9/2/282/0001

This structure, being part of the larger NZASM endeavour, falls under the generic NZASM statement of significance, but specifically is also a good extant example of its type. Its importance lies in its associations with South Africa's community, heritage, and is considered uncommon, rare and endangered; it has the potential to yield information for understanding; as an object it demonstrates principal characteristics; has particular aesthetic characteristics; demonstrates a high degree of technical achievement; has strong and special associations with both historic and contemporaneous communities; has a special association with the life and work of an important organisation and its associated persons; and is significant in revealing labour practices of the time; all as they relate to the culture of South Africa and her international cultural historic affiliates. While the bridge deck was reconfigured for later use for vehicular traffic, it mimics and reminds of the original. It is a unique bridge structure in that it was designed at an incline to accommodate the ratchet line system. (Government Gazette 1027 of 1963: 'The bridge is a particularly fine stone structure and was originally built for the Z.A.S.M. railway line between Pretoria and Lorenco Marques'.)

The construction of the tunnel was not the only problem encountered in building the difficult section of the railway between Waterval Onder and Waterval Boven. Not far below the tunnel, the line had to cross the Dwaalheuwel Spruit. The N.Z.A.S.M. built a fine five-arched bridge of dressed stone. The bridge was opened to traffic on 20th June, 1894, and the rack railway ran over it until its use was discontinued. Thereafter the bridge was converted to a road bridge and continued to serve this purpose for many years.