Friday, November 28, 2008

Cavenagh Bridge



Cavenagh Bridge (加文纳桥)
Location : Singapore River
Lenth : 79.25 metres
Width : 9.45 metres
Construction : 1868 - 1869
Designed : John Turnbull Thomson
Contractor : P&W Maclellan and Glasgow Engineers
Official opened date : 1870



Cavenagh Bridge is the oldest bridge in Singapore.
It is also the only suspension bridge.
It was originally planned to be named as Edinburgh Bridge to commemorate the first visit of the Duke of Edinburgh to Singapore.
But lastly, through the members of the Singapore Legislative Council, they decided to named it in honour of Major General William Orfeur Cavenagh - Governor of the Straits Settlements. The last appointed governor of Straits.
Cavenagh Bridge used to carries horses, rickshaws, ox carts in the past.
Now it is used as a pedestrian bridge.
The construction cost is of Straits $80,000 in 1869.
The Bridge was manufactured in Scotland.
Materials were been shipped to Singapore in knockdown form and assembled by convict labour.
Before the bridge was built, people could only cross the two districts by a detour over Elgin Bridge or by paying 1 duit (1/4 cent) for a boat ride.
In the late 1880s, Cavenagh Bridge was overcrowded and the Government hence built the Anderson Bridge.
Please click here for more informations about : Anderson Bridge

In 1987, a 5 month restoration works were done by the Public Works Department(PWD).
It cost 1.2 million and the bridge was reopended on 3 July 1987.



A 1910 police notice post which still stands at Cavenagh Bridge.
POLICE NOTICE
CAVENAGH BRIDGE
THE USE OF THIS
BRIDGE IS
PROHIBITED TO ANY
VEHICLE OF WHICH
THE LADEN WEIGHT
EXCEEDS 3 CWT. AND
TO ALL CATTLE AND HORSES
BY ORDER
CHIEF POLICE OFFICER.
















Looking across from Cavenagh Bridge, in view is the Anderson Bridge.


Kids bronze sculpture leaping into water.


Cats sculpture - The Singapore River Cats
The Kucinta Cats (Love cats/ Singapura Cats) are one of the world's smallest breeds.




Picture of Cavenagh Bridge in the 1890.


Description of photo below :
Built in 1869 to link the Civic District on the North Bank with the Commercial District on the South Bank, this is the oldest bridge along the Singapore River in its original design.
It is also the first steel suspension bridge in Singapore. Before its construction, assces between the two districts was only possible by a detour over Elgin Bridge or by paying one cent for a boat ride.

Name after Colonel (later Major General) Orfeur Cavenagh, the Governor of the Straits Settlements (1859-1867), the bridge was designed by the Public Works Department.
It was manufactured by P&W MacLellan in Scotland and the parts were shipped here and assembled by the Indian convict labour.
According to the original design, the bridge was to be raised during high tide to facilitate the assage of barges.
However, this proved to be technically impossible and it became a fixed suspension bridge.

By the late 1800s, the bridge could not withstand the browing volume of vehicular traffic and Anderson Bridge was opened in 1910 to ease the flow.
Cavenagh Bridge thus became a pedestrian bridge. A police notice put up to regulate the use of the bridge, banning heavy vehicular traffic exceeding 3 cwt (hundred weight) or 152 kilogrammes, still stands today at either end of the bridge.


Cavenagh Bridge with Fullerton Hotel in the background

9 comments:

Chiara said...

Wow. It looks so modern! I also love the statues.

astrogalaxy said...

Greetings Chiara,
Thanks! This is my favourite bridge in Singapore.

astrogalaxy said...

Hello Jason,
I see that you are into collecting replica swords. Just today, I was at the Suntec City - Singapore, there's a shop on 3rd floor near the cinema selling these movie replicas swords & guns. COOL stuffs!!
I'm not sure if you are aware of my the other blog, it's mainly on toys collectibles - http://astrogalaxy.blogspot.com
Please do drop by too!

I am very glad to exhange links with you too! I've linked up your Awesome Movie Sword blog!
Cheers!

Jason Liew said...

you got a few great blogs. i'm impressed. how do u get good page ranks? i'm still very much behind this ranking thing.

thks, i linked back to ur travel blog. ur toys blog is awesome, so I linked to it too.

astrogalaxy said...

Hi Jason,
Thanks for linking up my 2 blogs.
I'm not quite sure about the page ranks, where did you see them?
Sometimes I submitted my blog in some Blog Directories sites or forum. I've also linked you up at my main blog - Astro Galaxy.
Cheers!

Jason Liew said...

thks for the add.
you can actually check ur blog's ranking using seoquake. i've attached the link below if u're interested.

www.seoquake.com

astrogalaxy said...

Thanks Jason!

Pete said...

Nice write out about the bridge. Will check it out on my next visits! Cheers!

astrogalaxy said...

Hi Pete,
Glad that you'll like to check out the bridge! Weekdays are usually full of people but on Sat and Sun, it'll be less crowded over there!
Happy visiting!