The Narrows Bridge, 1961

Video produced by the Western Australian Government Film Unit in 1961 documenting the construction of the Narrows Bridge between 1957 and 1959.

The video features footage of one of the two 31½ horsepower 4½ ton Ruston & Hornsby Class LBT diesel mechanical locomotives (b/n 404981 or 404982 of 1957) purchased by construction firm Christiani and Nielsen for use on the project at 07:03, 14:29 and 16:03.

A temporary timber access bridge was built on the downstream side of the construction which included a 3'6" gauge rail line that connected to the casting and storage yard at Mill Point on the southern bank of the river. The flat wagons used appear to be ex-WAGR or PWD vehicles.

After the bridgework was complete, it is understood that at least one locomotive were sold to timber interests in 1961. It is believed one was sold to Millars for use at their Jardee Mill and the other sold to Bunnings Bros for use at their Manjimup Mill, however some sources list the same builders number at both locations and it may have been the same unit. The unit at Jardee was replaced by a larger unit in 1972 and Bunnings later took over operations at Jardee in 1983. In 1984, Bunnings donated the unit at Manjimup (believed to b/n 404982) to the Western Australian Light Railway Preservation Association (‪@BennettBrookRailway‬) for preservation, where it has since been converted from 3'6" to 2' and a new cab built. The second unit is presumed scrapped. Any additional information on the working life of the units under timber company ownership is welcome.

The video also includes footage of a Road Machines (Drayton) Ltd. industrial monorail in use at 13:34 and 23:38.

Preserved by the Historical Records Rescue Consortium Project supported by Lotterywest.

Narrator: Ronald Bell
Photography: Leith Goodall
Script: Malcolm S. Hope
Art: Leon Williams
Sound: Alexander McPhee
Production: Norman Uren

Shared for educational and research purposes only.

https://encore.slwa.wa.gov.au/iii/enc...