Rail transport in New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n state of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
has an extensive network of railways, which were integral to the growth and development of the state. The vast majority of railway lines were government built and operated, but there were also several private railways, some of which operate to this day.
Organisation
During the 20th century the railways have always been run by a state-owned entity, which has undergone a number of different minor name changes, including New South Wales Railways and New South Wales Government RailwaysNew South Wales Government Railways
The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...
. The current entity responsible for running the New South Wales railways is Rail Corporation New South Wales
Rail Corporation New South Wales
Rail Corporation New South Wales is a statutory authority of the New South Wales government. RailCorp owns, operates and maintains the Sydney suburban and interurban rail network which is marketed under the CityRail brand; in addition to operating rural passenger services under the CountryLink...
which includes CityRail
CityRail
CityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
and CountryLink
CountryLink
CountryLink is the operator of passenger rail services in country New South Wales, Australia and into Queensland and Victoria. It is an operating brand of the Rail Corporation New South Wales, a government-owned entity...
. It also ran freight services until 2001, when this business was taken over by Pacific National
Pacific National
Pacific National is one of Australia's largest private rail freight businesses. Originally a joint venture between Patrick Corporation and Toll Holdings; it is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Asciano Limited following the restructure of Toll Holdings....
.
Since 2003, the NSW interstate and Hunter Valley rail corridors, and the dedicated metropolitan freight lines to the Sydney ports have been under the control of the Australian Rail Track Corporation
Australian Rail Track Corporation
Australian Rail Track Corporation is a federal government owned corporation established in 1997 that owns, leases, maintains and controls the majority of main line standard gauge railway lines on the mainland of Australia, known as the Defined Interstate Rail Network .-History:The Interstate...
, and it also maintains other rural branch lines under contract to Rail Corporation New South Wales.
History
Australian Agricultural Company
The Australian Agricultural Company is a company which serves to improve beef cattle production through responsible natural resource and land use...
officially opened Australia's first railway, located at the intersection of Brown & Church Streets, Newcastle, New South Wales
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
. Privately owned and operated to service the A Pit coal mine, it was a cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
fishbelly rail on an inclined plane as a gravitational railway
In 1854, the first public line was built from Sydney to Parramatta Junction (actually in Granville
Granville, New South Wales
Granville, is a suburb in western Sydney, Australia. Granville is located west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Parramatta. A small part in the north-west is located in the Local Government Area of the City of Holroyd.South Granville is a...
). The first six stations were; Sydney, Newtown, Ashfield, Burwood, Homebush and, Parramatta.
After two decisions to change the rail gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
, problems in raising capital and difficulties in construction, the line was opened in 1854, and lines have been built to standard gauge ever since. The Main Southern line
Main Southern railway line, New South Wales
The Main Southern Railway is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Southern Highlands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes and the Riverina regions.- Description of route :...
was built in stages from Parramatta Junction to the Victorian border at Albury
Albury, New South Wales
Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
between 1855 and 1881 and connected to the Victorian Railways
Victorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...
at a break-of-gauge
Break-of-gauge
With railways, a break-of-gauge occurs where a line of one gauge meets a line of a different gauge. Trains and rolling stock cannot run through without some form of conversion between gauges, and freight and passengers must otherwise be transloaded...
in 1883.
The standard gauge connection from Albury to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
was opened in 1962, completing the Sydney-Melbourne railway. Lines were built to connect the ports of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
to the rural interior, and the Main Western line
Main Western railway line, New South Wales
The Main Western Railway is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Blue Mountains, Central West, North West Slopes and the Far West regions.- Description of route :...
was built from Parramatta Junction line to the north west of the state, reaching Bourke
Bourke, New South Wales
-Transportation:Bourke can be reached by the Mitchell Highway, with additional sealed roads from town to the north , east and south . The town is also served by Bourke Airport and has Countrylink bus service to other regional centres, like Dubbo...
