View source for Abbotsford Bridge

{{Short description|Bridge in New South Wales, Australia}}
{{good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox bridge 
| name = Abbotsford Bridge 
| native_name = 
| native_name_lang = 
| image = Abbotsford bridge from victoria.jpg 
| image_upright = 1.4
| alt = Photograph of Abbotsford Bridge spanning the Murray River 
| caption = Abbotsford Bridge from the [[Victoria (Australia)|Victorian]] riverbank 
| coordinates = {{Coord|-34.1141|141.9879|region:AU-NSW_type:landmark|display=inline,title|format=dms}} <!-- {{Coord}} --> 
| os_grid_reference = 
| qid = 
| refs = 
| carries = [[Silver City Highway]]<br/>(as ''Calder Highway'') 
| crosses = [[Murray River]] 
| locale = {{NSWcity|Curlwaa}}, [[New South Wales]], Australia 
| starts = 
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| heritage = 
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| preceded = [[George Chaffey Bridge]]
| followed = [[Paringa Bridge]]
| design = [[Allan truss]] [[vertical-lift bridge]]
| material = Steel 
| material1 = 
| material2 = 
| length = Approx. {{convert|240|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| width =
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| depth = 
| traversable = 
| towpath = 
| mainspan = 
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| load = 
| clearance_above = 
| clearance_below = {{plainlist|
*{{convert|7.1|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} (closed)
*{{convert|16.0|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} (open)
 }} 
| lanes = One {{small|(controlled by traffic lights)}}
| life = 
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| engineering = 
| builder = {{nowrap|[[NSW Public Works|NSW Department of Public Works]]}}
| fabricator = 
| begin = 
| complete = 
| cost = [[Australian pound|A£]]78,000
| open = {{end date|1928|4|14|df=y}}<!-- or | opening = --> 
| inaugurated = {{end date|1928|7|28|df=y}}<br/>{{small|(by [[Dudley de Chair]], [[Governor of New South Wales|Governor of NSW]])}} 
| rebuilt = 
| collapsed = 
| closed = 
| replaces = Abbot's Ford [[Cable ferry|punt]]
| replaced_by = 
| traffic =
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| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-zoom = 14
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| extra = <!-- extra = module = embed = -->
| references = <ref name="RoadsList">{{cite web |url=http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/doingbusinesswithus/downloads/lgr/130730_schedule_of_classified_roads_and_state_regional_roads.pdf |title=Schedule of Classified Roads and Unclassified Regional Roads |publisher=Roads and Maritime Services |date=August 2013 |access-date=27 August 2013 |pages=0, 3, 7}}</ref><ref name="SHR">{{cite web |url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=4301082 |title=Abbotsford Bridge Over Murray River |publisher=[[Office of Environment and Heritage (New South Wales)|NSW Environment and Heritage]] |work=State Heritage Register |date=1998–2009 |access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref><ref name="Google Maps Calder">{{Google maps|url=https://maps.google.com/?ll=-34.111198,141.986956&spn=0.002143,0.004128&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=-34.111325,141.986956&panoid=ZvrTmpmm3QujsVxuJS7j2Q&cbp=12,241.93,,1,3.33 |title=Silver City Highway–Calder Highway intersection (Streetview) |access-date=28 August 2013}}</ref><ref name="Google Maps Length">{{Google maps|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Calder+Hwy&daddr=Calder+Hwy%2FA79&hl=en&sll=-34.114054,141.987782&sspn=0.002134,0.004128&geocode=FfZ39_0dmZR2CA%3BFaxz9_0d-Yt2CA&t=h&mra=dme&mrsp=1&sz=19&z=19 |access-date=28 August 2013 |link= no}}</ref> 
}}
'''Abbotsford Bridge''' is a steel [[Allan truss]]-type [[road bridge]] that carries the [[Silver City Highway]] across the [[Murray River]], between {{NSWcity|Curlwaa}} in [[New South Wales]], and {{VICcity|Yelta}} in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], Australia. It is the only remaining steel truss bridge with a lift span that crosses the Murray. Opened in 1928, the bridge was built by the [[NSW Public Works|NSW Department of Public Works]] and was designed by [[Percy Allan]]. It was the second last [[vertical-lift bridge]] to be built over the river, the last being the [[Nyah, Victoria|Nyah]] Bridge, which opened in 1941.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wakool.nsw.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1056591:nyah-lift-span-bridge&catid=2300&Itemid=3493|title=Nyah Lift Span Bridge|publisher=Wakool Shire Council|access-date=26 May 2014}}</ref>

