Old Railway Bridge

About Old Railway Bridge

The Old Railway Bridge in Meyerton is a historical landmark situated along the Klip River within the Midvaal Municipality of Gauteng. Originally built as part of the Nederlandsche-Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorweg-Maatschappij (NZASM) Southern Line between 1890 and 1896, the bridge was an essential engineering component of the rail corridor established to connect Pretoria and Johannesburg with the Vaal River infrastructure.

During the Second South African War from 1899 to 1902, this entire rail corridor became a vital military transport and supply route; consequently, British forces established nearby defenses, including the Witkop Blockhouse, to secure the railway and protect strategic crossings from sabotage. Over the twentieth century, the surrounding rail network evolved to facilitate heavy freight and industrial movement across the Vaal Triangle. In recent times, although commuter passenger rail operations on the broader network have faced severe constraints and infrastructure deterioration, the physical remnants of the bridge remain an engineering milestone and are highlighted locally on regional heritage and educational trails