Macleay River railway bridge, Kempsey

The Macleay River railway bridge is a heritage-listed railway bridge that carries the North Coast railway across the Macleay River from Kempsey to South Kempsey, both in the Kempsey Shire, New South Wales, Australia. The property is owned by RailCorp, 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]

Macleay River Railway Bridge
Heritage boundaries
Coordinates31°05′12″S 152°49′53″E
CarriesNorth Coast railway
CrossesMacleay River
LocaleKempsey, Kempsey Shire, New South Wales, Australia
BeginsKempsey (north)
EndsSouth Kempsey (south)
OwnerRailCorp
Characteristics
DesignTruss bridge
MaterialSteel
Pier constructionSteel and concrete
History
Fabrication byWalsh Island Dockyard and Engineering Works
Construction end1917
Official nameKempsey rail bridge over Macleay River
TypeState heritage (built)
Designated2 April 1999
Reference no.1041
TypeRailway Bridge/ Viaduct
CategoryTransport - Rail
Location

History

The bridge was built in 1917 along with the extension of the North Coast line to Kempsey. The steelwork for the bridge was made at the Walsh Island Dockyard and Engineering Works and transported to the bridge site by steamer.[2]

The bridge was damaged in floods in 1949 and 1950. It was initially proposed to replace the entire bridge as a result, but this proposal had been abandoned by 1953.[3][4]

In 1966 the bridge spans were raised by one metre (three feet) due to the 1950s floods, with new pre-cast concrete approaches constructed.[1]

Description

The bridge is a steel truss bridge with consisting of two 61-metre (200 ft) steel spans and two 20-metre (66 ft) plate girder spans. It was built with steel approaches, with the pre-cast concrete approaches added later when the bridge was raised.[1][5]

Heritage listing

The Macleay River bridge is one of the major river crossings on the North Coast railway line. When opened in 1917, the crossing of the river was achieved by 3 61-metre (200 ft) steel truss spans, approached by timber trestles. After two floods in 1949 and in 1950, the steel trusses were raised approximately one metre (three feet) and the approaches replaced by pre-stressed concrete spans.[1]

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

The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

This item is assessed as historically rare. This item is assessed as architecturally rare. This item is assessed as socially rare.[1]

See also
  • List of railway bridges in New South Wales

References
  1. "Kempsey rail bridge over Macleay River". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H01041. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  2. "North Coast Railway". The Wingham Chronicle And Manning River Observer. New South Wales, Australia. 15 June 1917. p. 8. Retrieved 19 July 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "New Rail Bridge For Kempsey". Morning Bulletin (27, 784). Queensland, Australia. 19 July 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 19 July 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "NO NEW KEMPSEY RAILWAY BRIDGE". Macleay Argus (9984). New South Wales, Australia. 6 February 1953. p. 4. Retrieved 19 July 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "N.S.W. BRIDGES". Daily Examiner. 24 (7493). New South Wales, Australia. 19 July 1932. p. 21. Retrieved 19 July 2018 – via National Library of Australia.

Attribution

This Wikipedia article was originally based on Kempsey rail bridge over Macleay River, entry number 01041 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales and Office of Environment and Heritage 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 2 June 2018.

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