Re: Sydney Metro - Sydenham opps
  Matthew Geier

On 7/2/23 14:09, TP wrote:
> It took me a while to notice this because the whole photo didn't

> display on my screen. This is a catenary portal being erected over the

> dive into the underground tunnel for the running lines. The reason the

> tracks and wires are higher in the background is that those are in the

> Sydenham metro depot area at ground level. The dive is between the

> depot and the suburban tracks. It looks to me that the portal itself

> is intact but either it has parted company with its foundations, or

> the foundations have failed and been ripped out of the ground, still

> attached to the portal. Maybe the tug o' war team stringing the wires

> on the south side defeated the team on the north side.

>

The stanchions were bolted to the concrete on each side of the cutting.
Hard to see via the screen grab I shot, but in person you can see where
the bolts ripped out of the concrete. Looks like the back stay failed or
was not attached properly - or some some reason they managed to exceed
the design limit for the tension weights and the back-stay gave way.

The structure is hanging at 45 degrees supported by the wire running
north into the tunnel. I expect the next tensioner north isn't too happy
now either as it has the weight of the collapsed stanchion on it as well
as the wires.

Going to be 'fun' to recover as there are tracks on both sides of the
'dive', so a road crane will find it difficult to get in.