WANGANUI RAILWAY BRIDGE.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume 3, Issue 189, 27 June 1874, Page 2

WANGANUI RAILWAY BRIDGE.

(From the Chronicle.) Although u aone pnrta of tba Colony the np)#»y works are being done; in a.maoner' which will neeessitate their partial or entire renewal at no distant period after the linee are opened for traffic, that'cannot be mid of those in course Of construction in this neighborhood. A most substantial piece of work is about to be undertaken in the shape of a railway bridge Wanganui, tandem for the erection of which bare been sent in to tite Department at Wd-

ungton, but the neme of the tocccssful applicant hat not jet transpired. The site of the bridge will besome two milee above the preeeot one. It •.a designed on Howe’s trass principle and the plans show a composite structure of wood and iron, similar to many of tbe railway bndces built or about to be built by the General Government in different parte of New Zealand, which all proceed tram'a common design furnished by the Public Works Department. The bridge itself, wiUiout the approaches will measure (K)0 feet in length, the distance being covered' by five ftpstne of 120 feet cacV ‘There will be four piers, each consisting of two cost iron cylinders, seven foot in ‘* ; ~rf*TT and seventy feet long Those eyHsdors will be sunk in the ground to n considerable distance; thnso belonging to the two nortborsaoetCo a deptii of 23 feet, and on the other side to n depth of 27 feet. They willbeflQed

with toamti, on the top of which a packing of totem will be placed, for the superstructure to rret npon. The cylinders will contain <2l tone of iron altogether. The superstructure will be parti? composed of wood and pertly _of iron. A lower boom of malleable iron will be covered by an upper one of totara and jarrab ; and the permanent way will be aupported by iron croaa bands with totara and jarrab stringers. Each apan will be a aepamte and distinct structure trom the rest; one end of it being fixed and the other resting upon rollon; provision being made bv this ingenious contrivance fur the expamiun of the iron by temperature, and the effects of a passing train. The width of the bridge, over all, will be 25 feet, and of the roadway 14 feet, sufficient to allow of one line of rails being laid down. The roadway i* 22 feet above high water mark and 21 feet above flood mark. The approaches will be of a aaaasive description, more especi allv the northern one. This is intended to consist of a concrete abutment 132 feet in length on the ground surface, and carried down 18 feet beneath low water mark, until the eoKd is reached, where it will rest upon 110 piles each 83 feet long. It will have a rabble facing below the water. The southern approach will be 220 feet long, but of much smaller dimensions otherwise. It will a(so be formed of concrete, and rest upon 44 piles of either totara, rimu, or black birch, the contractor being allowed bis choice. The total length of bridge and approaches will thus be 952 feet, and if the contractor execute his task with as much skill as has been displayed in the preparation of the designs, a bridge will be placed over the Wanganui riser creditable to the PnUic Works Department and of an •ndsring benefit to the inhabitants of the West Coast.