Crookwell railway line

Crookwell railway line
Crookwell railway line
Overview
Termini	Goulburn; Crookwell;
Stations	8
History
Opened	22 April 1902
Technical
Track length	35 miles 49 chains (57.3 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Route map

Last updated August 22, 2023

The Crookwell railway line is a disused branch railway line in the south of New South Wales, Australia. It has never officially been closed. It branched from the Main South line at North Goulburn and passed north through the localities of Kenmore and Roslyn to the town of Crookwell. As of 2020, there were proposals to convert the line into a rail trail.^[3]

History

The Crookwell district north of Goulburn is rich and productive agricultural land, with a high annual rainfall. A railway to Crookwell was proposed as early as 1857, but it was not until the late 1870s and early 1880s that formal submissions were made by local residents and landowners to the Commissioner for Railways. Various routes and proposals were considered, including the option of a tramway as a feeder to the Main South railway. From 1884, public meetings were held and deputations were made, with a survey of the proposed route taking place,^[4] but not until 1899 did the NSW Parliament finally pass a Bill for the construction of the Crookwell line.^[5]^[6]

The major engineering feature was a heavy (and expensive) steel lattice bridge over the Wollondilly River to the north of Goulburn. The line then passed through rolling hills to the town of Crookwell, and was opened in 1902. A platform was provided at Argyle, near the Goulburn Training Centre (now the Goulburn Correctional Centre), and stations were built at Kenmore, Norwood, The Forest, Woodhouselee, Roslyn, McAlister and Crookwell, with sidings at each of these locations. Several intermediate sidings were provided for stock loading and similar activities.^[7]

In 1913, there was a proposal to extend the branch line further north west to Cowra. With the advent of the great war, the proposal didn't move forward.^[8]

Traffic

From opening, the line carried a mix of goods and passenger traffic. Superphosphate and livestock were the main goods carried, and superphosphate in particular was responsible for keeping the line operational long past the closure of similar branch lines. Initial passenger traffic was locomotive hauled 'mixed' trains of passenger and goods cars until the introduction of CPH railmotors from 1926. Two return daily railmotor services were provided allowing day return travel in either direction. Steam power was replaced with diesel from 1961. From the mid-1970s, goods traffic began to decline in competition with road transport. Passenger traffic ceased in 1974,^[9] and by the 1980s freight traffic had dwindled to such unprofitable levels that the last train operated in 1985. The last passenger train to operate on the line was hauled by steam locomotives 3001 and 3102 on 25 August 1985 with both being turned on Crookwell's turntable.^[10] The final train out of Crookwell was in September 1985, a 48 class locomotive hauling the last freight wagons from Crookwell yard. The points connecting the line to the Main South line at Goulburn were removed in September 1989 and the line listed as "out of use". The branchline has not been formally closed.^[11]

Current state

Much of the alignment and track of the line remains in place, including the substantial bridge over the Wollondilly River. Since 2000 there were continuing plans to operate heritage rail trips over the line but as of 2020 it is set to be converted into a rail trail walk. The Goulburn Crookwell Heritage Railway group has been maintaining what is left of the lines infrastructure and sleeper replacement. Track vehicles known as trikes are operated for maintenance purposes.^[12]

Taralga Branch

At Roslyn, a branch line to Taralga diverged, opening on 23 February 1926 and closing on 1 May 1957.^[13]^[14] Whilst initially the line saw a six-days-a-week service, by the time of its demise it saw trains on Wednesdays only.^[15]

The station buildings were of concrete, similar to other stations constructed in that period. The line has been lifted and little remains of the formation. Part of the original alignment remains but has been turned into a road.

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goulburn railway station</span> Railway station in New South Wales, Australia

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Kenmore was a railway station on the Crookwell railway line, New South Wales, Australia. The station opened in 1902 with the opening of the line, and consisted of a 100 ft platform on the down side of the line. It gained its name from Kenmore a small village in Perthshire, Scotland, and was located adjacent to Kenmore Hospital. A 275 ft loop siding was constructed with the line, subsequently shortened in 1934 to 175 ft. In 1942, and additional siding was added. Passenger services ceased in 1974, and in 1975, the station and facilities closed and the platform was subsequently demolished. The line closed to goods traffic in 1984. The closed rail-line and loop remain in-situ.

Woodhouselee was a railway station on the Crookwell railway line, in Woodhouselee, New South Wales, Australia. The station opened in 1902 with the opening of the line, and consisted of a 100 ft platform on the up side of the line with a loop siding on the down side. It was named after a local resident Mr Woodhouse. The platform was closed in 1974 with the cessation of passenger services and subsequently demolished. The line through Woodhouselee closed to goods traffic in 1984, the loop has been removed but the mainline remains intact.

Roslyn was a railway station on the Crookwell railway line, New South Wales, Australia. The station opened in 1902 with the opening of the line, and consisted of a 100 ft platform on the down side of the line with a loop siding on the up side. Cattle loading facilities and goods sheds were also provided. It was named after the estate of a local resident Dr Mitchell. In 1925, the station became the location of the branch line to Taralga, with the new branch extending off the loop line.. The platform was shortened to 30 ft in 1969, and closed in 1974 with the cessation of passenger services. in 1975 the station and goods facilities were demolished. The line through Roslyn closed to goods traffic in 1984, and little remains at the site apart from the mainline track, the goods loading bank and the station master's residence.