between 1860 and 1885. The Main North line
Main North railway line, New South Wales
The Main North Line is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Central Coast, Hunter and the New England regions. The line was the original main line between Sydney and Brisbane, however this required a change of gauge at Wallangarra...
was built from Newcastle to Wallangarra
Wallangarra, Queensland
Wallangarra is a village on the border between Queensland and New South Wales in Australia. It is the third most southerly town in Queensland, 258 km south west of Brisbane. Wallangarra is on the Queensland side of the border and Jennings is on the New South Wales side...
on the Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
border and connecting with Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail, also known as QR, is a government-owned railway operator in the state of Queensland. Under the control of the Queensland Government, Queensland Rail operates the inner-city and long-distance passenger services, as well as some freight operations and gives railway access to other...
way's line to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
at a break of gauge between 1857 and 1888. Sydney and Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
were connected in 1889.
Construction of the shorter and single-gauge North Coast railway line
North Coast railway line, New South Wales
The North Coast Line is the primary rail route in the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers regions of New South Wales, and forms a major part of the Sydney-Brisbane rail corridor....
between Sydney and Brisbane commenced in 1905 and was completed with the opening of the Grafton Bridge
Grafton Bridge, New South Wales
Grafton Bridge is a bascule bridge which spans the Clarence River in Grafton in New South Wales, Australia. Its upper level supports a two way road for traffic, and its lower level supports a rail bridge, a water main, and two footbridges on either side. The bascule span was operational until 1969...
in 1932. The last main line was completed to Broken Hill
Broken Hill, New South Wales
-Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the...
in 1927, connecting with the South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 to the incorporation of its non-urban railways into the Australian National Railways Commission in 1975, together with the former Commonwealth Railways and the former Tasmanian Government Railways...
at a break of gauge. In 1969, the South Australian section was standardised, completing the Sydney–Perth standard gauge link. Meanwhile branch lines proliferated over the settled east of the state, including the Illawarra line to Wollongong and Nowra
Nowra, New South Wales
Nowra is a city in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. Located SSW and approximately by road south of the state capital of Sydney, it has an estimated population together with its twin-town of Bomaderry of 34,479. It is also the seat and commercial centre of the City of Shoalhaven...
completed in 1893. In 1926 work began on electrifying Sydney's urban railways
Railways in Sydney
Sydney, the largest city in Australia, has an extensive network of passenger and freight railways. The passenger network is a hybrid metro-suburban railway with a central underground core running at metro style frequencies, which branches out into a suburban commuter type network...
and connecting them together via new lines.
Sydney suburban network
The first company to start rail transport in New South Wales was the Sydney Railway Company which was incorporated on 10 October 1849 with the aim of building a railway from Sydney to Parramatta
Parramatta, New South Wales
Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Greater Western Sydney west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Parramatta...
. Capital was raised, shares were sold, and a route was surveyed. The first sod was turned by Mrs Keith Stewart (daughter of the Governor) at Cleveland Paddocks (an area between the southern end of the current Sydney station
Central railway station, Sydney
Central Railway Station, the largest railway station in Australia, is at the southern end of the Sydney CBD. It services almost all the lines on the CityRail network, and is the major terminus for interurban and interstate rail services...
and Cleveland Street
Cleveland Street, Sydney
Cleveland Street is a busy thoroughfare in the city of Sydney, Australia. It runs from City Road in Chippendale, across the railway line between Central and Redfern stations and east through Surry Hills to Anzac Parade....
) on 3 July 1850.
The original engineer appointed was Francis Webb Shields, an Irishman. He persuaded the New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
legislature to pass an Act on 27 July 1852 requiring all railways in the colony to be of gauge. This was the gauge in use in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and is now referred to as 1600 mm gauge. After Shields resigned because of the difficulties, a Scot named James Wallace
James Wallace
James Wallace may refer to:*James Wallace , English football player*James Wallace , British Member of Parliament for Horsham, Attorney-General...
was appointed. Wallace persuaded the legislature to repeal the previous act and replace it, on 4 August 1853, with one requiring a gauge of - the current standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
of 1435 mm. (Unfortunately for Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the legislation requiring the broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
had been noted in the colonies of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and some rolling-stock ordered.)
