Bowmans railway station

Last updated

Bowmans
General information
LocationBalaklava Road, Bowmans, South Australia
Coordinates 34°09′35″S138°15′42″E / 34.1597°S 138.2618°E / -34.1597; 138.2618
Operated by Australian National
Line(s) Balaklava-Moonta line
Distance112 kilometres from Adelaide
Platforms1
Tracks1
Construction
Structure typeGround
Other information
StatusClosed, mostly demolished
History
Opened1870
Closed1984
Services
Preceding station Australian Rail Track Corporation Following station
Kallora
towards Adelaide
Adelaide-Port Augusta railway line Goyder
towards Port Augusta
Preceding station Australian National Railways Commission Following station
Saints
towards Balaklava
Balaklava-Moonta railway line Port Wakefield
towards Moonta

Bowmans railway station was located at the junction of the Balaklava-Moonta railway line and the Adelaide-Port Augusta railway line in the town of Bowmans, South Australia.

Contents

History

An isolated horse-drawn and gravity operated tramway was built to deliver grain from the plains east of Port Wakefield in the areas of Balaklava, Halbury and Hoyle's Plains (now Hoyleton) to that port. [1] [2] The line was converted into a steam railway and extended to Kadina and Wallaroo in 1878. Bowmans railway station was opened in 1870. It was named after E. and C. Bowman who were well known pastoralists and led the estate along which the railway passed. [3] [4] It became a junction with the opening of a new railway line from Salisbury to Snowtown and Redhill. That line was later extended from there to Port Pirie in 1936.[ citation needed ] Facilities at the station included a timber clad station building, crossing loop, watering facilities and refreshment rooms with a triangle at the Balaklava end of the station yard. [5]

The Port Pirie line was constructed as 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) broad gauge and the Moonta line was constructed as 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) narrow gauge. This problem was solved when the Moonta line was converted to broad gauge on 1 August 1927. [6] [7]

Transfer to Australian National, closure and demolition

In 1978, the station and all associated infrastructure was included in the transfer of South Australian Railways to Australian National. The Port Pirie line was converted from 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) broad gauge to standard gauge in 1982 and Bowmans gradually lost it's importance. [8] The last passenger trains to stop at the station were passenger trains from Adelaide to Port Pirie which ceased in the early 1980s. [9] The broad gauge line through Bowmans closed on 4 April 1984 . [10] The line was later removed and alot of the station's infrastructure and lands were sold off by the state government. [11]

Present day

The disused railway platform is the only evidence of the station remaining as of now. [12] The alignment of the southern entrance to the station was converted into a spur to service the Bowmans Rail intermodal terminal. [13]

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References

  1. ↑ "PORT WAKEFIELD RAILWAY". The South Australian Advertiser . Vol. XII, no. 3385. South Australia. 21 August 1869. p. 2. Retrieved 24 September 2018– via National Library of Australia.
  2. ↑ "THE PORT WAKEFIELD AND HOYLE'S PLAINS TRAMWAY, AND THE DISTRICT THROUGH WHICH IT PASSES". The Express and Telegraph . Vol. VI, no. 1, 808. South Australia. 27 November 1869. p. 2 (SECOND EDITION). Retrieved 24 September 2018– via National Library of Australia.
  3. ↑ Names of South Australian Railway Stations with meanings and derivations
  4. ↑ Bowmans town a link to 1840s start of pastoral family's properties push to top of Spencer Gulf in South Australia
  5. ↑ Stations Remembered SAR - Bowmans Balaklava & Owen. p. 5.
  6. ↑ Redhill Railway Opening 15 August 1925
  7. ↑ Callaghan, WH (2002). "Horse and Steam, Wheat and Copper". Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin (January, February, 2002): 9–27, 46–63.
  8. ↑ Rail Agreement (Adelaide to Crystal Brook Railway) Act 1980 Government of Australia
  9. ↑ Stations Remembered SAR - Bowmans Balaklava & Owen. p. 9.
  10. ↑ Quinlan, Howard; Newland, John (2000). Australian Railway Routes 1854 - 2000. Redfern: Australian Railway Historical Society. pp. 56–58. ISBN   0-909650-49-7.
  11. ↑ Stations Remembered SAR - Bowmans Balaklava & Owen. p. 7.
  12. ↑ Bowmans.Port Wakefield. All that is left of the large railway station and refreshment rooms at Bowmans
  13. ↑ [https://www.bowmansrail.com.au/ Bowmans Rail
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