Published Resources Details

Conference Paper

Author
McInnes, Ken
Title
Francis Bell - a pioneer in metal truss bridges, overlooked by history
In
17th Engineering Heritage Conference: Canberra 100 - Building the Capital, Building the Nation
Imprint
Engineers Australia, Barton, Australian Capital Territory, 2013, pp. 90-109
ISBN/ISSN
9781922107121
Url
https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.880689942068037
Abstract

Francis Bell CE MInstCE (c1821-1879) deserves greater recognition for his influence on the earliest use of metal truss bridges both in Ireland, and in Australia after his emigration in 1853. His life, his engineering career and his engineering work in Australia, spanned the colonies of Victoria and New South Wales, across a wide field of civil engineering - through the design, construction and operation of early colonial railways, through harbour and river works, through colonial water supplies, and through the construction of many of the earliest metal truss bridges in both colonies. Notable surviving works associated with Francis Bell include the Geelong to Ballarat railway, the Newcastle to Maitland Railway, and the Melbourne Suburban Railways - all prior to the establishment of colonial government railways; the goldfields water supply at Beechworth; parts of the water supply for Sydney 1871-1879; and the oldest extant metal truss bridges in Victoria (Hawthorn Bridge 1861) and New South Wales (Prince Alfred Bridge, Gundagai 1867). Most of these works have heritage recognition. This paper explains research to date on the life and career of Francis Bell, provides evidence of his influence at the time, and of his role in some of the major innovative engineering works that have helped to shape both Victoria and New South Wales, and provides him with some of the recognition he deserves.

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