John Whitton Bridge

Meadowbank Bridge
Original Meadowbank Bridge in August 2010
Coordinates	33°49′19″S 151°05′20″E / 33.8220°S 151.0888°E / -33.8220; 151.0888Coordinates: 33°49′19″S 151°05′20″E / 33.8220°S 151.0888°E / -33.8220; 151.0888
Carries	Main Northern railway line
Crosses	Parramatta River
Locale	Meadowbank
Maintained by	State Heritage
Heritage status	listed
ID number	4805744
Characteristics
Design	lattice girder
Total length	963 feet (294 m)
Longest span	159 feet (48 m)
No. of spans	6
Piers in water	5
History
Architect	John Whitton
Constructed by	Messrs. Amos Brothers
Construction start	4 January 1886
Construction end	14 August 1886
Opened	17 September 1886
Closed	1980
Replaced by	John Whitton Bridge

John Whitton Bridge
Bridge looking south in September 2007
Carries	Main Northern railway line
Crosses	Parramatta River
Locale	Meadowbank
Named for	John Whitton
Maintained by	NSW Trains
Characteristics
Design	steel box girders
No. of spans	5
Piers in water	4
History
Construction start	1952
Construction end	1980
Opened	May 1980
Replaces	Meadowbank Bridge

The John Whitton Bridge carries the Main Northern railway line across the Parramatta River between the Sydney suburbs of Rhodes and Meadowbank.

The original Meadowbank Bridge opened on 17 September 1886 as part of the construction of the Main Northern railway line. It was a lattice truss bridge designed by John Whitton, the Chief Engineer of the New South Wales Government Railways.

As part of plans to quadruple the Main North line, construction commenced on a new bridge to the west of the existing structure. The concrete piers were completed in 1952, before the project was cancelled. Work resumed in the 1970s, with a two-track box girder bridge opening in May 1980. The piers were extended to allow for a further two tracks to be built in the future. The new bridge was named after John Whitton. In 2000, the original bridge was refurbished and reopened for bike and pedestrian use.