Tocumwal railway station, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Tocumwal is a closed railway station in the town of Tocumwal
, New South Wales
, Australia
. It was once the break-of-gauge
between the broad gauge Victorian Railways Tocumwal line from the south and the standard gauge New South Wales Government Railways Tocumwal line
from the north, but only the line from Victoria is opened today.
was opened to the south bank of the Murray River
at Tocumwal on 28 February 1905. However the railway was not extended north into Tocumwal itself and the current station until 1908, due to the lack of agreement between the two state governments. Later broad gauge lines into New South Wales were built under the 1922 Border Railways Act
.
In April 1906 the Premiers of the two states agreed that the line would be built by Victoria, the road bridge over the Murray would be rebuilt, NSW would acquire the land for the extension, while they would jointly fund the works. Work commenced in 1907 on the short extension, the first train running on July 8, 1908. Facilities included a weighbridge
, 53 feet (16.2 m) long turntable, passenger and goods platform, and goods shed.
New South Wales extended their standard gauge line from Finley southwards to Tocumwal in 1914, providing their own separate facilities on the eastern side of the station yard. At the time controversy arose into whether broad or standard gauge track should be used for the extension, with residents north of Tocumwal wanting the break of gauge to be located in their towns.
In 1915 Tocumwal was the site of early tests with third-rail devices to enable standard gauge
and broad gauge
trains to share the same tracks. While the track was usable, it was not adopted due to the complexity, but other third rail systems have since emerged. In 1941 the New South Wales station platform was removed to make way for gantry cranes, with the platform relocated to the east side of the Victorian building, where it remained until closure. Control and management of the combined station was transferred to the New South Wales Railway department in 1942, Tocumwal having been a Victorian station before this time.
Victorian passenger services to Tocumwal ended on November 8, 1975 with the last train operated by T class
diesel locomotive T324 and passenger carriages 3AS
- 31BE
- 2AE - 22CE. Before this time the Strathmerton - Cobram section of the line was operated as the 'branch line' with a 102hp Walker railmotor
connecting with the main line train. A bus service was then introduced for the Tocumwal branch, connecting with the Cobram service. By 1977/78 the service between Cobram and Tocumwal was being operated by a VicRail owned station wagon
driven by the Cobram station master.
The last regular passenger service from New South Wales ran in November 1983, which ran three days a week as a railcar shuttle from Narrandera. The last goods train was in June 1986, traffic ceasing in September 1986 and the line closed in 1988.
The Victorian line was closed in January 1990 due to bushfire damage to wooden bridges, not being reopened until February 1995. The same year Gray's Container Terminal opened in the station yard across from the platform, with regular trains operating to Melbourne carrying containerised freight. The line has also been a regular destination for heritage passenger trains, by groups such as the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre
.
In 1996 the Berrigan Shire Council
obtained a lease over the station building, with a grant of $10,000 made available for restoration work. It is now the site of a small railway museum displaying the history of the local area.
When opened monthly lifting of the centre span was carried out for testing purposes, when the bridge was made a rail/road bridge it was always down unless river traffic needed it. By 1930 river traffic declined, and so by 1944 the monthly lifting was altered to yearly. In 1951 it was proposed to keep span closed, the last lift for river traffic being in 1933, and no maintenance lifting having been carried out for a decade. In September 1977 state governments agreed to keep it fixed, and removed requirement for being able to lift it. Easter 1995 celebrations including operation of the lift span.
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...
, 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...
, 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...
. It was once the 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...
between the broad gauge Victorian Railways Tocumwal line from the south and the standard gauge New South Wales Government Railways Tocumwal line
Tocumwal railway line, New South Wales
The Tocumwal railway line is a closed railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The line branched from the still open Junee - Hay line at Narrandera station and then headed south west to Tocumwal station where there was a break-of-gauge with the Victorian Railways Goulburn Valley line from...
from the north, but only the line from Victoria is opened today.
History
Local agitation for a railway to Tocumwal dates as far back as 1899 when a deputation visited Melbourne, with the Minister for Railways supporting the project. The railway line from StrathmertonStrathmerton, Victoria
Strathmerton is a small country town in Victoria, Australia.It is located in the Shire of Moira Local Government Area on the Murray Valley Highway, about west of Cobram and previously known as the most northerly point in Victoria North of Melbourne at the start of the Goulburn Valley Highway...
was opened to the south bank of the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
at Tocumwal on 28 February 1905. However the railway was not extended north into Tocumwal itself and the current station until 1908, due to the lack of agreement between the two state governments. Later broad gauge lines into New South Wales were built under the 1922 Border Railways Act
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...
.
