Footage of Poads Bridge being lifted off its perch. Video / Janine Baalbergen
The 1950s Poads Bridge was recently replaced with a wider and more modern structure in this week it was time for the old bridge, with timber surface, to bite the dust.
The 2000kg weight limit and poor condition of Poads Bridge over the Ōhau River near Levin made replacing it necessary.
Poads Bridge removal April 6 and 7, 2021: slowly dismantling the bridge. Photo / Bev Poulton
Photo / Bev Poulton
A new bridge has been built and this week the old bridge structure was removed in one piece using a large red crane.
In 1952 a flood washed away the [previous narrow swing bridge and part of the river bank at the bridge, forcing the residents of Poads Rd to wade through the river each they wanted to go to town.
Even taking the cream to a delivery point for the truck became a mission, which lasted close to two years.
It took that long before the new bridge, now removed, was built, with help from the local community, including the Poad family who farmed on Poads Rd.
Poads Bridge removal April 6 and 7, 2021: the timber surface is gone, now the steel structure below. Photo / Bev Poulton
Photo / Bev Poulton
The old bridge was too heavy to be lifted by a single crane, so the top part of the structure, the actual surface cars would have been driving on for decades, was carefully chopped into smaller sections and then lifted off the structure.
The remaining skeleton, a steel structure was lifted off its perch on Wednesday morning April 7.
Currently the skeleton of the bridge rests on the ground on the other side of the river, awaiting its fate.
Poads Bridge removal April 6 and 7, 2021: Another section being removed. Photo / Bev Poulton
Photo / Bev Poulton
Where the old bridge will go from here is yet to be decided.
Some locals remember the bridge from way back when the Poads and Adkins lived down Poads Rd. Robin Barrie, who has been a local accountant for 60 plus years, had the Poad family among his clients. He said he remembers there was also a swing bridge across the river, leading to the Poad homestead.
The Poads farmed on Poads Rd for several generations. Barrie said he reconnected with the Poads children Owen and Rosalie at a funeral last year.
"The Poads farm was the start of the track into the hills. They kept an eye on the trampers who were allowed to park on their farm. They had beef and sheep farm. Mrs Poad, who hailed from Takapau, was very hospitable and a dedicated member of the Presbyterian Church."
Owen Poad, who lived on the road from the age of 2 until he was about 21, remembers what life was like.
"We were the only family there, there were other farms there. The original bridge was a swing bridge and very narrow, just wide enough to allow an Austin 7 to cross over it."
Poads Bridge removal April 6 and 7, 2021.
Photo / Bev Poulton
In 1952 there was a flood that washed away the bridge and part of the bank.
"My father was a dairy farmer who had to take his cream and cream cans across the bridge to the road so it could be picked up to go to the milk plant.
"After the flood he had to wheel the cans across the pipe bridge in a wheelbarrow. I had to negotiate the mudflats on my way to school.
