Cooma Monaro Railway | |
---|---|
CPH6 at Chakola station in March 2012 | |
Coordinates | 36°14′11″S149°08′07″E / 36.2364744°S 149.1352844°E |
Commercial operations | |
Name | Bombala line |
Built by | New South Wales Government Railways |
Original gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
Preserved operations | |
Stations | 3 |
Length | 18 km (11 mi) |
Commercial history | |
Opened | 1889 |
Closed | 1989 |
Preservation history | |
1992 | Founded |
1998 | Services to Snowy Junction commenced |
1999 | Services to Chakola commenced |
Headquarters | Cooma |
Website | |
www.cmrailway.org.au |
The Cooma Monaro Railway (CMR) is a heritage railway museum in Cooma, New South Wales, Australia. It is based at Cooma railway station on the Bombala line. It previously operated services on a 18 kilometre section of the line.
Regular services on the Bombala line ceased south of Queanbeyan with the withdrawal of the Canberra Monaro Express in September 1988. [1] Following a bridge carrying the line over the Numeralla River at Chakola being declared unsafe, freight services south of Queanbeyan ceased in May 1989. [2] However a steam special did operate through to Cooma a few weeks later, albeit without passengers over the bridge in question. [3]
In 1992, the Cooma Monaro Railway was formed with the aim of establishing a tourist railway. It set about negotiating a lease on the Bombala line from Cooma to Chakola with the State Rail Authority. In 1994, it purchased three CPH railmotors and an accompanying trailer from the Mountain High Railway, Tumut, and restoration at the former locomotive shed at Cooma commenced. [4] After the line and railmotors were refurbished, northbound operations commenced on 5 December 1998 on a three kilometre section between Cooma station and Snowy Junction opposite Cooma Racecourse. [5] [6] In June 1999, the line was opened to Chakola, 18 kilometres from Cooma. [7]
Trains ceased operating in January 2014, with major repairs required to the line. [8] [9] [10]
In December 2022, the museum officially reopened, showcasing a "Travel for Pleasure" exhibit, [11] showcasing the past history of the line. In May 2024, maintenance vehicles resumed operating to Snowy Junction as a precursor to passenger operations resuming. [12]
Monaro Highway is a 285-kilometre-long (177 mi) highway in Victoria, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory, in Australia, linking Cann River in Victoria to Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) via the Monaro region. From its southern terminus, it follows the nearby Cann River upstream towards the New South Wales border through heavily forested terrain. Within New South Wales (NSW), it makes its way through further forest before reaching the pastures typical of the Monaro. There are multiple towns and villages along the highway, including Bombala, Nimmitabel, and Cooma. The terrain within the Monaro is largely hilly, and there are numerous crossings. The road also parallels the former Bombala railway line in several locations. Within the ACT, the road becomes a high volume roadway and serves the southern suburbs of Canberra. The highway has more recently had a grade-separated dual carriageway extension constructed within Canberra, as part of the Eastern Parkway construction project. It is designated part of route M23, and route A23 within Canberra, and route B23 within Victoria and New South Wales, with a concurrency where it also carries route B72 between the two sections of Snowy Mountains Highway.
Cooma is a town in the south of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 114 kilometres (71 mi) south of the national capital, Canberra, via the Monaro Highway. It is also on the Snowy Mountains Highway, connecting Bega with the Riverina.
Bombala is a town in the Monaro region of far southern New South Wales, Australia, in Snowy Monaro Regional Council. It is approximately 485 kilometres (301 mi) south-southwest of the state capital, Sydney, and 80 kilometres (50 mi) south of the town of Cooma. The name derives from an Aboriginal word meaning "Meeting of the waters". The town lies on the banks of the Bombala River. At the 2021 census, Bombala had a population of 1,892.
Michelago is a village in the Monaro region of New South Wales, Australia. The village is in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council local government area, 54 kilometres (34 mi) south of Canberra on the Monaro Highway. It was founded in the 1820s, on the main route from Sydney to the Snowy Mountains. Its name is also applied to the surrounding area, for postal and statistical purposes. At the 2016 census, Michelago had a population of 562.