In April 1906 the Premiers of the two states agreed that the line would be built by Victoria, the road bridge over the Murray would be rebuilt, NSW would acquire the land for the extension, while they would jointly fund the works. Work commenced in 1907 on the short extension, the first train running on July 8, 1908. Facilities included a weighbridge
Truck scale
Truck scales or weigh bridges are large scales, usually mounted permanently on a concrete foundation, that are used to weigh entire vehicles and their contents. By weighing the vehicle both empty and when loaded, the load carried by the vehicle can be calculated...
, 53 feet (16.2 m) long turntable, passenger and goods platform, and goods shed.
New South Wales extended their standard gauge line from Finley southwards to Tocumwal in 1914, providing their own separate facilities on the eastern side of the station yard. At the time controversy arose into whether broad or standard gauge track should be used for the extension, with residents north of Tocumwal wanting the break of gauge to be located in their towns.
In 1915 Tocumwal was the site of early tests with third-rail devices to enable 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...
and 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 :...
trains to share the same tracks. While the track was usable, it was not adopted due to the complexity, but other third rail systems have since emerged. In 1941 the New South Wales station platform was removed to make way for gantry cranes, with the platform relocated to the east side of the Victorian building, where it remained until closure. Control and management of the combined station was transferred to the New South Wales Railway department in 1942, Tocumwal having been a Victorian station before this time.
Victorian passenger services to Tocumwal ended on November 8, 1975 with the last train operated by T class
Victorian Railways T class (diesel)
The Victorian Railways T class diesel electric locomotive are a small branch line and shunting unit built by Clyde Engineering . They were the most numerous class of diesel locomotives in the state....
diesel locomotive T324 and passenger carriages 3AS
S type carriage
The S type carriages are a compartment layout passenger carriage used on the railways of Victoria, Australia. The carriages were constructed by the Victorian Railways in 1937 for use on the Spirit of Progress, with additional carriages built until the 1950s for other trains.Two major types of...
- 31BE
E type carriage
The E type carriages were wooden express passenger carriage used on the railways of Victoria, Australia. Introduced by Victorian Railways Chairman of Commissioners Thomas James Tait and based on Canadian carriage design, the class remained in regular service for 85 years.-Design:Carriages on...
- 2AE - 22CE. Before this time the Strathmerton - Cobram section of the line was operated as the 'branch line' with a 102hp Walker railmotor
102hp Walker railmotor
The 102hp Walker railmotor was a type of diesel railcar operated by the Victorian Railways in Australia.After the Second World War, the Victorian Railways undertook a major rebuilding program known as "Operation Phoenix"...
connecting with the main line train. A bus service was then introduced for the Tocumwal branch, connecting with the Cobram service. By 1977/78 the service between Cobram and Tocumwal was being operated by a VicRail owned station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
driven by the Cobram station master.
The last regular passenger service from New South Wales ran in November 1983, which ran three days a week as a railcar shuttle from Narrandera. The last goods train was in June 1986, traffic ceasing in September 1986 and the line closed in 1988.
The Victorian line was closed in January 1990 due to bushfire damage to wooden bridges, not being reopened until February 1995. The same year Gray's Container Terminal opened in the station yard across from the platform, with regular trains operating to Melbourne carrying containerised freight. The line has also been a regular destination for heritage passenger trains, by groups such as the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre
Seymour Railway Heritage Centre
The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre is a railway preservation group based in Seymour, Victoria, Australia. The volunteer non-profit incorporated association was established in 1983 to restore and preserve locomotives and rolling stock as used on the railways of Victoria.The group is an accredited...
.
In 1996 the Berrigan Shire Council
Berrigan Shire Council
Berrigan Shire is a Local Government Area in the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia.The shire lies on the New South Wales State border with Victoria formed by the Murray River. It is on the Newell and Riverina Highways...
obtained a lease over the station building, with a grant of $10,000 made available for restoration work. It is now the site of a small railway museum displaying the history of the local area.
Bridge over the Murray
The bridge over the Murray River was opened in 1895 and was constructed by the NSW Public Works Department. It has three spans, the centre one having an opening lift span for navigation. Initially provided for road traffic only, in 1908 it was strengthened for rail traffic, and was used for both road and rail traffic until 1987. A concrete road bridge was provided for road traffic a a short distance upstream, with the old bridge used for rail only since that time.When opened monthly lifting of the centre span was carried out for testing purposes, when the bridge was made a rail/road bridge it was always down unless river traffic needed it. By 1930 river traffic declined, and so by 1944 the monthly lifting was altered to yearly. In 1951 it was proposed to keep span closed, the last lift for river traffic being in 1933, and no maintenance lifting having been carried out for a decade. In September 1977 state governments agreed to keep it fixed, and removed requirement for being able to lift it. Easter 1995 celebrations including operation of the lift span.