The Sydney Railway Company encountered many troubles: engineers came and went; real estate required became expensive and difficult to acquire; money, supplies and manpower ran short, partly because of a gold rush. Eventually the property of the Sydney Railway Company was transferred to the government of New South Wales on 3 September 1855.
The line opened on 26 September 1855, from Sydney to Parramatta Junction (near Granville Station), with stations at Newtown
Newtown railway station
Newtown railway station may refer to:* Newtown railway station, Sydney* Newtown railway station, Wales* New Mills Newtown railway station, Derbyshire, England* Newtown , Newtown, Pennsylvania, USA...
, Ashfield
Ashfield railway station, Sydney
Ashfield railway station is a station located on the Main Suburban railway line of the CityRail network. It is located in the Sydney suburb of Ashfield and features five platforms...
, Burwood
Burwood railway station, Sydney
Burwood is a major station on the main suburban line in the suburb of Burwood in Sydney. The station is located on Burwood Road, close to major shops and schools, and consists of platforms on all six of the tracks through the station. The concourse is situated below the platforms with access to...
and Homebush.
The Sydney terminal station was on the south side of Devonshire Street, just south of the current Central Station
Central railway station, Sydney
Central Railway Station, the largest railway station in Australia, is at the southern end of the Sydney CBD. It services almost all the lines on the CityRail network, and is the major terminus for interurban and interstate rail services...
. Although the vicinity was sometimes referred to as Redfern
Redfern, New South Wales
Redfern is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Redfern is 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
, it was not near the current Redfern station. This line is still the core line of the Sydney suburban rail system.
Sydney's suburban rail network further developed from main line railways constructed in the 19th century, together with branches built in the late 19th and early 20th century. The existing network was electrified from 1926 at 1500 V DC under the Bradfield plan (in the 1920s and 1930s) and later modifications to his plan. In 1932, the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic...
was completed and the key inner city line from Central
Central railway station, Sydney
Central Railway Station, the largest railway station in Australia, is at the southern end of the Sydney CBD. It services almost all the lines on the CityRail network, and is the major terminus for interurban and interstate rail services...
to Town Hall, Wynyard
Wynyard railway station, Sydney
Wynyard is a major underground CityRail station in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, 2.05 km from Central. Wynyard averages 108000 passenger movements per day Monday to Friday.-History:The station opened on 28 February 1932...
, Milsons Point and North Sydney was opened. In 1956, the Circular Quay station opened, completing the City Circle
City Circle
The City Circle is a system of largely underground passenger railway lines located in the central business district of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, that make up the heart of the Sydney passenger railway network. The lines are owned by RailCorp, a New South Wales government agency, and...
. The underground Eastern Suburbs railway was completed to Bondi Junction in 1979. Most recently, in 2000, the line to Sydney Airport and Wolli Creek was opened, with the most recent addition to the network being the Epping to Chatswood Rail Link, opened in 2009.
A branch line was built from Clyde to Camellia in 1888 and extended to Carlingford in 1896 by private companies. The line were bankrupt in 1896 and the Government purchased and reopened it in 1900. This line is now part of CityRail's Carlingford line.
Another branch was built from Lidcombe to Regents Park in 1912 and extended to join the Main Southern Line at Cabramatta in 1924, creating an alternative route to Liverpool. This is now part of CityRail's Inner West line.
Main Southern Line
An extension of the line from Parramatta Junction to Liverpool was opened on the first anniversary of the Sydney-Parramatta line - 26 September 1856. It was extended to Campbelltown in 1858, Picton in 1863, Mittagong in 1867, Marulan in 1868, Goulburn in 1869, YassYass, New South Wales
Yass is a town in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Yass Valley Shire. The name appears to have been derived from an Aboriginal word, "Yarrh" , said to mean 'running water'....
