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Pyrmont Bridge, Darling Harbour, Sydney
Pyrmont Bridge stands at the entrance to Darling Harbour, regularly opening its central steel swingspan to allow leisure and commercial craft to pass into Cockle Bay.
This, the second Pyrmont Bridge, opened to traffic in 1902, using electric power from Ultimo Powerhouse at a time when Sydney's streets weren't yet lit by electricity.
The bridge was designed by Percy Allan of the NSW Government's Public Works Department after an international competition failed to find a winner. Percy designed 583 bridges during his career and the timber truss system used on Pyrmont Bridge became known worldwide as the 'Allan Truss'. Also working on the project was J.J. Bradfield, who later designed Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Gordon Edgell who went on to open Australia's first cannery at Bathurst.
With the introduction of container shipping, the southern end of Cockle Bay was no longer commercially viable and the area gradually fell into decline. Freight services were moved and the railway goods yards closed in 1984.
In the same year, the Darling Harbour Authority was formed and commissioned to redevelop the area as a leisure, entertainment and commercial venue, giving part of the harbour back to the people of Sydney.
The new Darling Harbour opened in 1988, with Pyrmont Bridge's swingspan restored to full working order and a new addition, the Monorail, running above.
Pyrmont Bridge, Darling Harbour, Sydney
Pyrmont Bridge stands at the entrance to Darling Harbour, regularly opening its central steel swingspan to allow leisure and commercial craft to pass into Cockle Bay.
This, the second Pyrmont Bridge, opened to traffic in 1902, using electric power from Ultimo Powerhouse at a time when Sydney's streets weren't yet lit by electricity.
The bridge was designed by Percy Allan of the NSW Government's Public Works Department after an international competition failed to find a winner. Percy designed 583 bridges during his career and the timber truss system used on Pyrmont Bridge became known worldwide as the 'Allan Truss'. Also working on the project was J.J. Bradfield, who later designed Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Gordon Edgell who went on to open Australia's first cannery at Bathurst.
With the introduction of container shipping, the southern end of Cockle Bay was no longer commercially viable and the area gradually fell into decline. Freight services were moved and the railway goods yards closed in 1984.
In the same year, the Darling Harbour Authority was formed and commissioned to redevelop the area as a leisure, entertainment and commercial venue, giving part of the harbour back to the people of Sydney.
The new Darling Harbour opened in 1988, with Pyrmont Bridge's swingspan restored to full working order and a new addition, the Monorail, running above.