Murrumbidgee River Railway Bridge, Railway bridge in Wagga Wagga, Australia.
The Murrumbidgee River Railway Bridge was a four-span wrought iron lattice truss bridge that carried the Main Southern railway line across the Murrumbidgee River at Wagga Wagga. Each of the four spans measured 46 metres and joined a timber viaduct on the northern approach. The spans were manufactured by P. & W. McClellan & Co. of Glasgow and weighed 790 tonnes in total. The original bridge was replaced by a concrete bridge in 2006.
The original bridge opened on 16 January 1881, its four wrought iron lattice truss spans manufactured by P. & W. McClellan & Co. of Glasgow and weighing 790 tonnes together. Its northern approach began with 215 timber trestles, replaced by steel trestles from 1897 to 1901. The bridge was cut away with oxy cutters and replaced by a concrete structure over four days from 30 December 2006.
The bridge takes its name from the river it crosses and represents the connection that made local travel possible. It shows how the waterway shaped the growth of the town and remains a symbol of that early link.
Train service ended in 2006, and the structure remains a visible landmark along the river after its replacement. Visitors can view the bridge from various points along the riverbank and understand its role in the old rail network.
The 1881 bridge was the second oldest of twelve related wrought iron lattice truss bridges built in Australia. Its four spans, each 46 metres long, were made by P. & W. McClellan & Co. of Glasgow and weighed 790 tonnes together. One cut section was given to the Tumbarail preservation group at Ladysmith after the 2006 demolition.
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