Cougal Spiral

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Cougal Spiral
Up Brisbane Mail crosses over number 5 spiral tunnel.jpg
The Brisbane Mail crossing over No.1 Spiral Tunnel in 1940
Australia New South Wales relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Location on the border between New South Wales and Queensland
Overview
Official nameBorder Loop railway formation and landscape
Other name(s)
  • Border Tunnel
  • Border Loop Spiral
  • Cougal To Border Loop
Line North Coast railway line
LocationRichmond Gap connecting New South Wales and Queensland, Australia
Coordinates 28°21′16″S152°57′51″E / 28.354390°S 152.964038°E / -28.354390; 152.964038 Coordinates: 28°21′16″S152°57′51″E / 28.354390°S 152.964038°E / -28.354390; 152.964038
Operation
Opened29 August 1930
Owner Transport Asset Holding Entity
Operator Australian Rail Track Corporation
Technical
LengthA series of three tunnels:
  • 192 metres (630 ft)
  • 177 metres (581 ft)
  • 1,160 metres (3,810 ft)
Track gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Grade 1.5%
Route map
1027 - Border Loop railway formation and landscape - SHR Plan No 2651 (5011937b100).jpg
Official nameBorder Loop railway formation and landscape; Cougal To Border Loop; Railway Spiral and Landscape
TypeState heritage (landscape)
Designated2 April 1999
Reference no.1027
TypeHistoric Landscape
CategoryLandscape - Cultural

The Cougal Spiral is a heritage-listed single track railway tunnel and spiral feature of the North Coast railway line in Australia that connects New South Wales with Queensland through Richmond Gap in the Kyogle Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built during 1930. It is also known as the Border Loop railway formation and landscape, Cougal To Border Loop and Railway Spiral and Landscape. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. [1]

Contents

The railway line needs to climb at a steady ruling gradient from Kyogle to the summit at a tunnel at the border between the two states. [2] The border is also at the watershed. [3] The rail spiral and associated facilities are located between 871 and 876 kilometres (541 and 544 mi) from Sydney Central railway station. [1]

Description

Climbing almost non-stop at the ruling grade of 1 in 66 or 1.5% (compensated) the line has almost continuous curves of 240 m (790 ft) radius. Near Cougal, the alignment finally runs out of valley, and has nowhere to go. Fortunately a convenient hill allows the line to circle back on itself so that it climbs 30 metres (98 ft) without having to make any forward progress. Soon after the Border Tunnel under the watershed is reached the line descends on the other side. The spiral has two short tunnels, one where it passes under itself, plus another through a small spur in the hillside.

The tunnel at the border summit is approximately 1,600 metres (5,200 ft) long, broken up into three separate tunnels. A lower summit, perhaps without the spiral, would be possible with a considerably longer and more expensive summit tunnel, with the possibility of problems with fumes for both the original steam locomotives and the replacement diesel engines.

The Cougal Spiral is easily viewed from parts of the Lions Road. The structure has been heritage listed due to its historical, scientific and architectural rarity. It opened on 29 August 1930 as part of the extension of the North Coast line from Kyogle to South Brisbane. [2]

The Cougal Railway Spiral and Landscape consists of the following elements: [1]

The spiral is formed by the whole section of line from Cougal to the Border loop. [1]

History

The Border Loop opened on 29 August 1930, connecting NSW and Queensland by rail via Richmond Gap. [1]

Heritage listing

As at 19 July 2013, the Cougal to Border Loop section of the North Coast Line was a notable engineering achievement, revealing a twentieth century engineering solution that allows trains to pass through the steep topography at the NSW/Queensland border. [1]

Border Loop railway formation and landscape was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria. [1]

The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.

The completion of the Cougal to Border Loop section of the North Coast Railway was a major engineering feat in the first half of the twentieth century, being one of several major engineering projects in NSW that allowed continuous railway access between Sydney and Brisbane. [1]

The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.

The combination of tunnels, crossing loops, the underbridge and spiral together form a technically significant example of an innovative and successful railway engineering solution. [1]

The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

The railway spiral at Border Loop is one of only two railway spirals in NSW. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

Kyogle Town in New South Wales, Australia

Kyogle is a town in the Northern Rivers region of northern New South Wales, Australia. It falls within the local government area of Kyogle Council. At the 2016 census, Kyogle had a population of 2,751 people. Kyogle is known as a "gateway" to many national parks including Border Ranges National Park and Toonumbar National Park.

The Lions Road is a section of the road running between the Summerland Way in New South Wales and the Mount Lindesay Highway near Rathdowney, Queensland at Running Creek. It joins two pre-existing sections of rural road, namely Gradys Creek Road in New South Wales and Running Creek Road in Queensland. It was so named as most of the funding, planning and voluntary labour for the road came from the Kyogle branch of the Lions Club. Kyogle resident Jack Hurley was one of the most prominent advocates of the road. Despite the NSW Government rejecting the idea in 1969, it was opened the following year.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Border Loop railway formation and landscape". New South Wales State Heritage Register . Office of Environment & Heritage. H01027. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Cougal To Border Loop, Railway Spiral and Landscape". New South Wales State Heritage Register . Office of Environment & Heritage . Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  3. ↑ "A Railway Spiral". The Sydney Morning Herald . 24 September 1930. p. 12.

Attribution

CC-BY-icon-80x15.png This Wikipedia article contains material from Border Loop railway formation and landscape , entry number 01027 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales and Office of Environment and Heritage 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence , accessed on 2 June 2018.

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