Northern Railway (Western Australia)
Encyclopedia
Northampton Line
Opening in 1879 the Northern Line originated as a service between GeraldtonGeraldton, Western Australia
Geraldton is a city and port in Western Australia located north of Perth in the Mid West region. Geraldton has an estimated population at June 2010 of 36,958...
port and mines at Northampton
Northampton, Western Australia
Northampton is a town north of Geraldton, in the Mid West region of Western Australia. At the 2006 census, the town had a population of 813. It is historic, with an outstanding National Trust building. The town lies on the North West Coastal Highway. Formerly named Gwalla after the location's...
. It was the first government built railway in Western Australia - as other lines had been built prior to this date - but they were privately built. The Northampton line was serviced by two Fairlie
Fairlie
A Fairlie is a type of articulated steam locomotive that has the driving wheels on bogies. The locomotive may be double-ended or single ended...
double ended steam engines (which were some of the few to run in Australia) and two Kiston engines. The Northampton line was closed in 1957.
Midland Railway
In 1886 the government of Western Australia contracted West Australian Midland Land and Railway Syndicate to build the Midland Railway of Western AustraliaMidland Railway of Western Australia
The Midland Railway of Western Australia was a privately built and operated railway in Western Australia, operated by the British-owned Midland Railway Company of Western Australia...
line between Guildford
Guildford, Western Australia
Guildford is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located 13 km northeast of the city. Its Local Government Area is the City of Swan.-History:Guildford was established in 1829 on the Swan River, being sited near a permanent fresh water supply...
and Walkaway
Walkaway, Western Australia
Walkaway is a small town in the City of Greater Geraldton local government area of Western Australia. At the 2006 census, Walkaway had a population of 262....
. The contract was authorised under the Guildford - Greenough Flats(Walkaway) Railway act of 1886, and included a grant of crown land in return for construction. From Walkaway to Geraldton there was no crown land available to grant and the government employed Edward Keane to construct this section for them completing the link from Perth to Northampton line, which opened 1 July 1887.
Northern Railway (Mullewa and Meekatharra)
Built by the Western Australian Government RailwaysWestern Australian Government Railways
Western Australian Government Railways was most common name of the Western Australian government rail transport authority from 1890 to 1976. It is, in its current form, known as the Public Transport Authority of Western Australia....
during the 1890-1900 the Northern Railway provided for passenger and freight services from Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
into the Murchison Goldfields. There was a branch line from Cue
Cue, Western Australia
- Further reading:* 'Along the Cue railway. Inspection of line with suggested improvements, visit to Georgina Siding'. West Australian, 11 June 1898, p. 5-External links:* *...
to the mining town of Big Bell
Big Bell, Western Australia
Big Bell is a derelict town in Western Australia near the town of Cue, established in 1936, and was home to the Big Bell Gold Mine.Mining ceased in 2003 and the plant was dismantled and transported to the Westonia minesite in 2007....
. After the completion of the line to Cue work commenced on the line to Nannine
Nannine, Western Australia
Nannine is a ghost town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. It is located on the northern bank of Lake Anneen, approximately 35 kilometres south-southwest of Meekatharra, and 735 kilometres north-northeast of Perth....
, it wasn't until 1909 that the line was extended from Nannine to Meekatharra
Meekatharra, Western Australia
Meekatharra is a town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. Meekatharra is an Australian Aboriginal word meaning 'place of little water'. At the 2006 census, Meekatharra had a population of 798, with 44.0% being Aboriginal....
and for a while to Wiluna
Wiluna, Western Australia
Wiluna is a complex town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. It is situated on the edge of the Western Desert at the gateway to the Canning Stock Route and Gunbarrel Highway. It is the service centre of the local area for the local Aboriginal people, the pastoral industry, mining, and...
. During the 1960s passenger services were terminated at Mullewa with services to places further along the line being replaced by road coach, while the overnight passenger service 'The Mullewa
The Mullewa
The Mullewawas a named Western Australian Government Railways overnight passenger railway service that ran between Perth, Western Australia and Mullewa in the Western Australian 'Mid-West Region'....
' ceased altogether 1974.
Sidings in the Mullewa to Meekatharra line were: Pindar
Pindar, Western Australia
Pindar is a small town in the Mid West Region of Western Australia. It is located about 30 km east of MullewaIn 1894, the Northern Railway from Geraldton to Mullewa was opened, and four year later was extended to Cue...
, Wurarga, Wagga Wagga, Nannowtharra, Edah, Munbinia, Yoweragabbie
Yoweragabbie, Western Australia
Yoweragabbie is a small town in the Mid West region of Western Australia between the towns of Mount Magnet and Yalgoo.The town originated as a railway siding on the Mullewa to Cue line in 1898 when the line was opened, which was constructed to service the surrounding pastoral stations. In 1913 land...
