Albert Bridge, Brisbane
Encyclopedia
The Albert Bridge is a railway bridge of steel truss design crossing the Brisbane River
, Queensland
, Australia
. The Albert Bridge links Indooroopilly
and Chelmer
stations, and has two long spans with one central pier.
The structure consists of two steel spans supported by masonry abutment
s and a central concrete pier that is encased in an iron caisson
. A footway was positioned on the upstream side.
to Grandchester railway to reach Brisbane
itself. In the early days of settlement, the Brisbane River at Indooroopilly
provided an obstacle to the construction of a railway between Brisbane and the mining centre of Ipswich. At this time, a river boat service linked the two centres. The Ipswich railway line did not open until 1875, following the completion of the original Albert Bridge.
The first bridge was destroyed in the 1893 flood, with the present bridge built in 1895. It was designed by Henry Charles Stanley, Queensland's Chief Engineer of Railways from 1891 to 1901. He sought to avoid the obstruction to flood waters posed by multiple piers, which had been the downfall of the first bridge. The bridge was opened to traffic in August 1895 and remains one of Australia's largest truss bridges. Both bridges were named in honour of the Prince of Wales, Prince Albert
.
During the second bridge's construction peak a total of 240 workers were involved, both on site and at quarries. When opened the bridge also catered for pedestrian traffic, until the construction of the nearby Walter Taylor Bridge
in 1937. A second unnamed railway bridge
is located between the Albert Bridge and the Walter Taylor Bridge
. This second crossing was constructed in 1957 as part of the quadruplication of the Ipswich railway line.
The Albert Bridge was registered on the Register of the National Estate
in 1988 and is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.
Brisbane River
The Brisbane River is the longest river in south east Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay. John Oxley was the first European to explore the river who named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane in 1823...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The Albert Bridge links Indooroopilly
Indooroopilly railway station, Brisbane
Indooroopilly Station is a railway station in Indooroopilly, Queensland, Australia, on the Ipswich and Rosewood and Springfield lines.Immediately south of Indooroopilly station, the line crosses the Brisbane River on the Albert Bridge, next to the Walter Taylor Bridge.-History:The railway west of...
and Chelmer
Chelmer railway station, Brisbane
Chelmer Station is a railway station in Chelmer, a suburb of Brisbane, Australia, on the Ipswich and Rosewood and Springfield lines.-History:Chelmer Station opened north of it's current location in 1876 as Oxley's Point. In 1888, the station was renamed Riverton. A siding was built at the current...
stations, and has two long spans with one central pier.
The structure consists of two steel spans supported by masonry abutment
Abutment
An abutment is, generally, the point where two structures or objects meet. This word comes from the verb abut, which means adjoin or having common boundary. An abutment is an engineering term that describes a structure located at the ends of a bridge, where the bridge slab adjoins the approaching...
s and a central concrete pier that is encased in an iron caisson
Caisson (engineering)
In geotechnical engineering, a caisson is a retaining, watertight structure used, for example, to work on the foundations of a bridge pier, for the construction of a concrete dam, or for the repair of ships. These are constructed such that the water can be pumped out, keeping the working...
. A footway was positioned on the upstream side.
History
The first bridge on the site was completed in July 1875 and enabled the IpswichIpswich, Queensland
Ipswich is a city in South-East Queensland, Australia. Situated along the Bremer River Valley approximately 40 kilometres away from the state's capital Brisbane. The suburb by the same name forms the city's Central Business District and administrative centre...
to Grandchester railway to reach Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
itself. In the early days of settlement, the Brisbane River at Indooroopilly
Indooroopilly, Queensland
Indooroopilly is a suburb of Brisbane, Australia which is located 7 km west of the Brisbane central business district.- Name derivation and history :...
provided an obstacle to the construction of a railway between Brisbane and the mining centre of Ipswich. At this time, a river boat service linked the two centres. The Ipswich railway line did not open until 1875, following the completion of the original Albert Bridge.
The first bridge was destroyed in the 1893 flood, with the present bridge built in 1895. It was designed by Henry Charles Stanley, Queensland's Chief Engineer of Railways from 1891 to 1901. He sought to avoid the obstruction to flood waters posed by multiple piers, which had been the downfall of the first bridge. The bridge was opened to traffic in August 1895 and remains one of Australia's largest truss bridges. Both bridges were named in honour of the Prince of Wales, Prince Albert
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
.
During the second bridge's construction peak a total of 240 workers were involved, both on site and at quarries. When opened the bridge also catered for pedestrian traffic, until the construction of the nearby Walter Taylor Bridge
Walter Taylor Bridge, Brisbane
The Walter Taylor Bridge is a suspension bridge crossing the Brisbane River between Indooroopilly and Chelmer in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
in 1937. A second unnamed railway bridge
Indooroopilly Railway Bridge, Brisbane
The Indooroopilly Railway Bridge is a railway bridge of steel truss design which crosses the Brisbane River, Queensland, Australia. The Indooroopilly Railway Bridge links Indooroopilly and Chelmer stations, and has two long spans with one central pier...
is located between the Albert Bridge and the Walter Taylor Bridge
Walter Taylor Bridge, Brisbane
The Walter Taylor Bridge is a suspension bridge crossing the Brisbane River between Indooroopilly and Chelmer in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
. This second crossing was constructed in 1957 as part of the quadruplication of the Ipswich railway line.
The Albert Bridge was registered on the Register of the National Estate
Register of the National Estate
The Register of the National Estate is a listing of natural and cultural heritage places in Australia. The listing was initially compiled between 1976 and 2003 by the Australian Heritage Commission. The register is now maintained by the Australian Heritage Council...
in 1988 and is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.