Manilla railway underbridges

Bridge in New South Wales, Australia

4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gaugeHistoryContracted lead designerNSW Government RailwaysConstructed byNSW Department of Public WorksConstruction end1908

New South Wales Heritage Register

Official nameManilla railway underbridgesTypeState heritage (built)Designated2 April 1999Reference no.1045TypeRailway Bridges / ViaductCategoryTransport – Rail Location Map

The Manilla railway underbridges are two heritage-listed railway bridges located on the Tamworth-Barraba railway line in the town of Manilla in the Tamworth Regional Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The underbridges are owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. The two sites were added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.^[1]

Description

The bridges includes two structures, one located at Upper Manilla across the Borah Creek; and the other across the Oakey Creek.^[1]

Bora Creek underbridge

The Borah Creek Bridge is a Howe timber truss railway underbridge located at Upper Manilla across the Borah Creek, situated 575 kilometres (357 mi) from Sydney Central station, erected in 1908.^[1] The bridge is seven spans in length, with the three central spans constructed with 10-metre (34 ft) span Howe-Deck timber trusses. The trestles are supported on concrete sills.^[2] Opened in 1908, it has three 10.4-metre (34 ft) timber truss spans and is a good example of the 9.8–10.7-metre (32–35 ft) deck Howe truss. This type of truss bridge was introduced in 1902 and used until 1908. Other examples are across the Murrumbidgee River at Gundagai (1905), and at Oakey Park, 17 kilometres (11 mi) north of the present bridge. The bridge is of considerable technological significance. The bridge carries a single-track 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge railway on an open deck (with transoms). The spans are 4.3 metres (14 ft), three at 10.4 metres (34 ft), 6.7 metres (22 ft), and 4.3 metres (14 ft), of which the three larger spans are timber trusses and the other timber girders. The trusses are deck-type Howe trusses of the 9.8–10.7-metre (32–35 ft) deck-type, with timber compression diagonals, steel tie rods for the verticals and five bays. The piers are timber, with concrete bases. The bridge was listed on the (now defunct) Register of the National Estate on 18 April 1989.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Oakey Creek underbridge

The Oakey Creek Bridge is a Howe timber truss railway underbridge located at Upper Manilla across the Oakey Creek, situated 539 kilometres (335 mi) from Central station, also completed in 1908.^[1]^[6] The bridge is a significant technical accomplishment. It was opened in 1908 and has five 10.4-metre (34 ft) timber truss spans. It is a good example of the 9.8–10.7-metre (32–35 ft) deck type Howe truss, introduced in 1902 and used until 1908. Other examples are across the Murrumbidgee River at Gundagai (1903) and at Borah Creek, 17 kilometres (11 mi) south of the present bridge. The bridge carries a single-track 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge railway on an open deck (with transomes). The spans are 7.3 metres (24 ft), five at 10.4 metres (34 ft) and 7.3 metres (24 ft), of which the five larger spans are timber trusses and the others timber girders. The trusses are deck type Howe trusses, of the 9.8–10.7-metre (32–35 ft) deck type, with five bays, timber compression diagonals and steel tie rods for the verticals. The piers are timber. The bridge was listed on the (now defunct) Register of the National Estate on 18 April 1989.^[7]^[4]^[5]

Heritage listing

The bridges were constructed in timber because of the remote location and constraints on cost, particularly related to branch line construction. They are two of the relatively few surviving timber bridges left in the State and are of considerable significance.^[1]

The Manilla railway underbridges were 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 scientifically rare. This item is assessed as archaeologically rare. This item is assessed as socially rare.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Manilla railway underbridges". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01045. Retrieved 2 June 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
^ "Upper Manilla, Borah Creek Underbridge". New South Wales Heritage Database. Office of Environment & Heritage. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
^ "Borah Creek Rail Bridge, Tamworth Barraba Railway Line, Upper Manilla, NSW, Australia (Place ID 15896)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. 18 April 1989. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
^ ^a ^b O'Connor, C. (1983). Register of Australian Historic Bridges.
^ ^a ^b O'Connor, C. (1985). Spanning Two Centuries. University of Queensland Press.
^ "Barraba (Ennisdale), Oakey Creek Underbridge". New South Wales Heritage Database. Office of Environment & Heritage. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
^ "Oaky [sic.] Creek Rail Bridge, Tamworth Barraba Railway Line, Barraba, NSW, Australia (Place ID 15897)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. 18 April 1989. Retrieved 28 April 2020.

Attribution

This Wikipedia article was originally based on Manilla railway underbridges, entry number 01045 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 Wikipedia article contains material from Upper Manilla, Borah Creek Underbridge, entry number 3150008 in the New South Wales Heritage Database published by the State of New South Wales and Office of Environment and Heritage 2016 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 28 April 2020.
This Wikipedia article contains material from Barraba (Ennisdale), Oakey Creek Underbridge, entry number 3150105 in the New South Wales Heritage Database published by the State of New South Wales and Office of Environment and Heritage 2016 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 28 April 2020.

Bibliography

Fraser, Don (1995). Bridges down under: the history of railway underbridges in New South Wales.
O'Connor, Colin; Australian Heritage Commission; Institution of Engineers, Australia (1983). Register of Australian historic bridges. Institution of Engineers, Australia. ISBN 978-0-85825-231-8.
O'Connor, Colin (1985). Spanning two centuries: historic bridges of Australia. University of Queensland Press. ISBN 978-0-7022-1798-2.