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View from the rear balcony of our train as we cross the mighty Murray river – the racing waters almost doing a brimmer – at Tocumwal, Bangerang lands, on the 1895 centre-lift bridge. The bridge carried both trains and road traffic until 1987, so it is no. 4 in our count of dual road-rail bridges!
I wonder when the centre span was last lifted. That would have been a sight to behold!
#bridges #railways # trains
We followed the abandoned standard gauge line from Narrandera to Tocumwal. In case you get stuck on the vast timber trestle viaduct across the Murrumbidgee flood plain, with a train approaching, there is a thoughtfully placed timber safety refuge!
Until 1982 you could, in principle, catch a broad gauge express from Melbourne Spencer street to Tocumwal, change to a rail motor on the standard gauge side of the platform, and change again at Narrandera to the old Riverina Express to Sydney..
A journey of wonder and beauty. I wonder if anyone ever actually did that.
#trains #railways #heritage
If you did travel by train from Melbourne to Sydney via Tocumwal before 1982, I assume the train from Spencer street might have taken about 4 hours to reach the end of the broad gauge at Tocumwal.
You might arrive in time for lunch at the Refreshment Rooms on the platform, or opposite at the incomparable Terminus Hotel...
#railways #heritage #pubs
