Railway Bridge

B: Historical information:

Building of the railway line began in 1914 as a result of the need to link Volksrust to Bethal, and was extended to reach Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort, which includes the bridge. This line was completed in 1916 and opened on the 5th June of that year. The line between Volksrust and Wakkerstroom is 27km and between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort is 32 miles. The line serviced the farming areas in the Transvaal.  The last train that ran on this line was in 1994.

The bridge spans seventeen metres and is four metres wide. Horizontal supports are of four steel beams or girders. There are two abutments constructed of sandstone and concrete with support for the middle section of the bridge made of concrete tops. The inner track that crosses the bridge serves for extra support, and heavy gauge track was used for the bridge. The rest of the line was lighter gauge track.

References: Bookmark sponsored by Wakkerstroom Walks and Trails, BirdLife South Africa and Spring Live for the Heritage Day Walk in 2019, compiled by Rita Wiesemann from Peters, W. ed. (1995). Conservation Study 1995. Durban: University of Natal.

www.transnetfreightrail-tfr.net/

www.theheritageportal.co.za

SA Railways and Harbours Magazine March 1916

Dates: railway line opened in 1916

Brief historical background: The railway bridge spans the ??? river, and is part of the railway line between Volksrust through Wakkerstroom to Amersfoort.

Collection summary: this collection comprises photographic images, an information document and a bookmark. 

Collection sourced by Rita Wiesemann and Carol Preston; April 2021

Size: A. eleven photographic images; B. historical information C. Bookmark for the Heritage Day Walk 2019 D. Information document

Restrictions: none

Storage: hard material stored in one archival folder

GPS coordinates: -27.336696,30.132062 (co-ordinates taken at entrance gate)

close up view of the bridge
view from underneath the bridge showing the steel girders
full view of the railway bridge
view showing the wedge-shaped pier of the left-hand sandstone abutment
detail of the sandstone brickwork
southern view of the area from the bridge
view of the centre of the bridge
view of the pedestrian walkway adjacent to the railway
close up of the inner track
view of the inner track showing reinforcement before the bridge
train going over the bridge courtesy of ???

B: Historical information:

Building of the railway line began in 1914 as a result of the need to link Volksrust to Bethal, and was extended to reach Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort, which includes the bridge. This line was completed in 1916 and opened on the 5th June of that year. The line between Volksrust and Wakkerstroom is 27km and between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort is 32 miles. The line serviced the farming areas in the Transvaal.  The last train that ran on this line was in 1994.

The bridge spans seventeen metres and is four metres wide. Horizontal supports are of four steel beams or girders. There are two abutments constructed of sandstone and concrete with support for the middle section of the bridge made of concrete tops. The inner track that crosses the bridge serves for extra support, and heavy gauge track was used for the bridge. The rest of the line was lighter gauge track.

References: Bookmark sponsored by Wakkerstroom Walks and Trails, BirdLife South Africa and Spring Live for the Heritage Day Walk in 2019, compiled by Rita Wiesemann from Peters, W. ed. (1995). Conservation Study 1995. Durban: University of Natal.

www.transnetfreightrail-tfr.net/
www.theheritageportal.co.za

SA Railways and Harbours Magazine March 19160