A strange bridgeand some Southern steam

R

RDRBerry

New member
Just had a great 40 somethings re union with some mates down South near Rudgewick, on the abandoned Horsham Guildford direct line, now a cycle path [which I did].

The original builders tried to take short cuts an build a steep grade,the Board of Trade ordered this to be re built to a better gradient which meant a bridge on a bridge...

Anyone heard of this elsewhere ?

A lovely bit of country side but trainless..
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After that the Bluebell line as traveled..What a fine line...

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If your interested I can make it for you. Just need a few more photos of the bridge and some basic dimensions.

Ben
 
we have a bridge on a bridge in a couple of place on the hill, where the railroad that was there first, crossess a couple of ravines that the freeway was later built through. when they built the freeway, in both cases, one of the origeonal bents was in the way of where the lanes had to go, so to span where the trafic lanes were built, a bridge supported on its ends, clear of where the origeonal support obstructed, another bridges was built underneath where the support had been that had been in the way. the one under the number two track, where it crosses the freeway in lower auburn (california) is a steel box trestle girder. the one under long ravine viaduct about colfax (california) is a pair of solid girders. in both cases their ends, of the new second, under, support bridges, rest on cement piers, where as the other bents which are the origeonal ones, are open lattice ironwork

=^^=
.../\...
 
bendorsey said:
If your interested I can make it for you. Just need a few more photos of the bridge and some basic dimensions.

Ben
Click to expand...

are you familiar with the nevada county narrow gauge bridge, the steel one, where it crossed the bear river? complete drawings, details and dementions were, i don't know if there still there or not, or even for sure if the site is, but on the nevada county narrow gauge fan website. also these drawings, along with a number of photos of it exist in gerald m. best's book about the nevada county narrow gauge.

i think you'd really love that one. it has a couple of upsidedown arched trussess and a short piece of solid girder in the middle between them, that wedged and jamed like a keystone when they tried to blow it up to tear it down to build rollins dam, which is there now, where it used to be.

when i was growing up in colfax, before they built rollins dam, the rails were gone but the rotting ties were still there and kids used to dare each other to walk accross it. something like 80 feet down to the river if you were to fall through between them.

other then the abscence of rails, the steelwork was still completely sound, and would probably have remained so for another hundred years at least, had they not decided to build a dam where it was and that they had to tear it down to do so.

=^^=
.../\...
 
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Hi themnax:

I don't have Mr. Bests book but I do have Narrow Gauge Nostalgia by George Turner and it has photos of 4 different NCNG bridges.
1. Bear River Trestle.
2. Bear River Bridge (replaced no. 1 in 1908 and survived until 1963).
3. Long Ravine Crossing.
4. Greenhorn Trestle (bypassed in a 1908 re-alignment).

Unfortunately none show the complete bridge.

Number 1 is very close. I can make it from what I have since the accompanying text gives dimensions.

Number 2 might be possible based on the fact I know the general dimensions from number 1.

I need more info and pics to make 3 and 4. Basic dimensions (length, height,etc). If nothing is available I can do a little ratio-n-porportion on the photos for the basic design but they might be off as to length and height.

Ben

P.S. The Bear River Bridge looks quite interesting.
 
There was a bridge at Kiltonthorpe near Saltburn (UK) which had a stone arch with a supporting stone arch below, and of course the famous site at Chesterfield where 3 lines crossed each other at different levels on bridges at different heights...:o
 
Bridge.

I confess I did not take many, there is one with me and a bike on it, the rest are from a viewing ledge...

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Single track I'd say it was raised around 30'..
 
Rudgwick bridge

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Hope that helps...
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Do you do as it were bridges to order....

Up from here there was the old Longmoor Railway that had a very distinctive truss flyover....
 
bendorsey said:
I don't have Mr. Bests book ...
Click to expand...
Hi Ben! I have both books (along with another NCNG book); I'll check them & see if they have anything that isn't in NG Nostalgia & send them to you this evening. I'll also check the Narrow Gauge and Modeler's Annuals (both of which which focused on the NCNG in their last issues) and see if they have anything of use.


Back on topic, that looks like a very unique bridge - definately a conversation piece!
 
Out west of Paisley at Elderslie there was a bridge over a bridge where 2 lines resulted in this situation. One is now gone and no sign of where it once was.
 