The Lachlan Valley Railway Society is an Australian rail preservation society based in the New South Wales Central Western town of Cowra. It was established in 1974 to preserve and operate former New South Wales Government Railways locomotives and rolling stock. It operates regular heritage train tours to a variety of locations across New South Wales.
Queanbeyan railway station is a heritage-listed railway station located on the Bombala line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the town of Queanbeyan.
Railmotor is a term used in the United Kingdom and elsewhere for a railway lightweight railcar, usually consisting of a railway carriage with a steam traction unit, or a diesel or petrol engine, integrated into it.
The Bombala railway line is a branch railway line in the south of New South Wales, Australia. The northern part of it forms part of the main line from Sydney to Canberra, but the southern part is closed. It branches off the Main South line at Joppa Junction, south of Goulburn. The line is used by NSW TrainLink Xplorer services running between Sydney Central and Canberra station.
The CPHrail motors were introduced by the New South Wales Government Railways in 1923 to provide feeder service on country branch lines.
The 900/800 class railcars were diesel multiple units built by the New South Wales Government Railways between November 1951 and November 1960.
The 600/700 class railcars are a class of diesel multiple unit built by the New South Wales Government Railways. They were built to operate on branch lines from 1949 with low traffic volumes later being transferred to Newcastle and Wollongong to operate suburban services until withdrawn in 1994. However, one 600 class railcar was converted to solar operation for use on the Byron Bay Train service. The upgraded train entered service on 16 December 2017 and is believed to be the world's first solar-powered train.
The Canberra Monaro Express was a passenger train operated by the New South Wales Government Railways between Sydney, Canberra and Cooma from May 1955 until September 1988.
1210 is a preserved former New South Wales Government Railways Z12 class steam locomotive. Built in 1878 by Beyer, Peacock & Company, England, it is preserved at the Canberra Railway Museum.
Colinton is a locality in the Snowy Monaro Region, New South Wales, Australia. At the 2016 census, it had a population of 127. There was once a village and railway station of the same name.
Chakola is a locality in the Snowy Monaro Region, New South Wales, Australia. It lies on both sides of the Murrumbidgee River and both sides of the Numeralla River. It also lies on both sides of the Monaro Highway about 100 km south of Canberra and about 25 km north of Cooma. At the 2016 census, it had a population of 47.
Bunyan is a locality in the Snowy Monaro Region, New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the eastern side of the Murrumbidgee River and on both sides of the Monaro Highway about 110 km south of Canberra and about 10 km north of Cooma. At the 2016 census, it had a population of 152.
The Ingalara Creek railway bridge is a heritage-listed former railway bridge that carried the Bombala railway line across Ingalara Creek at Michelago in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by John Whitton in his capacity as Engineer-in-Chief for Railways and built in 1889. It is also known as the Michelago Rail Bridge over Ingalara Creek and the Ingalara Creek Railway Viaduct. The property is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. On 1 December 2020, changes were made to exemptions relating to the bridge's heritage status.
The Bredbo River railway bridge is a heritage-listed former railway bridge carrying the Bombala railway line over the Bredbo River at Bredbo in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by John Whitton in his capacity as Engineer-in-Chief for Railways and built from 1881 to 1889. It is also known as the Bredbo Rail Bridge and the Bredbo River Railway Viaduct. The property is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. On 1 December 2020, changes were made to exemptions relating to the bridge's heritage status.
The Cooma railway station is a heritage-listed former railway station on the Bombala railway line at Bradley Street, Cooma, Snowy Monaro Regional Council, New South Wales, Australia. The original design of the station was attributed to John Whitton. The station complex was built from 1889 to 1950. The Cooma Monaro Railway is based at the station and is opening a heritage railway museum in the restored station building in December 2022. The station was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
Arnott Street Railway Bridge was a small, isolated railway bridge in Canberra, most famously used by soviet agent Vladimir Petrov in 1954 as a dead drop location for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). The bridge was used as part of the Bombala railway line before it was demolished in 2018.