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Caption: I've been fascinated with the possibilities of this bridge since I saw Bill's and Arnolds photos of the Jordan Harbour bridge some years ago. I knew it was here with my parents moving to nearby Beamsville in 2001 - upon studying the area there's little in the way of access. There are most certainly shots to be had but most if not all of the area is private property surrounding the bridge or swampland making access difficult unless you have a MAJOR telephoto in some spots.
What I'm standing on (Note the stone bottom left) is the original Great Western Bridge built 1853 a small section jets out from land then ends - the abutments continue into the background and are now obscured by trees which did not show in Bill or Arnold's photos. I figure the trees are as old as the new structure - built 1901 when the line was double tracked - so the tree would be 118 years old approx and is now as tall as the new bridge obscuring some of the view - especially when the foliage kicks in. And now you can see CN's working on the bridge having added some scaffolding for workers who are welding steel to the structure. At least I didn't walk away empty handed, I was worried there'd be no shot. There is, but limited for now. I tried a shot here a couple years ago, but wanted to do it with something 'special' and this got me back. I'll likely try again some day but it's a lot of effort for someone living over an hour away.
Sources on info: Lines of Country (Christipher Andreae, 1997)
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Very nice, Stephen.
Thank you for your kind words.
I haven’t walked down to see that in years. It sure has changed. If you walk across the tracks and look down the other side, there still might be some scrap rail cars from a wreck there about 30 years back.
)
Arnold thanks for your note. The best thing is we can do so using earth.google.com – without having to walk across the bridge
I imagine locals would have dug some of it out by now unless it’s in that swamp. Have you walked around the swamp area at all? I assume it’s too difficult to get into.. this area is a tough one.
I could take my parents boat in there some day but it’s like 30-45 minutes each way.. not very quick from Beamsville! And I need a willing pilot
When CN had a wreck almost where you were standing, all the cars slid down the bank to the swamp and a couple of years later I could still see some scrap. It was such an awkward place to shoot I only took one picture just for the memory of it.
As far as walking the area; only in a deep frozen winter, or, on the south/west side there is a bit of an access by car out to the waters edge and you could shoot trains broadside as they cross the bridge. (the road goes down in there from Jordan’s tourist area) Nothing I shot looked very good, so abandoned the idea.
It would be interesting to take a small boat in there. NONE of the water is more than maybe 8 ft deep. But not worth the bother for pics.
Thanks. I did do a broadside on the same day as this shot – much of the property down there has large red “no trespassing” signs , but some (so far) does not but it’s being ‘developed’ by winery types.. hopefully for some public access but we’ll have to see. The advent of tourism in the area may just become an annoyance to all the landowners as tourists flood the areas – literally.
The area down in the valley from downtown Jordan is still quite far from the bridge and difficult to get good access but certainly worth exploring again.
The town of Jordan would be wise to consider a boardwalk down there if it was feasible. it’s rather pretty especially in fall.
http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=29696
Also recently inspiring my shot was this Paul Sherlock photo
Original Great Western bridge circa 1867: http://images.ourontario.ca/lincoln/45347/image/86149
Very cool. Thank you.