Funday Times

Bridges, a fascinating subject
Postal authorities in numerous countries select varied topics as subjects for stamps. Australia Post, for example, picked bridges as the subject for a commemorative issue not so long ago. Titled ‘Landmark Bridges’, the issue formed a chapter in Australia’s history.

Australia Post said that bridges are ‘landmarks’ because of their physical position and status, or their historic or engineering qualities. They illustrate a range of construction materials and styles ranging from the stone bridge of convict days to the engineering and architectural wonders of current times.

Have a look at the bridges featured in these stamps. These cover a wide range from the 19th century to the modern day.

Ross Bridge, Tasmania, which spans the Macquarie River, is regarded as the finest masonry bridge in the early days. It was completed in 1836 and is renowned for its decorative carved stonework depicting Celtic symbols and images of contemporary figures.

Lockyer Creek Bridge in Queensland was built in 1911 and is one of two similar cast-in-situ reinforced concrete arch railway bridges around Helidon and Murphy’s Creek. The bridge has three spans, each supported on two arches. It was recognized as a major engineering achievement of its time. It is one of the largest spans of its type in Australia. It still carries main line rail traffic and has been placed on the Queensland Heritage Register.

Sydney Harbour Bridge is Australia’s most famous bridge and is one of the largest single-arch steel bridges in the world. Built in 1932, it links Sydney’s central city with North Sydney and carries eight lanes of road traffic and two railway tracks, a footway and a cycle path. Since 1998 the bridge has also become a popular adventure spot for tourists who make their way over 1,500 metres of steel, across the catwalks ladders and arches in what has come to be known as the ‘Bridge Climb’ adventure.

Birkenhead Bridge in South Australia is a twin bascule span bridge, which services both road and shipping traffic for Port Adelaide, South Australia’s major port. The ‘bascule’ construction, where one end is raised while the other is depressed (one end counterbalancing the other) is unusual in Australia. The bridge crosses the upper reaches of the Port River and links the Le Fevre Peninsula with metropolitan Adelaide.

Bolt Bridge, Victoria is a six-lane bridge, where the four spans make up one of the largest cantilever cast-in-situ box girder bridges in Australia. It crosses the Yarra River west of the city of Melbourne. Five man made piers support the bridge. The central pier is set on a man-made island in the middle of the river.

In Sri Lanka, too, there are so many interesting bridges, which can be recorded in stamps for posterity. In fact, a series covering the history of bridges would be ideal. The series can start from the days of the boat bridge across the Kelani Ganga and carry on through the Victoria Bridge, new Kelani bridge and the new bridge, which has replaced the Victoria bridge. Old photographs are available to feature the ones which are not in existence today. Thus, the Kelani bridge itself forms an ideal subject for a series.

There are others like the famous Kalutara bridge and many more in different parts of the country. The Manampitiya bridge is a classic where both road and rail traffic use the same bridge.

It’s high time that the Philatelic Bureau think of more exciting and unusual subjects rather than releasing stamps carrying faces of some of the most insignificant politicians just to please the government of the day. Take a cue from other countries, Mr. Director, and give us stamps which are worth collecting.

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