Editing Merivale Bridge (section)

==History==
It had taken almost a century to get Brisbane's north and south rail networks joined by a bridge over the [[Brisbane River]]. As far back as 1885, the then Engineer-in-Chief for the Southern Division Railways arranged for the trial rail survey being done in [[South Brisbane]] to be extended across the river to the main western line near Countess Street.

In 1889, he arranged to have levels taken for alternative routes to Roma Street tunnel via Herschel Street, and to [[Central railway station, Brisbane|Central station]] via a direct route between [[Turbot Street, Brisbane|Turbot]] and [[Ann Street, Brisbane|Ann]] Streets. The Herschel Street route was recommended for adoption, and plans subsequently prepared. However the government decided not to proceed and requested an alternative survey, but that too was held over.<ref name=network/>

Worried at losing trade to central city businesses, the merchants of South Brisbane fought against the bridge. In 1913, the then Premier requested that plans for a direct route through Ann Street to Albert Square (now [[King George Square]]) be put in hand. In 1919, the matter was raised again, but after further pressure from antilobbyists, was once more allowed to lapse.

In 1950, the issue was raised in connection with proposals to electrify the Brisbane suburban network. Surveys and plans were finalised in 1954, and in 1955 the State Government announced its decision to proceed with the construction and initiated land resumptions. However, financial constraints again caused a deferment.<ref name=network/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/216618597?searchTerm=brisbane%20train%20bridge%20duggan | title=New Rail Bridge Tenders | newspaper=Brisbane Telegraph | date=21 January 1954 }}</ref>
[[File:Construction of the Merivale Railway Bridge, Brisbane, 1979.jpg|thumb|Construction of the Merivale Railway Bridge, Brisbane, 1979]]
This study was submitted to the Government in 1970. It recommended that the crossing should follow the route, as surveyed in 1890. The Queensland State Cabinet approved the bridge in October 1971.<ref name="lhbris"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sinnamon |first=Myles |date=2018-10-29 |title=Opening of Brisbane's Merivale Bridge, 1978 |url=https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/opening-brisbanes-merivale-bridge-1978 |access-date=2023-10-03 |website=State Library Of Queensland |language=en}}</ref> In 1975, a contract was let to [[Broadspectrum|Transfield]] for the construction of the bridge and the line into [[South Brisbane railway station|South Brisbane station]]. The first pile was driven on 21 August 1975.<ref name=network/> The bridge took a period of three years and three months to be built.<ref name=":0" />

The Merivale Bridge opened on 18 November 1978 by [[Premier of Queensland|Premier]] [[Joh Bjelke-Petersen]].<ref name="lhbris" /> At the opening with 850 guests, the Premier, described the occasion as "the start of the second stage in the history of Queensland Railways".<ref name="network" /><ref name=":0" /> The first train to use the train was Diesel electric locomotive no. 2422.<ref name=":0" />

The bridge was named after Merivale Street in South Brisbane with which the bridge is aligned.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Merivale mural: a celebration of South Brisbane icons |url=https://www.queenslandrail.com.au/aboutus/mediacentre/new-merivale-mural-a-celebration-of-south-brisbane-icons |access-date=2022-08-13 |website=[[Queensland Rail]] |archive-date=11 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111221837/https://www.queenslandrail.com.au/aboutus/mediacentre/new-merivale-mural-a-celebration-of-south-brisbane-icons |url-status=live }}</ref>

The bridge was refurbished in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stirling |first=Hinchcliffe |author-link=Stirling Hinchliffe |date=20 February 2016 |title=Major overhaul to give Merivale Bridge new lease of life |url=https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/77351 |access-date=2022-08-13 |website=Ministerial Media Statements |publisher=[[Queensland Government]] |language=en |archive-date=13 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813090818/https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/77351 |url-status=live }}</ref>

State Library of Queensland holds John Christsen Merivale Bridge collection which contains 370 chronological photographs of the construction of the bridge, as well as documents and research papers relating to the bridge<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-02 |title=John Christsen Merivale Bridge collection |url=https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/permalink/61SLQ_INST/tqqf2h/alma99184319965002061 |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=State Library of Queensland}}</ref>