The second bridge on the line is located 5.01 Km from Traralgon Station, only a short distance from bridge number 1. It is 70 Metres in length with 14 openings. It crosses the Loy Yang Creek proper, although the creek seems to be mostly a slime covered, water weed infested backwater.
It is a transverse timber deck construction with longitudinal wooden beams, and strangely odd in context because the first bridge, only a few metres away and much shorter, is of steel beam construction.
A further interesting feature is that several of the centre piers, including one standing in the creek itself, have 6 piles while all the others have 4 piles each.
The deck on the bridge looking South towards Traralgon.
This view illustrates that the bridge has had little remedial work done on it, they simply plonked a new deck on top of the existing one.
Wide view taken from the North East quadrant.
A somewhat closer view taken from the same area. Note you have an interesting view through the bridge to the pasture on the other side. This should not be a clear view, there is something missing?
OK, here is another clue. The braces have been cut through, but for what reason is a mystery. The cuts are clean and recent. One of the 6 pile piers can clearly be seen beyond the pier in the foreground. Again the piles of old ballast are seen under the bridge.
View from the North West quadrant.
The following group of four photographs were all taken of this same bridge by Darren Hodges back on June 28, 1992. It is interesting to note that it must have been during a dry year, by the colour of the grass, and also to note the relative lack of trees and scrub around the bridges.
This is not unusual, I tend to find a lot of bridges are surrounded by scrub these days whereas they were not back then. My theory is that the area surrounding the bridges was carefully cleared back then and not in modern times.
It is a transverse timber deck construction with longitudinal wooden beams, and strangely odd in context because the first bridge, only a few metres away and much shorter, is of steel beam construction.
A further interesting feature is that several of the centre piers, including one standing in the creek itself, have 6 piles while all the others have 4 piles each.
The deck on the bridge looking South towards Traralgon.
This view illustrates that the bridge has had little remedial work done on it, they simply plonked a new deck on top of the existing one.
Wide view taken from the North East quadrant.
A somewhat closer view taken from the same area. Note you have an interesting view through the bridge to the pasture on the other side. This should not be a clear view, there is something missing?
OK, here is another clue. The braces have been cut through, but for what reason is a mystery. The cuts are clean and recent. One of the 6 pile piers can clearly be seen beyond the pier in the foreground. Again the piles of old ballast are seen under the bridge.
View from the North West quadrant.
Looking up at the bridge from below. It is in reasonably good condition despite all those years of neglect.
This is not unusual, I tend to find a lot of bridges are surrounded by scrub these days whereas they were not back then. My theory is that the area surrounding the bridges was carefully cleared back then and not in modern times.
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| From the Darren Hodges collection, used by permission. |
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| From the Darren Hodges collection, used by permission. |
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| From the Darren Hodges collection, used by permission. |
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| From the Darren Hodges collection, used by permission. |
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