History
Prior to the construction of the Victoria Bridge, a punt service was located at the site of the bridge. Following the discovery of Gold in the west of the Great Dividing Range demand for a permanent river crossing increased. A timber bridge was constructed with private funds, charging a toll for its use. Opened in January 1856, the bridge was destroyed by floods in 1857, rebuilt and again destroyed in 1860. Designed by Engineer–in–Chief of Railways, John Whitton, construction began in 1864 and was completed in 1867. Originally it took one railway line and a road across the river, however in 1907 another bridge was constructed a few metres to the north which thenceforth took two railway lines across the river, and the original bridge reverted to road and pedestrian use only.
The bridge is significant in the development of the colony of NSW as it allowed the railway, which previously terminated at Penrith, to reach the Blue Mountains and beyond, as well as providing continuous road passage across the river using the Great Western Highway.
The 1867 bridge is similar in design to the older Menangle Railway Bridge over the Nepean River at Menangle, southwest of Sydney. The Menangle bridge has always been used only for rail traffic, and as of 2007 is still in use by the railway.
Read more about this topic: Victoria Bridge (Penrith)
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