Tuesday 8 March 2011

Meadowbank Railway Bridge, Sydney, N.S.W, Australia made by Andrew Handyside in 1886.

Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge also made many hundreds of bridges of many different sizes around the world such as this Australian railway bridge.

Meadowbank Railway Bridge which crosses The Parramatta River in Meadowbank, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia was manufactured in Derby by Andrew Handyside in 1886 and shipped out to Australia.
The engineers for this bridge were John Fowler and John Whitton.
It has Iron piers and wrought iron trusses, Completed in 1886 to carry main northern line of NSW.
In 1980 Rail traffic transferred to John Whitton Bridge alongside and in 2000 Converted for pedestrian and cycle traffic. It has 6 spans of 48.5m each.

You can even see the bridge in 360 degrees on Google Streetview HERE.

Read the information on the bottom of two plaques installed on this Handyside bridge in 2000 HERE where it mentions the bridge was built in England.

Photograph of Meadowbank Railway Bridge now used as a pedestrian and cycle route :
Meadowbank Railway Bridge

Photograph of a steam train crossing the bridge :
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Photograph of how the bridge looks after conversion in 2000:
Meadowbank Rhodes Railway Bridge

Old Postcard of the bridge from the early 1900s :
Meadowbank Rhodes Railway Bridge, Parramatta River


My Reference :
Bridges Down Under: The History of Railway Underbridges in New South Wales by Don Fraser (ISBN 978-0909650353)

Also mentioned on page 9 of The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, Wednesday 18 June 1884.
The article reads :
"Nearly all the cast-iron cylinders for the railway bridge over the Parramatta River at Ryde have arrived
in the colony, or may shortly be expected to arrive, as only about a dozen remained to be shipped at the date
of the last advice from England. The superstructure of the bridge is being manufactured by the well-known
bridge-building firm Handyside and Co.of Derby, and satisfactory progress is being made with the work.
The bridge will consist of six clear spansof 150 feet each, and is designed for carrying a double line of
railway of the usual gauge, 4 feet 8 1/2 inches."

Can you help find more Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any other bridges around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location, photographs etc.

Thanks
Andy

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