Junction in 1876, Galong
Galong, New South Wales
Galong is a small town in New South Wales, Australia located in Harden Shire. At the 2006 census, Galong had a population of 122 people.The town is well known for its cemetery, which has among other monuments, some angels carved by Frank Rusconi, the monumental mason from Gundagai.St Clement's...
, Harden- Murrumburrah
Harden, New South Wales
Harden-Murrumburrah is a township and community in the centre of Harden Shire and is located in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales in Australia and is adjacent to both the Canberra region of the Australian Capital Territory and the Riverina Region in the southwest area of NSW...
and Cootamundra
Cootamundra, New South Wales
Cootamundra is a town and Local Government Area in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia and within the Riverina. At the 2006 census, Cootamundra had a population of 5,566. It is located on the Olympic Highway at the point where it crosses the Muttama Creek, between Junee and...
in 1877, Junee
Junee, New South Wales
Junee is a medium sized town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The town's prosperity and mixed services economy is based on a combination of agriculture, rail transport, light industry and government services, and in particular correctional services...
in 1878, Wagga Wagga in 1879, Uranquinty, The Rock
The Rock, New South Wales
The Rock is a town, with a population of 860, in the Riverina region of southern New South Wales, Australia, in Lockhart Shire and the City of Wagga Wagga. It is situated 32km south west of Wagga Wagga on the Olympic Highway....
and Henty
Henty, New South Wales
Henty is a town on the Olympic Highway almost midway between Albury and Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, Australia. Henty is situated on the border of the South West Slopes and the Riverina districts. At the 2006 census, Henty had a population of 863 people....
in 1880 and Albury
Albury, New South Wales
Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
in 1881.
Victorian Railways
Victorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...
broad gauge
Victorian broad gauge
Rail gauge in Australia displays significant variation, which has been an ongoing problem for transportation on the Australian continent, for over a hundred years.-Track gauges and route km:The most used gauges are Main gauges:...
line from Wodonga
Wodonga, Victoria
Wodonga is a small city on the Victorian side of the border with New South Wales, north-east of Melbourne, Australia. Adjacent to Wodonga across the border is the New South Wales city of Albury. Wodonga is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Wodonga LGA...
was extended to Albury station in 1883. The standard gauge connection from Albury to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
was completed in 1962. A branch line was opened from Goulburn to Queanbeyan
Queanbeyan, New South Wales
Queanbeyan is a regional centre in the Southern Tablelands in south-eastern New South Wales adjacent to the Australian Capital Territory. The city's mixed economy is based on light construction, high technology, manufacturing, service, retail and agriculture. It is the council seat of the...
(1885) and Cooma
Cooma, New South Wales
-Education: is Cooma's only public high school, it serves the town and seven of the neighbouring rural towns and villages such as Berridale, Jindabyne, Nimmitabel, Bredbo and Dalgety....
(1887) and an 8 km (5 mi) line from Queanbeyan completed the connection to Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
in 1914.
Main Western Line
The Main Western LineMain Western railway line, New South Wales
The Main Western Railway is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Blue Mountains, Central West, North West Slopes and the Far West regions.- Description of route :...
was extended from Granville to the current Parramatta station and Blacktown in 1860 and Penrith
Penrith railway station, Sydney
Penrith railway station is a railway station on the CityRail network in New South Wales, Australia. Located in the Sydney suburb of Penrith, the station serves as a major interchange between Western line, Blue Mountains line trains. Western-bound CountryLink XPT and Xplorer services also stop here...
in 1863. It was built over the difficult topography of the Blue Mountains by using zig zag railways
Zig Zag (railway)
A railway zig zag, also called a switchback, is a way of climbing hills in difficult country with a minimal need for tunnels and heavy earthworks. For a short distance , the direction of travel is reversed, before the original direction is resumed.A location on railways constructed e.g...
at Lapstone
Lapstone Zig Zag
The Lapstone Zig Zag was a ##Zig Zag #railway#|zig zag railway## built near ##Lapstone, New South Wales|Lapstone## on the ##Main Western railway line, New South Wales|Great Western Railway## of ##New South Wales## in ##Australia## between 1863 and 1865, to overcome an otherwise insurmountable climb...
