Holsworthy railway line

Last updated

Holsworthy line
Overview
Termini
Continues from Main South line
Service
Operator(s) Public Transport Commission
History
Opened21 January 1918
Closed21 June 1977
Technical
Line length4 miles 73 chains (7.9 km)
Track gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)

The Holsworthy railway line was located in South-western Sydney. It was constructed during World War I, mainly using labour from the Holsworthy Internment Camp. Its purpose was to service the Holsworthy army facilities opening on 21 January 1918. [1] [2]

Constructed largely with second-hand materials, It branched off the Main South line north of Liverpool station crossing the Georges River via a bridge that had nine 30 metre approach spans which came from old crossings of the Wollondilly River by the Main South line near Carrick and of Solitary Creek by the Main Western line near Tarana. [3]

The main span was a 98 foot (30 m) truss from the Main South line bridge over Argyle Street, Moss Vale. [4] [5] After crossing the river the line followed Greenhills Avenue through Clinches Pond Reserve, then curved to the east, following Anzac Parade on its south side to ANZAC Rifle Range. [3]

After the line opened, several additional sidings were constructed. The Ordnance Stores Siding opened 29 April 1919 with standing room for 75 four-wheel wagons on three loop sidings. On 2 October 1923 the line was curtailed to Anzac Rifle Range. After falling into disuse, World War II resulted in the line being restored. After declining again, the line was formally closed in June 1977. The only tangible signs of the line today are the piers across the Georges River and a bridge across Harris Creek,adjacent to Heathcote Road, that today is used by foot and cycle traffic. [1] [6] [7]

When the East Hills line was extended from East Hills to Glenfield in 1986, a siding was provided to the army facilities. The site will also be served by the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal which will be connected to the Southern Sydney Freight Line near Casula station. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georges River</span> River in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

The Georges River, also known as Tucoerah River, is an intermediate tide-dominated drowned valley estuary, that is located in Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Georges River is located south and south-west from the Sydney CBD, with the mouth of the river being at Botany Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holsworthy, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Holsworthy is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia 31 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Liverpool.

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

The Main North Line is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through Strathfield to Armidale. The line is the main line between Sydney and Armidale. As of 1988, the line closed progressively north of Armidale with services gradually withdrawn till 2004, with the main route between Sydney and Brisbane now the North Coast line.

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

Liverpool railway station is a heritage-listed railway station located on the Main Southern line, serving the Sydney suburb of Liverpool in Australia. It is served by Sydney Trains T2 Inner West & Leppington, T3 Bankstown and T5 Cumberland services. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

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

The South Coast Railway is a commuter and goods railway line from Sydney to Wollongong and Bomaderry in New South Wales, Australia. Beginning at the Illawarra Junction, the line services the Illawarra and South Coast regions of New South Wales.

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

Minto railway station is located on the Main Southern line, serving the Sydney suburb of Minto. It is served by Sydney Trains T8 Airport & South line services.

Wattle Grove is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Wattle Grove is located 30 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Liverpool.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moorebank, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Moorebank is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Moorebank is located 27 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Liverpool.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benalla railway station</span> Railway station in Victoria, Australia

Benalla railway station is located on the North East line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the town of Benalla, and it opened on 18 August 1873.

The Unanderra–Moss Vale railway line is a cross country railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The line branches from the Illawarra line at Unanderra and winds west up the Illawarra escarpment to join the Main South line at Moss Vale. The line is one of the most scenic in New South Wales, and for the first 20 km (12 mi) after leaving Unanderra has an almost continuous grade 1 in 30 providing extensive views over the Illawarra coastline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ropes Creek railway line</span> Closed railway line in Sydney, Australia

The Ropes Creek Line is a closed railway line in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond Vale railway line</span> Former colliery railway line in New South Wales, Australia

The Richmond Vale Railway was a 4 ft 8+12 in colliery railway line in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia, servicing coal mines at Minmi, Stockrington, Pelaw Main and Richmond Main. It was over 26 km (16 mi) long and passed through three tunnels, and was the last commercially operated railway in Australia to use steam locomotives.

