This is the viaduct that I featured on Monday, which crosses Boundary road, Paddington, at the back of St Vincents Hospital. I would cross it every other day, by either foot or bus. It was constructed in 1916 for a second tram route from the city to Bondi. The trams were discontinued in the late 50s and this viaduct became a roadway. The only bus route that uses it is the 389.
Andrew found the original plans (how did you DO that?) and the walkway was not included.
And look at the condition of the walkway from underneath!
My guess is that the walkway was attached after the tramtracks were ripped up. We had a governor then with the name Cutler. However, he had a tin leg so naming a walkway after him is a bit off. Australians have an advanced sense of the ridiculous ... but ...
10 comments:
It is scary!
What an interesting history. I liked how you put it . . . "and advanced sense of the ridiculous", a useful characteristic in any culture, I imagine.
We live in such a wonderful country - it is a shame to see a lack of attention to such important maintenance and aesthtetic issues.
Love the history behind this - I don't think I would like to walk across there now - too narrow for my liking!! great shots.
Shocking. The foot bridge that I featured at Banksia is nowhere near as bad as that and it's being demolished.
Makes you wonder, Jim, doesn't it. It carries a lot LOT of foot traffic. From Paddington I can walk into the city in about 20 minutes so youngsters here walk to work over that footbridge. The viaduct is stable enough to an inexperienced eye. But the footbridge ... maybe it just looks worse than it is. It would probably take over a million to replace it.
Crikey, that's a shocker!
If vehicle traffic was made only one way/one lane they'd be able to fit the walkway onto the actual viaduct itself (yes, I know, insane, what was I thinking?!).
As for Cutler and his tin leg...it ranks up there with the Harold Holt Memorial Pool here in Malvern *snort*
I hope the authorities aren't reading this. They are just as likely to come along and block it off. The plan was in a Sydney tram history book. There were several proposals for the route including a tunnel. It was a very expensive tram line to build, but obviously considered worth it for the the good residents of the Eastern Suburbs.
Send it to the Council! DANGER. Good ol' Sir Roden. The only Governor that I have met - he was tall.
I had forgot about Sir Roden and his tin leg. We also have a terrible bridge/footway in South Grafton and ironically it's called the Tin Bridge, I will do a post on it one day.
Post a Comment