(opened in 1867) and Lithgow
Zig Zag Railway
The Zig Zag Railway is a heritage railway at Lithgow in New South Wales, Australia on the site of the famous Great or Lithgow Zig Zag which operated between 1869 and 1910. As built, the line formed part of the Main West line from Sydney across the Blue Mountains and served to lower the line from...
(opened in 1869). Both of these sections were replaced by deviations, using tunnels by 1910. The line was extended to Bathurst (1876), Orange
Orange, New South Wales
Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of . Orange has an estimated population of 39,329 and the city is a major provincial centre....
(1877), Dubbo (1881), and Bourke
Bourke, New South Wales
-Transportation:Bourke can be reached by the Mitchell Highway, with additional sealed roads from town to the north , east and south . The town is also served by Bourke Airport and has Countrylink bus service to other regional centres, like Dubbo...
(1885).
Broken Hill line
A section of the current main line from Sydney to 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....
and Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, was built from Orange to Molong
Molong, New South Wales
Molong is a small town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia, in Cabonne Shire.Molong is located on the Mitchell Highway about 300 kilometres west of Sydney and about 30 kilometres from the city of Orange. It is elevated at 529 metres above sea level. At the 2006 census, Molong...
(1885), Parkes
Parkes, New South Wales
- Transport :Parkes has a local bus service provided by Western Road Liners, which acquired Harris Bus Lines in March 2006. The Indian Pacific also stops twice a week, as well as the Broken Hill Outback Xplorer service, run by CountryLink, which heads to Broken Hill on Mondays and Sydney on...
(1893), Condobolin
Condobolin, New South Wales
Condobolin is a town in the west of the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia, on the Lachlan River. At the 2006 census, Condobolin had a population of 2,847.- History :...
(1898) and Trida
Trida, New South Wales
Trida is a locality in Central Darling Shire in the Far West region of New South Wales, Australia.-Village:Records show that a Hotel existed at Trida with the license being established in 1889 by an Alexander Pearce...
(1919). A separate section of standard gauge line was also opened from Menindee
Menindee, New South Wales
Menindee is a small town in the far west of New South Wales, Australia, in Central Darling Shire, on the banks of the Darling River, with a sign-posted population of 980.-History:...
to Broken Hill
Broken Hill, New South Wales
-Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the...
in 1919, which met the 1067 mm gauge Silverton Tramway
Silverton Tramway
The Silverton Tramway was an Australian long narrow gauge railway running from Cockburn on the South Australian state border to Broken Hill in New South Wales. Operating between 1888 and 1970 it served the mines of Broken Hill, and formed the link between the standard gauge New South Wales...
at a break-of-gauge
Break-of-gauge
With railways, a break-of-gauge occurs where a line of one gauge meets a line of a different gauge. Trains and rolling stock cannot run through without some form of conversion between gauges, and freight and passengers must otherwise be transloaded...
opened in 1888.
At Cockburn, South Australia
Cockburn, South Australia
Cockburn is a town on the border of South Australia and New South Wales near Broken Hill. The town population consists of roughly 25 people with a greater regional community of 180 as of 2005.-Town history:...
, the Silverton Tramway connected with the South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 to the incorporation of its non-urban railways into the Australian National Railways Commission in 1975, together with the former Commonwealth Railways and the former Tasmanian Government Railways...
system to Port Pirie
Port Pirie, South Australia
-Transport:Port Pirie is located off National Highway One. It is serviced by an airport five minutes out of the city.- Railways :The first railways in Port Pirie were of the narrow [3' 6"] gauge....
and via a break of gauge at Terowie
Terowie, South Australia
Terowie is a small town in the mid-north of South Australia located north of Adelaide. It is located in the Regional Council of Goyder. Terowie retains a number of authentic and well preserved 1880s buildings, and has been declared a "historic town". It also remains a town of interest to those...
to Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. The final missing link between Trida and Broken Hill was completed in 1927. In 1969 the Broken Hill - Port Pirie was standardised, completing the Sydney - Perth standard gauge link.
