Government Tramways and built in 1892 by O. McMasters, North Sydney (fabrication) and McGill & Son (erection). It is also known as the Yass Town rail bridge over Yass River and the Yass Town Truss. It is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

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 Ingalara Creek railway bridge is a heritage-listed former railway bridge that carried the Bombala railway line across Ingalara Creek at Michelago 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 in 1889. It is also known as the Michelago Rail Bridge over Ingalara Creek and the Ingalara Creek 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 Bredbo River railway bridge is a heritage-listed former railway bridge carrying the Bombala railway line over the Bredbo River at Bredbo in the Monaro region 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 Tenterfield Creek railway bridge is a heritage-listed former railway bridge that carried the Main North Line across the Tenterfield Creek from Sunnyside to Jennings, both in the Tenterfield Shire local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by John Whitton and Engineer-in-Chief for NSW Government Railways and built in 1888. The bridge is also known as the Sunnyside rail bridge over Tenterfield Creek. The property is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales and was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

The Murrumbidgee River railway bridge is a heritage-listed railway bridge across the Murrumbidgee River located on the Tumut railway line at Gundagai in the Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1903. It is also known as the Gundagai Rail Bridge over Murrumbidgee River and the Murrumbidgee River Railway Bridge. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

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 Long Cove Creek railway viaducts are heritage-listed railway viaducts which carry the Main Suburban railway line over Long Cove Creek between the suburbs of Lewisham and Summer Hill in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The viaducts were designed and built by the New South Wales Government Railways. 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.

Emu Plains Underbridge is a heritage-listed steel truss railway underbridge located off Bruce Neale Dr approximately 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) west of the Penrith railway station in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith in the City of Penrith local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by James Fraser, the existing lines branch and the New South Wales Government Railways. It was built in 1907, with fabrication by R. Tulloch & Co.; and erection by day labour. It is also known as Emu Plains Underbridge and Penrith Underbridge. 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 28 June 2013.

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Tamworth rail bridge over Peel River". New South Wales State Heritage Register . Department of Planning & Environment. H01058. Retrieved 2 June 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence .
1 2 "Peel River Rail Bridge, Peel St, Tamworth, NSW, Australia (Place ID 15912)". Australian Heritage Database . Australian Government. 18 April 1989. Retrieved 29 April 2020.

Bibliography

Rail Infrastructure Corporation (2003). Rail Infrastructure Corporation s.170 Register.

Attribution

This Wikipedia article was originally based on Tamworth rail bridge over Peel River , entry number 01058 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.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[nswshr-1058-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Tamworth rail bridge over Peel River". New South Wales State Heritage Register . Department of Planning & Environment. H01058. Retrieved 2 June 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence .

[AHD-2] 1 2 "Peel River Rail Bridge, Peel St, Tamworth, NSW, Australia (Place ID 15912)". Australian Heritage Database . Australian Government. 18 April 1989. Retrieved 29 April 2020.

[1]

[2]

v t e Railway bridges in Australia
New South Wales former	Albury–Wodonga Bargo Belmore Beverly Hills Bowenfels Burwood Canterbury Como Cougal Spiral Cowra Dubbo Dunmore Emu Plains Glebe and Wentworth Park Goulburn Grafton Gundagai Hawkesbury River John Whitton Kempsey Lismore Lithgow Coal Stage Signal Box Lithgow Underbridge Lewisham Marrangaroo Menangle Moss Vale Narrandera Orange Penrith Picton Queanbeyan Redfern Rydal Sandgate Flyover Springwood Stanwell Park Strathfield Sydney Harbour Tahmoor Tamworth Taree Tocumwal Wagga Wagga Wallerawang Wambool Woolbrook Bathurst Bredbo Colinton Como Dundee Emu Plains Gulgong Knapsack Viaduct Lithgow Zig Zag Manilla Old Como Railway Square Sunnyside Ultimo Yarraford Yass
Northern Territory	Elizabeth River
Queensland	Albert Alexandra Angellala Bremer River Burdekin Burdekin River Deep Creek Dickabram Etheridge Harlin Humphery Ideraway Creek Imbil Indooroopilly Lockyer Maroochy River Merivale Murphys Creek Quart Pot Creek Sadliers Crossing Saltwater Creek Splitters Creek Steep Rocky Creek Swansons Woolooga
South Australia former	Goodwood Overpass Mary MacKillop Algebuckina
Tasmania	Bridgewater Longford
Victoria former	Albion Viaduct Cowies Creek (No. 1) Cremorne Hawthorn Heyington Malmsbury Viaduct Melton Viaduct Saltwater River Taradale Viaduct Tocumwal Fairfield Sandridge
Western Australia former	Fremantle Goongoongup Mount Henry Narrows Bunbury