Photographic Record of the Construction of the Melling Bridge

In July 2004 Mr Eric Ireland donated to Hutt City Council Archives an important set of records connected with the construction of the Melling Bridge. He had been the resident engineer on the project and had reported direct to the City Engineer of the time who was H Reynolds Bach.

The records include construction diaries and plans and this great photographic record. It starts in February 1955 with views of the old bridge and the banks of the river next to the site of where the new bridge was to be built and ends in approximately November 1956. Not only is this an important record from an engineering point of view, of interest from a technical and scientific standpoint, but its also important to the social history of the Hutt as the Melling Bridge forms a vital link between the Western Hills and the central city.

Included here are a page from the volume with views before the construction, including the old bridge, and a loose photograph of the new bridge nearing completion.

Photographic record of the construction of the Melling Bridge (ref: Arch 73214)