South Coast Line
The Illawarra LineSouth Coast railway line, New South Wales
The South Coast Line is in the intercity region of Sydney's CityRail services. It serves the coastal region to the south of the Sydney metropolitan area including the Illawarra region, most notably the regional city of Wollongong, and extended services reach as far as Nowra in Shoalhaven.- Line...
was opened in stages progressively southward from Sydney starting in 1884 and reaching Wollongong in 1884 and Bomaderry, near Nowra
Nowra, New South Wales
Nowra is a city in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. Located SSW and approximately by road south of the state capital of Sydney, it has an estimated population together with its twin-town of Bomaderry of 34,479. It is also the seat and commercial centre of the City of Shoalhaven...
in 1893. A branch line was built from Sydenham
Sydenham railway station, Sydney
Sydenham railway station is a major interchange station located in the small Sydney suburb of Sydenham, serving the East Hills, Illawarra and Bankstown lines on the CityRail system. The Illawarra line platforms are also used by a very small number of South Coast line services. The station is...
to Belmore in 1895, Bankstown in 1909 and Regents Park in 1928, which became part of the Bankstown Line of the CityRail network
Transport network
A transport network, or transportation network in American English, is typically a network of roads, streets, pipes, aqueducts, power lines, or nearly any structure which permits either vehicular movement or flow of some commodity....
.
Main North Line
The first section of the Main North lineMain North railway line, New South Wales
The Main North Line is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Central Coast, Hunter and the New England regions. The line was the original main line between Sydney and Brisbane, however this required a change of gauge at Wallangarra...
was built in the Hunter Valley
Hunter Valley
The Hunter Region, more commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney with an approximate population of 645,395 people. Most of the population of the Hunter Region lives within of the coast, with 55% of the entire...
by the New South Wales Government Railways
New South Wales Government Railways
The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...
in 1857. It was extended north to Wallangarra
Wallangarra, Queensland
Wallangarra is a village on the border between Queensland and New South Wales in Australia. It is the third most southerly town in Queensland, 258 km south west of Brisbane. Wallangarra is on the Queensland side of the border and Jennings is on the New South Wales side...
in various stages, reaching the Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
border and connecting with Queensland Railway's line to Brisbane at a break-of-gauge in 1888. The final section between Strathfield
Strathfield, New South Wales
Strathfield is an Inner West suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Strathfield is located 14 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield...
and Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
was completed by the opening of the Hawkesbury River
Hawkesbury River
The Hawkesbury River, also known as Deerubbun, is one of the major rivers of the coastal region of New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its tributaries virtually encircle the metropolitan region of Sydney.-Geography:-Course:...
bridge in 1889.
North Coast line
The North Coast railway lineNorth Coast railway line, New South Wales
The North Coast Line is the primary rail route in the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers regions of New South Wales, and forms a major part of the Sydney-Brisbane rail corridor....
was built between 1905 and 1932, and when completed, bypassed the Main North Line
Main North railway line, New South Wales
The Main North Line is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Central Coast, Hunter and the New England regions. The line was the original main line between Sydney and Brisbane, however this required a change of gauge at Wallangarra...
and provided a quicker route up the eastern seaboard. The first part of the North Coast line
North Coast railway line, New South Wales
The North Coast Line is the primary rail route in the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers regions of New South Wales, and forms a major part of the Sydney-Brisbane rail corridor....
was built between Casino
Casino, New South Wales
Casino is a town in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, Australia, with a population of 9,400 people . It lies on the banks of the Richmond River and is situated at the junction of the Bruxner Highway and the Summerland Way....
