The Bailey bridge

[43willys]

Heres a couple of photos of the temporary bailey bridge coming past PAC on its way to Narrows, so they can re-open State Highway 21 or also called Airport Rd.

[Dave Homewood]

Mike, what happened to The Narrows Bridge? Has it washed out or something? Or just getting maintenance? I've been in Auckland so not heard any news south of the Bombays.

Interesting photos.

[Bruce]

The Narrows Bridge is currently closed as the river is undermining the main supports. Not helped by the very high river levels we have had. Complete pain from my point of view as it is the quickest way between my workshop and the airport where my plane is! The bridge should have been replaced years ago (its too small and the wrong angle) - especially as the Airport, the new Titanium business park, fieldays and 2 sand quarries are just up the road. Problem is someone allowed lifestyle properties to be developed right where the ideal location of a replacement would go... Masterpiece of infrastructure planning!

[FlyingKiwi]

"Oversize" is a bit of an understatement, that's massive!

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for that info Bruce. It reminds me of the bridges here in Cambridge. A number of years back the bigger of our two bridges that spans the Waikato River, Victoria Bridge (known locally as the High Level Bridge) was totally overhauled and restored. But not long before that a guy I knew who worked for Mighty River Power said they had done a survey and discovered that the high level bridge was sound as a pound, but Feruson Bridge (aka the low level bridge) was in fact almost totally washed out under its foundations and should the dam let go a big wash, it would likely take the bridge with it. Has the Ferguson bridge had any attention to its structure since then? Not to my knowledge. If it did wash out it would probably damage the Victoria bridge a few hundred metres down river too.

[oj]

And here are some more, courtesy of Transfield Services:

[oj]

It was opened to traffic about 10:30 pm last night. The old bridge is still closed. The Bailey bridge is single-lane, serving both East and West-bound traffic by alternate flow with Traffic Lights.

It will be there a while, so plenty of time to drive your military vehicles over for a semi-authentic WWII crossing photo-shoot.

[Bruce]

To quote Michael Caine in "A bridge too far" :
Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur: When you refer to Bailey crap I take it you mean that glorious, precision-made, British-built bridge which is the envy of the civilized world?