| Hawthorn Railway Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Carries | Bridge Road Richmond |
| Crosses | Yarra River |
| Locale | Melbourne, Australia |
| Design | Wrought Iron truss |
| Total length | 98 m |
| Width | 14.3 m |
| Longest span | 45.7 |
| Opened | 1861 |
Hawthorn Bridge crosses the Yarra River five kilometres east of Melbourne connecting Bridge Road and Burwood Road. It was designed by Francis Bell[1] and is the oldest extant bridge over the Yarra River.
Hawthorn Bridge's tall bluestone piers and abutments were completed in February 1858. When the ship carrying the wrought iron trusses from England caught fire and sank in Port Phillip, another set had to be ordered, made and delivered, delaying completion of the bridge until November 1861. The bridge was widened in 1890 by extending the piers and abutments and adding additional trusses.[2]
In 1885, Hawthorn Bridge was the destination of Melbourne's first tram service.[3]
Because the bridge joins two municipalities and services a tramway, there have always been problems with management, on-going maintenance and finance. In 1928, when funds to repair or replace the bridge were not available, the Richmond City Engineer declared it unsafe and closed it.[4]
The State Government was forced to act and, after much debate, the bridge was repaired, strengthened and widened by the Railways Construction Branch, using in-situ electric arc welding; the timber deck was also replaced with reinforced concrete.[5] Today, the deck of the bridge retains its 1931 appearance; however, the trusses, piers and abutments underneath appear as they were in 1861.
The bridge is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.[2]
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