Bear river bridge and the Never Come Never Go, NCNG

Hi all

as for the Bear river bridge,,
the first burned up, was not all that high (80 to 90 bepends on who you talk to. ,, of wood

the second was built to also hold standard gauge as the NCNG had aspirations of one day going standard (never happened) she was over 850 feet long and 180 high, the tallest bridge in the west when she was completed. She was built in a completely different location than the first asn the first was rebuilt over 20 times due to washouts of her base. Almost 4 miles seperated their locations. Finally dynamited in the early 60's she still held strong,, then a few bulldozers gave her a coup de gras the next few days. That location is now a lake/ dam.
New bear river bridge
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22000 polys and counting. Built to the exact scale as the real, down to the concrete base, and then terrained around the bridge.
Gold flat tressel

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Colfax station

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Grass Valley

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Nevada City

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As for long ravine,, She is already in Trainz 2004.


Is there any other places on the NCNG you might like to visit??? She is the layout I am making ,, building per building, loco per loco, (Prowler and bendorsey helped here a lot) and all custom wagons with NCNGloadout feature. all custom,, With GREAT assistance from Pencil
She is underwork again afet a 1.5 year haitus due to family , and looking beter than before. I Hope to have her ready by december
 
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Hi whecsailor:

Looks great!!!

I didn't realize you had already made the Bear River Bridge so I won't make it. No need for duplication and more importantly, not fair to you after all your time and effort. My info sez the trestle it replaced was around 175 ft high and 740 ft long. There was quite a bit of re-alignment going on at that time. Several tunnels being bypassed and at least one new bridge.

Have you also already made the Long Ravine Bridge and the Greenhorn Trestle? If so I won't make them either.

I've started on the original Bear River Trestle (any excuse to make another bridge).

Lotta folks gonna love your NCNG route when its done.

Ben
 
Wonderful!

I could use both the Long ravine and the short ravine, Greenhorn and the Old bear river bridge. (ok I know I am being very Greedy ehehheeh)

I currently just have a "filler " bridge there now.

there is anotherr bridge,, books are not here in front of me (packed due to move) that is also badly in need of.

Just north of Colfax, the CP bridge crossed the NCNG, there were two types, One was wood, then in 1908 one was steel, the compainion to the Bear River bridge. In the George Best book are photo of both. they are quite dramatic, and also broad gauge (sometimes called standard gauge)

the early wood is unlike anything in trains, I think it was a howe trus but completely planked over to hide the trusses. planked on sides and top, but I have heard (meaning no book proof) it was open in the bottom.

Also ,, If you ever want to build the Georgetown Loop tressel,, let me know, I have a some of data, plans and photos of her connections that might be of use. I took these last summer. She was tubular steel built.
 
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Hi whecsailor:

I'll be glad to make whichever ones you want. Just need info.

I have the Bear River Trestle about done (tho without the slight curve on the long end). Curved trestles are a pain in the fanny (I oughta know after 526 of them, lol). Only thing left to do is add the supports for the howe truss which are a bit different from what is usually used. I agree with the 80 to 90 ft height. A little ratio and porportion on the photos shows it could not possibly have been higher then 100 ft and that would be a stretch.

A lot of the covered bridges in New England were originally not covered but got covered to protect the structure from the elements but I'd think rain was a bit sparse on the NCNG from the photos I've seen, lol.

Ben
 
bendorsey said:
Hi themnax:

I don't have Mr. Bests book but I do have Narrow Gauge Nostalgia by George Turner and it has photos of 4 different NCNG bridges.
1. Bear River Trestle.
2. Bear River Bridge (replaced no. 1 in 1908 and survived until 1963).
3. Long Ravine Crossing.
4. Greenhorn Trestle (bypassed in a 1908 re-alignment).

Unfortunately none show the complete bridge.

Number 1 is very close. I can make it from what I have since the accompanying text gives dimensions.

Number 2 might be possible based on the fact I know the general dimensions from number 1.

I need more info and pics to make 3 and 4. Basic dimensions (length, height,etc). If nothing is available I can do a little ratio-n-porportion on the photos for the basic design but they might be off as to length and height.

Ben

P.S. The Bear River Bridge looks quite interesting.
Click to expand...

number 2 on that list sounds like the one i was refering to. the one that was still standing, sans rails, in the early 60s before they build the larger (rolins) dam that's there now. (the little dam that was the diversion for the boardman 'cannel', actually a water supply flume can be seen in several photos of it) and there WAS a complete set of drawings for it, on the net (less then 10 years ago), but i just went looking for it and it seems to have dissappeared. probably herman darr or ken yeo would know what happened to it. if THEY'RE still around.

the two std gauge 'piggy back' bridges (on the sp, now up, in auburn and colfax) are interesting too. though std gauge and of more or less common standard components.

=^^=
.../\...
 
The Bear River Trestle has been uploaded (without the slight curve on the long end). Show up sometime next week (I hope).

Ben
 
The Long Ravine Bridge has been uploaded. Bear in mind the photo only showed a short section in the center so it might not be exactly correct.

Ben
 
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