and Grafton
Grafton, New South Wales
The city of Grafton is the commercial hub of the Clarence River Valley. Established in 1851, Grafton features many historic buildings and tree-lined streets. Located approximately 630 kilometres north of Sydney and 340 km south of Brisbane, Grafton and the Clarence Valley can be reached...
in 1905, as an extension of a line from Murwillumbah
Murwillumbah, New South Wales
Murwillumbah is a town of approximately 7,500 people in far north-eastern New South Wales, Australia in the Tweed Shire. It lies on the Tweed River, 848 km north-east of Sydney, 13 km south of the Queensland border and 132 km south of Brisbane. At the 2006 census, Murwillumbah had a...
. It was extended from Casino to Kyogle
Kyogle, New South Wales
Kyogle is a town in the Northern Rivers region of northern New South Wales, Australia, in Kyogle Council. At the 2006 census, Kyogle had a population of 2,731 people. It was founded in the 1830s as a lumber camp, and is located north of Sydney, north of Casino on the Summerland Way close to the...
in 1910 and Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in 1930. The section from Maitland junction to South Grafton was opened progressively between 1911 and 1915. The Clarence River at Grafton was the most difficult river to cross, and was the last section to be opened in 1932, upon completion of the Grafton Bridge
Grafton Bridge, New South Wales
Grafton Bridge is a bascule bridge which spans the Clarence River in Grafton in New South Wales, Australia. Its upper level supports a two way road for traffic, and its lower level supports a rail bridge, a water main, and two footbridges on either side. The bascule span was operational until 1969...
.
Private railways
A number of private lines were built to connect the South Maitland coalfieldsSouth Maitland coalfields
The South Maitland coalfields was the most extensive coalfield in New South Wales until the great coal mining slump of the 1960s. It was discovered by Lieutenant-Colonel Paterson's party when they were engaged in an exploratory visit to the Hunter River Valley during July 1801.Mention has been made...
(discovered in 1886) with the Great Northern Railway at East Greta Junction near Maitland
Maitland, New South Wales
Maitland is a city in the Lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council, situated on the Hunter River approximately by road north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle...
. By 1918 most of these had been merged into the South Maitland Railway.
A narrow gauge railway was built by South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 to the incorporation of its non-urban railways into the Australian National Railways Commission in 1975, together with the former Commonwealth Railways and the former Tasmanian Government Railways...
from Port Pirie, South Australia
Port Pirie, South Australia
-Transport:Port Pirie is located off National Highway One. It is serviced by an airport five minutes out of the city.- Railways :The first railways in Port Pirie were of the narrow [3' 6"] gauge....
to Broken Hill
Broken Hill, New South Wales
-Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the...
, in 1888 to serve its silver and lead mine, which was becoming the largest and richest of its kind in the world. Since the New South Wales Government would not allow the South Australia Railways to cross the border, the last 30 km (19 mi) was built by a private company as a tramway, the Silverton Tramway
Silverton Tramway
The Silverton Tramway was an Australian long narrow gauge railway running from Cockburn on the South Australian state border to Broken Hill in New South Wales. Operating between 1888 and 1970 it served the mines of Broken Hill, and formed the link between the standard gauge New South Wales...
from Cockburn, South Australia
Cockburn, South Australia
Cockburn is a town on the border of South Australia and New South Wales near Broken Hill. The town population consists of roughly 25 people with a greater regional community of 180 as of 2005.-Town history:...
to Silverton, New South Wales
Silverton, New South Wales
Silverton is a small village at the far west of New South Wales, Australia, 25 kilometres north-west of Broken Hill. At the 2006 census, Silverton had a population of 89 people....
and Broken Hill. In 1970 the line was replaced by a standard gauge South Australia government line, completing the standard transcontinental gauge line from Sydney to Perth.