The Adelaide–Port Augusta railway line is the main route for northbound rail traffic out of Adelaide, South Australia. The line, 315 kilometres long, is part of the Adelaide–Darwin rail corridor and the Sydney–Perth rail corridor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bike paths in Sydney</span> Bike paths

Bike paths in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, vary widely, with the majority either shared cycle and pedestrian paths or on road paths, and a small number of separated cycleways. In 2009 the Sydney Morning Herald reported that "Sydney's cycleways are not so much an organised network as a fragmented collection of winding paths and half-finished ideas. Most were built or designed when cycling was viewed as a pleasant pastime rather than a practical form of travel and are now poorly suited to commuting."

Steele Barracks was an Australian Army base in the Sydney suburb of Moorebank in New South Wales, near Liverpool. It was the home of the Royal Australian Engineers School of Military Engineering (SME), which was established there in 1940, as well as the RAE Museum, and the RAE Golf Club. It was also the location of the Regional Headquarters for the NSW Brigade of the Australian Army Cadets before it was moved to Holsworthy Barracks.

The Maldon – Dombarton railway line is a partially constructed railway line in New South Wales, Australia. Construction commenced in December 1983 with the project being cancelled in June 1988. A number of feasibility studies have since been conducted, but none have found the project to be viable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heathcote Road</span> Road in Sydney, Australia

Heathcote Road is a 24-kilometre-long (15 mi) major arterial road in the south of Sydney, Australia. It plays a major role in the servicing of traffic travelling between the Illawarra and Western Sydney, and its eastern end is a constituent part of the A6 route.

Milperra Bridge is a road bridge that carries Newbridge Road across the Georges River, located between Bankstown and Liverpool, in South Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The bridge is located adjacent to Henry Lawson Drive and the Bankstown Airport; and Newbridge Road serves as a continuation of Canterbury and Milperra Roads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argyle Street railway bridge, Moss Vale</span> Bridge in New South Wales, Australia

The Argyle Street railway bridge is a heritage-listed railway bridge on the Main Southern railway line (146.037 km) at Moss Vale, Wingecarribee Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed and built by the New South Wales Government Railways in 1914 with steel supplied by Dorman Long of Middlesbrough, England. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lennox River</span> River in New South Wales, Australia

The Lennox River is the proposed name for a waterway located in Sydney's South-Western Suburbs. The existing waterway is the tidal reach of Prospect Creek, a tributary of the Georges River. A proposal has been made to upgrade and reclassify the waterway as a 'river'. The proposed river would be 6.5 kilometres (4 mi) long, starting at the confluence of Orphan School Creek and Prospect Creek at Fairfield and flowing to the Georges River emptying into Dhurawal Bay at Garrison Point.

References

  1. 1 2 "The Liverpool to Holdsworth Military Railway" (PDF). Royal Australian Historical Society.
  2. "Transport in Liverpool: The Coming of the railway" (PDF). City of Liverpool. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  3. 1 2 Lost Railways: Holsworthy Line Archived 1 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine Visit Sydney
  4. "NEW BRIDGE AT MOSS VALE". The Daily Telegraph . No. 2411. New South Wales, Australia. 9 April 1887. p. 6. Archived from the original on 1 July 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2018 via National Library of Australia.
  5. Oakes, John (William John); Australian Railway Historical Society. New South Wales Division (1997), Sydney's forgotten military railways, Australian Railway Historical Society, New South Wales Division, ISBN   978-0-909650-41-4, archived from the original on 16 March 2018, retrieved 16 March 2018
  6. Forgotten Harris Park rail bridge in jeopardy [ permanent dead link ]Liverpool Champion 1 November 2016
  7. Harris Creek Historical Railway Bridge [ permanent dead link ] Royal Australian Historical Society
  8. Qube's Moorebank intermodal hub a major infrastructure boost Archived 16 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine ABC News 12 June 2015