Bayswater Subway

The Bayswater Subway from the north east, August 2020
The new viaduct in September 2023

The Bayswater Subway (or Bayswater Bridge) was a road under rail subway in Perth, Western Australia. It was located immediately west of Bayswater railway station, and carried King William Street / Coode Street beneath the Midland line.[1] The subway was demolished in April 2023 as part of Metronet's rebuild of Bayswater station.[2]

In the later decades of its existence the bridge gained notoriety for it being frequently struck by tall vehicles due to its low clearance.[2][3] Because of this it has been called an "infamous icon" of Perth.[4][5][6]

History

The bridge was first proposed in 1898,[7] but it was not until 14 February 1910 that it was opened.[8] It is different from the historic railway bridge over the Swan River that existed between 1897 and 1957, which at times had been referred to as the "Bayswater Bridge".[9]

As part of the conversion of the Eastern Railway from narrow gauge to dual gauge, the original two-lane bridge was demolished in May 1969 and rebuilt with four lanes underneath. Bayswater railway station was rebuilt at the same time.[10]: 268–269 

With a low clearance of 3.8 metres (12 ft 6 in), the bridge gained notoriety and received significant media coverage for frequent bridge strikes by trucks and other tall vehicles.[3][2] It inspired the creation of a website that tracked the number of days since the bridge had been last hit.[11] In September 2014, flashing low clearance signs were put on the bridge to deter drivers in tall vehicles from attempting to drive underneath the bridge.[12] Despite this, between 2014 (when the Public Transport Authority started counting) and May 2019, the Bayswater Subway was struck by 36 vehicles.[13] In May 2019, one of the low clearance signs fell off the bridge, landing on a vehicle and breaking its windscreen.[14] Despite, or because of, its infamy the bridge has been called a local icon by some, including former premier Mark McGowan.[5][6]

In 2021, Metronet commenced a second rebuild of Bayswater station to accommodate new rail lines. As part of the rebuild the subway was replaced by a new 4.8-metre-high (16 ft) viaduct which will also carry the new elevated station's platforms.[15][16] In April 2023, the railway closed for four weeks to allow the existing railway line to be aligned to operate over the new viaduct and for the old bridge to be demolished, which occurred between 14 and 17 April 2023.[17][3] Due to the notoriety of the bridge and the public interest in its demolition, a temporary viewing platform was built for the public to view the bridge's removal,[3] and a farewell community event was held on 30 April 2023 at Bert Wright Park.[18] Parts of the bridge will be incorporated into landscaping around the new station area, while the low clearance signage will be repurposed into public art.[2][18] Signage from the bridge will also be donated to the City of Bayswater, while one such sign was donated to a local café named after the old bridge's clearance.[2][18]

Although it was the best-known bridge in Perth for being hit, the Bayswater Subway was not the lowest road-under-rail bridge in Perth. The Sutherland Street bridge, in West Perth has a clearance of 3.7 metres (12 ft 2 in),[19] and the Seventh Avenue Bridge, in Maylands had a clearance of 3.3 metres (10 ft 10 in) before it was rebuilt.[20]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bayswater Subway.

References

  1. ^ "Manual – Rail Access" (PDF). Public Transport Authority. pp. 93, 96. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Notorious Bayswater bridge — the bane of Perth truck drivers — demolished as part of Metronet development". ABC News. 15 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Dietsch, Jake (12 April 2023). "Bane of truck drivers Perth's notorious Bayswater Bridge due to be destroyed on Friday". PerthNow. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Countdown on until we farewell the infamous Bayswater Bridge". mediastatements.wa.gov.au. 13 March 2022. Archived from the original on 24 April 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  5. ^ a b Fenner, Rachel (14 April 2023). "Premier Mark McGowan posts tear-jerking farewell to Perth's beloved Bayswater Bridge pre-demolition". PerthNow. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  6. ^ a b Phillips, Kate (15 April 2023). "Bayswater Bridge: Icon's biggest little fans optimistic about future of site". The West. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Bayswater Requirements". Western Mail. 5 December 1898. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Road Board Meetings – Bayswater". The West Australian. 8 February 1910. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  9. ^ West Australian Newspapers (1957), Workers demolishing the Belmont Railway Bridge, archived from the original on 3 April 2023, retrieved 25 August 2020
  10. ^ May, Catherine (2013). Changes they've seen : the city and people of Bayswater 1827-2013. Morley, W.A.: City of Bayswater. ISBN 9780646596082.
  11. ^ "How Many Days Since The Bayswater Bridge Has Been Hit?". Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  12. ^ Marrapodi, Chenee (18 September 2014). "New clearance signs for Bayswater subway". WAtoday. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  13. ^ "Perth's notorious Bayswater bridge, enemy of truck drivers everywhere, claims another victim". ABC News. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  14. ^ "The Bayswater Bridge fights back: Car left wrecked after sign falls on roof". WAtoday. 31 May 2019. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  15. ^ "Countdown on until we farewell the infamous Bayswater Bridge". Metronet. 13 March 2022. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  16. ^ Zimmerman, Josh (13 March 2022). "WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti announces replacement of infamous Bayswater Bridge". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  17. ^ "Agenda: Ordinary Council Meeting – 28 March 2023". City of Bayswater. p. 303. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  18. ^ a b c "Farewell Baysie Bridge!". Metronet. 15 April 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  19. ^ Allan-Petale, David (24 August 2016). "Low clearance, high drama as truck gets stuck at Scitech bridge in West Perth". WAtoday. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  20. ^ Wilson, David. Managing Low Clearances under bridges in Perth. Main Roads Western Australia.

31°55′06″S 115°54′41″E / 31.91838°S 115.91142°E / -31.91838; 115.91142