SYDNEY’S GREAT BRIDGE

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1931, Page 2

SYDNEY’S GREAT BRIDGE

TESTING THE STRUCTURE. prophets AND PREDICTIONS. ' There will be increased interest in the Sydney Harbour Bridge because of the arrangements made for testing it. There are many self-appointed engineers in Sydney who do not believe that the bridge can do what it has been built to do. Glanced at from the shore, it does not seem to be capable of carrying the enormous. loads which will be drawn across it. The doubters are about to be justified or to be for ever silenced. Tests are to be begun forthwith. Those who have said, with a shudder, that they would not for anything be included among-the passengers in the first train to cross the bridge, may be reassured by observing the engineer-in-ehief, Mr. Bradfield, and his staff making the trials. They'will be thorough. The contractors for the bridge have to conduct or to concur in Certain experiments before the Government takes it over. A correspondent says: “There are four lines of rails; two are for trains and two are for trams. Long, loaded trains will be driven on all four tracks simultaneously. What the drivers and the stokers of the locomotives think of the plan is not known. They may be of a different mind from that of the gloomy prophets. Doubtless, they will travel over the blue waters sparkling 200 ft. below, confident that bridgebuilders of world-wide reputation know their job.”