The bridge was constructed over a three-year period from 1925. The project was not originally planned to take as long, but there were delays due to problems with a contractor, and [[industrial action]]. The bridge was designed to carry the [[Mildura railway line]] over the Murray River and into New South Wales, to service significant cross-border traffic arising from the fruit-growing industry, but the line was never extended beyond the terminus at Yelta. The bridge currently carries a single lane of road controlled by [[traffic light]]s.

In 1931, there was a major accident at the bridge when a [[paddle steamer]] clipped the lift span, tearing apart the upper deck of the boat.

==Description==
Abbotsford Bridge is a steel Allan truss bridge that is about {{convert|240|m|ft|abbr=on}} in length.<ref name="Google Maps Length"/> The bridge also contains a single [[vertical-lift bridge|lift span]] about {{convert|20|m|ft|abbr=on}} in length, which is still in working order.<ref name="oeh">{{cite web|title=Abbotsford Bridge over Murray River|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=4301082|publisher=NSW Office of Environment and Heritage|access-date=2017-02-01}}</ref><ref name="BridgeRecent">{{cite news | url=http://www.milduraindependent.com/news/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5170:wentworth-shire-announces-new-procedures-associated-with-bridge-span-lifts-&catid=1:news&Itemid=2 | title=Wentworth Shire announces new procedures associated with bridge span lifts |newspaper=Mildura Independent | date=4 February 2013 | access-date=28 August 2013}}</ref> It is two lanes wide through most of its length, but the lift span is only capable of carrying a single lane.<ref name="oeh"/> The entire bridge has been marked with a single lane and has traffic lights on both ends to control vehicular flow.<ref name="Google MapsSV">{{Google maps|url=https://maps.google.com/?ll=-34.113208,141.989177&spn=0.002134,0.004128&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=-34.113321,141.989212&panoid=D6DVovn9bso_juyGiMQ9tg&cbp=12,212.9,,0,4.15 |title=Abbotsford Bridge (Streetview) |access-date=28 August 2013 |link= no}}</ref>

The bridge was completed in 1928 by the NSW Department of Public Works and, although opened as a traffic bridge, it was designed to carry the loads required for a railway,<ref name="oeh"/> once the Mildura railway line had been extended over the bridge.<ref name="rails">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2058043 |title=Border Railways |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=28 October 1924 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=17}}</ref><ref name="rails2">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46011028 |title=Outback Conditions |newspaper=[[The Barrier Miner]] |location=Broken Hill, NSW |date=5 May 1927 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=3}}</ref> The line was never extended beyond [[Yelta, Victoria|Yelta]], where the terminus remains to this day.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.vrhistory.com/Locations/Mildura-Yelta.pdf | title=Midura–Yelta | work=Signalling Histories | date=February 2003 | access-date=29 August 2013 | author=Waugh, Andrew | pages=4–5}}</ref><ref name="LANDmap">{{cite web | url=http://services.land.vic.gov.au/maps/interactive.jsp | title=Interactive Map | publisher=Department of Environment and Primary Industries | work=Land Channel | access-date=29 August 2013 | archive-date=8 August 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808095955/http://services.land.vic.gov.au/maps/interactive.jsp? | url-status=dead }}</ref> The location of the bridge was thought to be convenient, as it provided a link to the [[Sturt Highway]] without travelling farther upstream to [[Mildura, Victoria|Mildura]]. It is the only remaining steel truss bridge with a lift span on the Murray, although other lifting bridges still exist along the river. The bridge was built after the decline in commercial river traffic on the Murray.<ref name="oeh"/> Due to its significance to the local area, it has been listed on the NSW State Heritage Register.<ref name="SHR"/>

