Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge

Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge
Bridge looking north
Coordinates	33°32′2″S 151°13′42.3″E / 33.53389°S 151.228417°E / -33.53389; 151.228417Coordinates: 33°32′2″S 151°13′42.3″E / 33.53389°S 151.228417°E / -33.53389; 151.228417
Carries	Main Northern railway line
Crosses	Hawkesbury River
History
Opened	1 May 1889 (1st) 1 July 1946 (2nd)

The Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge carries the Main Northern railway line across the Hawkesbury River just north of the town of Brooklyn on the northern outskirts of Sydney, Australia. The railway bridge was to be the last link in a railway network that linked Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and was a major engineering feat at the time.

On 7 April 1887, the single track section of the Main Northern line was opened between Hornsby and the Hawkesbury River. Passengers and goods heading north now unloaded at the River Wharf platform on the eastern end of Long Island, transferring to the double decker, rear paddled-wheeled steamer General Gordon for a three-hour trip out to Broken Bay and up Brisbane Water to Gosford where the train service recommenced. Once the 1.7 km long Woy Woy Tunnel was opened on 15 August 1887, the trip was considerably shortened as the boat only had to cross the river and negotiate the lower reaches of Mullet Creek to reach Mullet Creek station.

The Union Bridge Company of New York was awarded the contract to construct the bridge in January 1886. However, subcontractors were also involved in the actual construction work. The piers consisted of concrete below water with sandstone masonry above. The spans were assembled on Dangar Island and floated 1,500 metres (4,921 ft) or so across to the bridge site on barges.