McAlister was a railway station on the Crookwell railway line, New South Wales, Australia. The station opened in 1902 with the opening of the line, and consisted of a 100 ft platform on the up side of the line with a loop siding on the down side. It was named after magistrate Lachlan McAlister. Some goods facilities were removed in the 1930s. The remainder of the station and loop closed in 1969 and were subsequently removed. The line through McAlister closed to goods traffic in 1984. Little remains at the site apart from the mainline track and a loading bank.

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The Taralga railway line is a disused branch railway line in the south of New South Wales, Australia. The line commenced at a junction with the Goulburn to Crookwell line at Roslyn station and ran for a distance of 25.30 km (15.72 mi) to the small town of Taralga. The line operated between 1926 and 1957 and is one of few lines in New South Wales that has been formally closed by an Act of Parliament. Today all track has been lifted and little trace remains of the infrastructure associated with the line.

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The Inverell railway line is a closed railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The line branches from the Mungindi line at Moree and travels in an easterly direction through the town of Gravesend then Warialda Rail, gradually increasing in elevation through Delungra towards the terminus at Inverell. An initial estimate of its intended length was 96 miles 35 chains (155.2 km). The line opened in February 1900 as far as Gravesend, then more of the line in 1901 before the Gwydir River bridge was finally finished and the line completed in 1902. It was progressively closed between 1987 and 1994. Currently a 5 km (3.1 mi) section at the Moree end remains in use as a siding for the storage of railway wagons. On 8 August 2016, The NSW Government announced that a 2.8km section of the railway would be reinstated to allow grain to be sent by rail, as part of the Fixing Country Rail pilot round. Up to $2 million was allocated for the project.

Roslyn is a locality in the Upper Lachlan Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It lies about 20 km east of Crookwell and 37 km north of Goulburn. At the 2016 census, it had a population of 92. Roslyn railway station was a junction station on the now disused Crookwell railway line from 1902 to 1974 and the disused Taralga railway line from 1926 to 1957.

References

↑ Bozier, Rolfe. "Crookwell Line". NSWrail.net. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
↑ "Goulburn to Crookwell Railway". Goulburn Evening Penny Post . New South Wales, Australia. 19 April 1902. p. 4. Retrieved 10 December 2016– via National Library of Australia.
↑ Attre, Neha (10 July 2020). "Goulburn-Crookwell rail trail back on track". Goulburn Post. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
↑ "Railway Line". Crookwell Gazette . Vol. 5, no. 76. New South Wales, Australia. 4 July 1890. p. 2. Retrieved 20 June 2019– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "PROPOSED CROOKWELL RAILWAY". The Sydney Morning Herald . National Library of Australia. 17 September 1895. p. 5. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
↑ Goulburn to Crookwell Railway Act 1899
↑ Scrymgeour, R. A History of the Goulburn – Crookwell Line. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin. Vol 48, no 721. November 1997.
↑ "Crookwell-Cowra Railway". Crookwell Gazette . Vol. XXVIII, no. 92. New South Wales, Australia. 29 August 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 10 December 2016– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "The Intercapital Daylight, 1956–1991" Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin June 2001
↑ "Double 30Ts to Crookwell" Roundhouse October 1985 page 31
↑ "Crookwell Branch" Railway Digest November 1989 page 385
↑ "Goulburn Crookwell Heritage Railway Inc" . Retrieved 5 May 2007.
↑ Bozier, Rolfe. "Taralga Line". NSWrail.net. Retrieved 5 May 2007.
↑ Government Railways and Transport (Amendment) Act. Act No. 19, 1961. (NSW)
↑ History of the Taralga Railway Scrymgeour, R. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, March, 1994 pp. 78–90

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[1] Bozier, Rolfe. "Crookwell Line". NSWrail.net. Retrieved 21 July 2016.

[2] "Goulburn to Crookwell Railway". Goulburn Evening Penny Post . New South Wales, Australia. 19 April 1902. p. 4. Retrieved 10 December 2016– via National Library of Australia.

[3] Attre, Neha (10 July 2020). "Goulburn-Crookwell rail trail back on track". Goulburn Post. Retrieved 28 February 2021.

[4] "Railway Line". Crookwell Gazette . Vol. 5, no. 76. New South Wales, Australia. 4 July 1890. p. 2. Retrieved 20 June 2019– via National Library of Australia.

[5] "PROPOSED CROOKWELL RAILWAY". The Sydney Morning Herald . National Library of Australia. 17 September 1895. p. 5. Retrieved 3 August 2015.

[6] Goulburn to Crookwell Railway Act 1899

[7] Scrymgeour, R. A History of the Goulburn – Crookwell Line. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin. Vol 48, no 721. November 1997.

[8] "Crookwell-Cowra Railway". Crookwell Gazette . Vol. XXVIII, no. 92. New South Wales, Australia. 29 August 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 10 December 2016– via National Library of Australia.

[9] "The Intercapital Daylight, 1956–1991" Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin June 2001

[10] "Double 30Ts to Crookwell" Roundhouse October 1985 page 31

[11] "Crookwell Branch" Railway Digest November 1989 page 385

[12] "Goulburn Crookwell Heritage Railway Inc" . Retrieved 5 May 2007.

[13] Bozier, Rolfe. "Taralga Line". NSWrail.net. Retrieved 5 May 2007.

[14] Government Railways and Transport (Amendment) Act. Act No. 19, 1961. (NSW)

[15] History of the Taralga Railway Scrymgeour, R. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, March, 1994 pp. 78–90

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