South Maitland Bridge

Subdivision Truro, Mile 40.98

This large bridge crossed the Shubenacadie River at South Maitland. Completed in 1901, the bridge had to overcome the rise and fall of 45 foot tides, massive currents, tidal bores and provide a swing span for sailing vessels. The massive construction project claimed the lives of five workers. One was killed when he fell from a gangplank while taking gravel in a wheelbarrow to a construction scow and four more died when one of the underwater caissons was flooded by a careless worker.^[1] An account of construction of the piers and abutments of the bridge is at South Maitland Bridge Pier and Abutment Construction which includes discussion of the difficulties of construction in waters with such extreme tides.

The bridge was first built with a short lift span but this replaced with a 130 foot swing span in 1912 which resulted in the removal of a pier and the construction of a new abutment and a pivot pier.^[2]

The bridge was 1225 feet long. It consisted of one deck plate girder swing span and five through truss spans, all supported by concrete piers.^[3]

The bridge was abandoned along with the rest of the Midland Subdivision in 1983. The last train, a work extra taking railway ties from Truro to Windsor, crossed the bridge on June 20, 1983. Demolition began in November 1986 with Rail Bonaventure, a Montreal firm, hired to remove rails from the bridge deck.^[4] The demolition eventually removed all the bridge spans but the piers were left in place. In recent years a walkway and lookout was constructed using several of the piers on the west bank of the river.

Gallery

The South Maitland Bridge under construction, circa 1900.
A truss span arrives at the South Maitland Bridge, circa 1900.
A truss span moves into place at the South Maitland Bridge, circa 1900.
Two truss spans ready to be floated into place.
MRC Locomotive No. 1 on the South Maitland Bridge construction site, circa 1900.
1907 - Train crossing the South Maitland Bridge.
South Maitland Bridge, 1909 or earlier. Oakville (Ontario) Public Library.
South Maitland Bridge, Nova Scotia Museum postcard, circa 1910.
Steam Engine with two cars - unknown date
South Maitland Bridge over the Schubenacadie River near South Maitland on August 1, 1958.
South Maitland Bridge over the Schubenacadie River, near South Maitland from the rear of Train No. 22 on August 1, 1958.
South Maitland Bridge, west bank, May 2, 1987.
The South Maitland Bridge, seen from east bank of the river at Green Oaks, May 2, 1987.
The South Maitland Bridge showing the new observation deck with new highway bridge to right, September 5, 2013.
South Maitland Bridge with the the old pier supporting the new observation deck, September 5, 2013.
The surviving piers of South Maitland Bridge looking east, September 5, 2013.
Detail of the South Maitland Bridge showing the cogged turning ring of the central pier of the swing span, September 5, 2013.
Detail of the South Maitland Bridge showing south (upstream) support pier for the swing span, viewed from observation deck, September 5, 2013.