, Mount Magnet
Mount Magnet, Western Australia
Mount Magnet is an old Western Australian gold rush town. The name was chosen during exploration of the region due to an isolated hill 5 km north west of the town current townsite. This hill has an extremely high iron content and affected the compasses of explorers...
, Lennonville
Lennonville, Western Australia
Lennonville is a derelict town in Western Australia near the town of Mount Magnet, established in 1898.Lennonville was gazetted in 1896, after gold having been found two years earlier at the location by prospectors Lennon and Palmer....
, Merroe, Moyagee, Austin
Austin, Western Australia
Austin is an abandoned town in the Murchison region of Western Australia. The town is located south of Cue on an island in Lake Austin and for this reason was also known as Lake Austin and The Island Lake Austin....
, Day Dawn
Day Dawn, Western Australia
Day Dawn was a significant mining town and mine in the Mid West/upper Murchison region of Western Australia just south of Cue in the late nineteenth century...
, Cue
Cue, Western Australia
- Further reading:* 'Along the Cue railway. Inspection of line with suggested improvements, visit to Georgina Siding'. West Australian, 11 June 1898, p. 5-External links:* *...
, Nallan, Tuckanarra
Tuckanarra, Western Australia
Tuckanarra is a small town in the Murchison region of Western Australia. The town is located between Cue and Meekatharra along the Great Northern Highway in the Mid West region of Western Australia....
, Nannine
Nannine, Western Australia
Nannine is a ghost town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. It is located on the northern bank of Lake Anneen, approximately 35 kilometres south-southwest of Meekatharra, and 735 kilometres north-northeast of Perth....
and Meekathara.
Joondalup Line
During the pre-construction stages the Joondalup Line was referred to as the Northern line or Northern suburbs line.Passenger Stations on the Mullewa to Meekatharra rail line
- MullewaMullewa, Western Australia- External links :* *...
, opened 1894 - junction - YalgooYalgoo, Western Australia-Further reading:* Palmer, Alex. Yalgoo Fremantle, W.A: Lap Industries. ISBN 0959058400- See also :* Yalgoo - the ecological region* Thundelarra* Shire of Yalgoo - the local government region...
opened 1896 - Mount MagnetMount Magnet, Western AustraliaMount Magnet is an old Western Australian gold rush town. The name was chosen during exploration of the region due to an isolated hill 5 km north west of the town current townsite. This hill has an extremely high iron content and affected the compasses of explorers...
opened 1898 - junction for SandstoneSandstoneSandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,... - LennonvilleLennonville, Western AustraliaLennonville is a derelict town in Western Australia near the town of Mount Magnet, established in 1898.Lennonville was gazetted in 1896, after gold having been found two years earlier at the location by prospectors Lennon and Palmer....
opened 1898 - Lake Austin Island opened 1898
- CueCue, Western Australia- Further reading:* 'Along the Cue railway. Inspection of line with suggested improvements, visit to Georgina Siding'. West Australian, 11 June 1898, p. 5-External links:* *...
opened 1898 - branch line to Big Bell, Western AustraliaBig Bell, Western AustraliaBig Bell is a derelict town in Western Australia near the town of Cue, established in 1936, and was home to the Big Bell Gold Mine.Mining ceased in 2003 and the plant was dismantled and transported to the Westonia minesite in 2007.... - NannineNannine, Western AustraliaNannine is a ghost town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. It is located on the northern bank of Lake Anneen, approximately 35 kilometres south-southwest of Meekatharra, and 735 kilometres north-northeast of Perth....
(460m) - MeekatharraMeekatharra, Western AustraliaMeekatharra is a town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. Meekatharra is an Australian Aboriginal word meaning 'place of little water'. At the 2006 census, Meekatharra had a population of 798, with 44.0% being Aboriginal....
- continues as Wiluna Branch RailwayWiluna Branch RailwayThe Wiluna Branch Railway was a branch line of the Western Australian Government Railways which extended from Meekatharra to Wiluna.- Intermediate stations :The line is an extension of the Northern Railway.* Meekatharra* Paroo * Wiluna...
See also
- Western Australian Government RailwaysWestern Australian Government RailwaysWestern Australian Government Railways was most common name of the Western Australian government rail transport authority from 1890 to 1976. It is, in its current form, known as the Public Transport Authority of Western Australia....
- Rail transport in Western Australia
- Midland Railway Company of Western AustraliaMidland Railway of Western AustraliaThe Midland Railway of Western Australia was a privately built and operated railway in Western Australia, operated by the British-owned Midland Railway Company of Western Australia...
External links
Further reading
- Affleck, Fred N. On track : the making of Westrail, 1950 to 1976 . Perth : Westrail, 1978. ISBN 0-7244-7560-5
- May, Andrew and Gray, Bill. A History of WAGR Passenger Carriages. Perth:The Author, 2006. ISBN 0-646-45902-3
- Quinlan, Howard & Newland, John R. Australian Railway Routes 1854-2000 2000. ISBN 0-909650-49-7