A number of other private railways have been built in New South Wales to serve coal mines, steel works (notably the Port Kembla
Port Kembla, New South Wales
Port Kembla is a suburb of Wollongong 8 km south of the CBD and part of the Illawarra region of New South Wales. The suburb comprises a seaport, industrial complex , a small harbour foreshore nature reserve, and a small commercial sector. It is situated on the tip of Red Point, first sighted...
steel works, formerly operated by BHP (now BlueScope Steel
BlueScope Steel
BlueScope Steel is a flat product steel producer with operations in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the Pacific and North America. It was spun off from BHP Billiton in 2002 as BHP Steel and renamed BlueScope Steel on 17 November 2003...
) and quarries, especially in the first half of the 20th century.
Foreign railways
Because parts of New South Wales are closer to adjacent states than the state owned railway, foreign lines of different gauges have extended short distances into New South Wales.These include:
- Silverton TramwaySilverton TramwayThe Silverton Tramway was an Australian long narrow gauge railway running from Cockburn on the South Australian state border to Broken Hill in New South Wales. Operating between 1888 and 1970 it served the mines of Broken Hill, and formed the link between the standard gauge New South Wales...
from South AustraliaSouth AustraliaSouth Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
to Broken Hill via SilvertonSilvertonSilverton has many uses:*Places:** United States*** Silverton, Colorado*** Silverton, New Jersey*** Silverton, Oregon*** Silverton, Ohio*** Silverton, Texas*** Silverton, Washington*** Silverton, Wyoming*** Silverton Township, Minnesota** Elsewhere...
- 3 in 6 in (1,066.8 mm) gauge - Queensland RailQueensland RailQueensland Rail, also known as QR, is a government-owned railway operator in the state of Queensland. Under the control of the Queensland Government, Queensland Rail operates the inner-city and long-distance passenger services, as well as some freight operations and gives railway access to other...
from QueenslandQueenslandQueensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
to Tweed Heads - 3 in 6 in (1,066.8 mm) gauge
The Deniliquin-Moama line was the first 5 in 3 in (1,600.2 mm) gauge line to be extended into the state. Permission was granted to the Deniliquin and Moama Railway Company
Deniliquin and Moama Railway Company
The Deniliquin and Moama Railway Company was a railway company formed by a syndicate of Victorian capitalists to construct a railway from Moama to Deniliquin in New South Wales, Australia.- Background :...
by the New South Wales Government in 1874 to construct a line 45 miles (72.4 km) long line from Moama to Deniliquin, connecting with the Victorian Railway system at the Murray Bridge, near Echuca and the line was opened in 1876. This was followed in 1906 when an agreement was made between both states for the Victorian Railways
Victorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...
Goulburn Valley line to be extended north into Tocumwal
Tocumwal, New South Wales
Tocumwal is a town in the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia in the Berrigan Shire Local Government Area, near the Victorian border. The town is situated on the banks of the Murray River, north of the city of Melbourne. The Newell Highway, part of the main road route between...
. Opened in 1908, both states shared construction costs for the line but the profit (or loss) would be Victoria's.
The final stage was in 1917 when the Border Railway Commission (made up be representatives of both states) recommended favourably on the construction of four additional Victorian lines into New South Wales, culminating in the 1922 Border Railways Acts
1922 Border Railways Act
The 1922 Border Railways Acts, were Acts passed by the Parliaments of both Victoria and New South Wales, which authorised the construction of cross border railways in the Riverina region of Australia. Despite being located in New South Wales, the region was closer economically to Victoria and its...
of both states. The Deniliquin and Moama Railway Company was taken in 1923 at a cost of £165,000. New construction included the Balranald, Oaklands
Oaklands railway line, Victoria
The Oaklands railway line is a freight only railway line in north eastern Victoria, Australia. The line branches from the main North East railway at Benalla station until it connects with the New South Wales railway network at Oaklands, New South Wales....
, Stony Crossing, and Lette lines. Only the first two remain open today.
External links
- www.nswrail.net Dates of openings and closures of NSW railways