==History==
The nearby town of [[Wentworth, New South Wales|Wentworth]] was an important river port from which wool was shipped to the coast, and as such there was a variety of traffic in the area. In the 1890s, irrigated farming greatly expanded in [[Sunraysia|Sunraysia region]] which is known for its fruit production, and traffic volumes increased further. It was decided to install a [[Cable ferry|punt]] at this location (then known as Abbot's Ford).<ref name="oeh"/><ref name="ford">{{cite web | url=http://www.wentworth.nsw.gov.au/heritage/study/03_heritage.php | title=Heritage of the Wentworth Shire | publisher=Wentworth Shire Council | work=Wentworth Shire Heritage Study | date=September 2001 | access-date=29 August 2013 | author=Hassell Planning Consultants Pty Ltd, in association with Colin Pardoe | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428023831/http://www.wentworth.nsw.gov.au/heritage/study/03_heritage.php | archive-date=28 April 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

New South Wales and Victoria had signed an agreement towards constructing bridges for railways over the Murray to serve the settlements on the northern side. In 1923, a report was released that recommended going ahead with the building of four bridges, one of those being the future Abbotsford Bridge. It was said a bridge in this area would benefit [[Curlwaa, New South Wales|Curlwaa]], Wentworth, and a proposed irrigation scheme to the north. The cost was estimated at £78,000. It had been considered that it might be appropriate to combine these four bridges with [[Lock (water transport)|locks]], but this idea was rejected due to siting concerns.<ref name="rail1923">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1995102 |title=Border Railways |work=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=22 September 1923 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=33}}</ref><ref name="newbridge1923">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1995211 |title=New Bridge Over Murray |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=22 September 1923 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=33}}</ref>

In 1924, residents of nearby settlements urged construction of the railway line to the proposed bridge site, but they were told this extension of the line was to be delayed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1934387 |title=Country News |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=23 February 1924 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=21}}</ref> Within that year it was decided that a bridge was to be constructed due to increased traffic volume, and tenders were let for manufacture of the bridge spans, construction of [[abutment]]s and [[Deep foundation|piles]], and transport of materials to the future construction site.<ref name="oeh"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2058043 |title=Border Railways |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=28 October 1924 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=17}}</ref>

Early in 1925, a foundation pile and some tents could be found at the site of the future bridge. Men in the region were also awaiting employment on the structure, and by the middle of the year unemployment problems were becoming a serious issue. Similarly government debt was increasing, although it was still expected the railway line to Abbotsford Bridge would be completed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article109337273 |title=Up River News |newspaper=Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record |location=Renmark, SA |date=13 February 1925 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2143796 |title=Unemployment |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=22 July 1925 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=16}}</ref> In November, construction started and it was expected that the bridge would be opened around 25 September the following year.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102325530 |title=News in Brief |newspaper=[[Albury Banner and Wodonga Express]] |location=NSW |date=27 November 1925 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=34}}</ref>

During May 1926, the approach road between Wentworth and the bridge was being progressively [[gravel road|metalled]], but could not be completed in its entirety until construction of the bridge itself was complete.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116264334 |title=Curlwaa Irrigation Area |newspaper=[[The Land (newspaper)|The Land]] |location=Sydney |date=21 May 1926 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=3}}</ref> In June, construction was halted due to contract requirements not being met.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3787681 |title=Country News |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=10 June 1926 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=17}}</ref>

By February the next year, construction had resumed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3838545 |title=Engine Depot at Mildura |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=17 February 1927 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=7}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article108991653 |title=Opportunities |newspaper=Construction and Local Government Journal |location=NSW |date=23 February 1927 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=18}}</ref> On 8 April 25&nbsp;men working on the bridge went on strike. This was of concern due to time dependent concreting being undertaken at that time. As the construction was considered unemployment relief, the constructing authority began to look for men who would do the work in their places.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3848413 |title=Work and Wages |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=9 April 1927 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=38}}</ref> By 13 April, further details had emerged; the number of the men on strike was actually 32, and it had been caused by the alleged wrongful dismissal of three men who had left for their lunch break early. The strike continued until at least 21 April.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46015533 |title=Abbotsford Bridge Strike |newspaper=Barrier Miner |location=Broken Hill, NSW |date=13 April 1927 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45978506 |title=Untitled |newspaper=Barrier Miner |location=Broken Hill, NSW |date=21 April 1927 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=2}}</ref> Work had resumed by early May, and the bridge was reported as being a little over half completed at that time.<ref name="rails2"/>

