This post is about the details known of extra bridges that were built or unconfirmed of being built at various times in the Taieri Gorge section of the Otago Central Branch Railway of NZR times, now today Dunedin Railway Station’s Taieri Gorge Railway.
First up we have is the two Bridges 9A near Hindon.
First up, the map showing on the right Bridge 9 which is the combined bridge, then next you have the first Bridge 9A which was an overhead bridge and then the second Bridge 9A in the track.
From Geoff Mackley’s video of a train to Pukerangi, here is the approximate location of the first Bridge 9A, the overhead bridge. The reason this bridge existed is to get livestock out of the Christmas Creek area which was taken onto a “cattle walk” built on the right side of Bridge 9, as there was no road access into the Christmas Creek area at that time. The stock came across the walkway on the side of Bridge 9 and then used overhead bridge 9A to get to the road to be moved around the corner to Hindon to be loaded. When the newer road bridge opened at Hindon (1960s?) the stock bridges were no longer needed and were removed.
A general view of Hindon. Note particular the two road bridges in the centre. The smaller angled one was a low level bridge that probably got damaged by floods or some other consideration. It was replaced by the larger one sometime possibly 1960s. This larger bridge is seen in many photos of Hindon station until the mid 1990s when it became dangerous and was removed, at that time the railway bridge 9, being under the part ownership of Dunedin City Council and the railway being in Dunedin City, was able to be converted to a combined bridge for road traffic just as it is today.
Here is the chainage chart for the first Bridge 9A (Stock Bridge) at 16 miles 23 chains. Also note how a footpath is hashed from this bridge to the stockway on the side of Bridge 9.
Here is the second Bridge 9A. See the map above for its position. No details currently available.
We now move to the question of an unconfirmed bridge at 18 3/4 miles consisting of 8 spans each 13 feet, a total of 104 feet or about 30 metres, In 1913 it was suggested this bridge would remain permanently but no further information about it could be found in the file. There is no way it could be mistaken for the nearby Bridge 13 because that bridge across Machine Creek only has two spans which are a total of 45 feet. There is no chainage data for this bridge however.
Again from Geoff Mackley here is approximately 18 3/4 miles. The train will go around the curve shortly to enter Tunnel 7.
Now we can move on to Bridge 15A. This is between Bridge 15 (Barewood Creek) and Bridge 16 (Slope Gully). Its distance is 21 miles 15 chains and it was built in 1913 (as was the previously mentioned Unconfirmed Bridge) to cover a washout. There were five spans each ranging in length from 19 to 21 feet giving a length similar to Unconfirmed Bridge. Bridge 15A was removed in 1935 and a retaining wall built to secure fill.
Location of Bridge 15A as seen in the Geoff Mackley video. The retaining wall is clearly visible to the right.
Bridge 15A chainage book representation. The exact length of each span specified.
Drawing of Bridge 15A spans and piers from the NZR file.
NZR file entry referring to the details of both of these temporary bridges.
Train Advice No. 1383 for the removal of Bridge 15A in August 1935.
We will finish up with a look at Bridge 21A near The Reefs. The exact location being just past the 41.5 km peg. This bridge is not listed in the chainage book nor does it appear in the bridge list that I have for the line. It is possible it was built in the TGR era or replaced a culvert. There are two memorial plaques to Otago Excursion Train Trust members mounted next to this bridge, they are for Arthur and Stephen Rockliff, and Jim Harris.
Geoff Mackley’s video showing Bridge 21A.
Map showing Bridge 21A, just past the memorial plaques for OETT members. The “Reefs Hotel” just back before 41.5 km.
Chainage chart for the area near Bridge 21A. It is possible this bridge replaces the 6 foot open culvert crossing Butchers Gully. Close examination of aerial photography between 41-42 km showed no obvious location of any other similar sized culvert that could have been the one referred to. However, it was not uncommon for these to be replaced by pipes in more modern times so this cannot be conclusively ruled out.
And to conclude today’s post here is the outskirts of Pukerangi at 44.4 km or 0.5 km before the station building, as the sign shows “Station Limits Pukerangi”. On the left of the picture is Reid McNaught’s former house on the hillside. The property was marketed in March 2021 as 89 Reefs Road. Reid McNaught, founding editor of New Zealand Railfan Magazine, passed away in 2019.