It was reported in mid-May that construction work was in progress on the last two piers of the bridge, though low river levels meant that staging could not be installed to allow further work on the bridge framework. The estimated time of completion at this point was by the end of the year.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article109359546 |title=Abbotsford and Mildura Bridges |newspaper=Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record |location=Renmark, SA |date=13 May 1927 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=12}}</ref> It was noted in early September that the extension of the railway from [[Yelta, Victoria|Yelta]] was expected to occur once the bridge was completed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article109363342 |title=On The Way To Griffith |newspaper=Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record |location=Renmark, SA |date=9 September 1927 |access-date=29 August 2013 |page=9}}</ref>

The bridge was still under construction in January 1928, and at that time the estimated date of completion was only a month away.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3905851 |title=Country News |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=24 January 1928 |access-date=30 August 2013 |page=10}}</ref> The bridge finally opened to traffic on 14 April.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3924973 |title=Country News |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=14 April 1928 |access-date=30 August 2013 |page=18}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3926127 |title=Country News |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=20 April 1928 |access-date=30 August 2013 |page=10}}</ref> The official opening of the bridge by the [[Governor of New South Wales|NSW Governor]] [[Dudley de Chair]] occurred on 10 July, and was celebrated by the cutting of the ribbon and an opening of the gates at each end of the lift span. In return he was presented with a silver cigarette case.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3936502 |title=Border Railways |newspaper=The Argus |location=Melbourne |date=11 July 1928 |access-date=30 August 2013 |page=19}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16478660 |title=The Governor |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=11 July 1928 |access-date=30 August 2013 |page=15}}</ref>

A major accident occurred at the bridge in August 1931. The paddle steamer ''E.R.O.'' struck the lift span of the bridge. The span had not been raised to a high enough level, causing it to clip the top of the steamer's funnel and rip apart the upper deck. High pressure steam was released during the accident causing some onlookers to believe the boat was on fire. It was at first thought the captain would be found amongst the wreckage of the upper deck, but he had been navigating the boat from the lower deck at that time. The captain displayed considerable skill; he immediately realised that further raising of the span despite being given the all clear meant it was not quite high enough. And through his actions as the boat progressed downstream caught in the current, he prevented the boat becoming stuck at the bridge.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article109395070 |title='E.R.O's' Top Deck Smashed |newspaper=Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record |location=Renmark, SA |date=28 August 1931 |access-date=30 August 2013 |page=4}}</ref>

Much like in its early days, the bridge still carries a lot of traffic related to the fruit production industry, especially during picking and harvesting seasons. Bridge lifts are timed to try to avoid traffic delays.<ref name="BridgeRecent"/> Some in the local community consider that the capacity of the bridge is inadequate and impedes commercial activity.<ref name="oeh"/>

== See also ==
{{stack|{{portal|New South Wales|Australian roads|Transport|Engineering}}}}
* [[List of bridges in Australia]]
* [[Transport in Australia]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{River item box
|River = [[Murray River]]
|upstream = [[George Chaffey Bridge]]
|upsub = 
|downstream = [[Paringa Bridge]]<br/>(in [[South Australia]])
|downsub = 
|table = 
|location = }}

{{Road infrastructure in regional New South Wales}}

[[Category:Allan truss bridges]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1928]]
[[Category:Crossings of the Murray River]]
[[Category:Road bridges in New South Wales]]
[[Category:Vertical lift bridges in Australia]]
[[Category:1928 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Wentworth Shire]]
[[Category:Borders of New South Wales]]
[[Category:Borders of Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Bridges in the Riverina]]