| Commission overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1855 |
| Dissolved | 1932 |
| Superseding agency | |
| Jurisdiction | New South Wales |
| Headquarters | Sydney |
| Minister responsible | |
The New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR) was the agency of the Government of New South Wales that administered rail transport in New South Wales, Australia, between 1855 and 1932.
The NSWGR built its entire route network in normal gauge. Its first line, also the first railway of New South Wales, was the railway line from Sydney to Parramatta (today: Granville railway station) in 1855.
The agency was managed by a range of different commission structures between 1857 and 1932, which reported to either the Minister for Public Works or the Minister for Transport.
The inaugural Chief Commissioner was Ben Martindale [1] and, following the enactment of the Government Railway Act, 1858 (NSW) he became Commissioner of Railways. John Rae succeeded Martindale in 1861, [2] and in 1877 Charles Goodchap was appointed Commissioner. The Government Railway Act, 1888 (NSW) set up a corporate body of three railway commissioners to manage the railways and remove them from political influence, resulting in the resignation of Goodchap. [3]
This Board of Railway Commissioners of New South Wales was in place from 22 October 1888 to 4 April 1907, and was replaced by a sole Chief Commissioner of Railways and Tramways until 22 March 1932, when a panel arrangement was restored for a period of nine months, with the Transport Commissioners of New South Wales. On 29 December 1932, the Department of Railways New South Wales was established and Thomas Joseph Hartigan was appointed Commissioner for Railways replacing the functions of the Chief Transport Commissioner. [4] The Department of Railways New South Wales become the official name of the railway and was used on most documentation (drawings & other paperwork), the NSWGR title was still used periodically on public documentation such as advertising and timetables. This continued until the creation of the Public Transport Commission on 20 October 1972. The last Commissioner for Railways was Neil McCusker.
| # | Chief Commissioner | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tom Richard Johnson | 4 April 1907 – 3 April 1914 | [5] |
| 2 | John Harper | 4 April 1914 – 31 December 1916 [lower-alpha 1] | [7] [8] [9] |
| 3 | James Fraser | 1 January 1917 – 30 November 1929 | [10] [11] |
| 4 | William James Cleary | 1 December 1929 – 22 March 1932 | [12] [13] [14] [15] |
| # | Chief Commissioner | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Joachim Goode | 22 March 1932 – 3 August 1932 | [16] [17] |
| 2 | William James Cleary | 3 August 1932 – 29 December 1932 | [18] [19] |
| Succeeded by Commissioner for Railways. | |||
The agency was succeeded by the Department of Railways on 1 January 1915; and then following the enactment of the Public Transport Commission Act, 1972 (NSW), the Public Transport Commission was formed; later to become the State Rail Authority on 1 July 1980. [20] Further restructures in 1996, 2001 and 2003 resulted in the establishment of the RailCorp, the agency currently responsible for the Sydney suburban and interurban rail network and rural passenger services, and for providing government and commercial freight operators with access to the rails of the Sydney metropolitan area. On 1 July 2013, the operational responsibilities of RailCorp were transferred to NSW TrainLink and Sydney Trains. [21] [22]
The agency built all of their track to the 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge and ran its first official passenger train on 26 September 1855, between the Sydney terminal (just south of the current Central) and Parramatta junction (just past Granville) railway stations.
The agency was also a significant electricity generator. It operated several power stations, notably at Ultimo, White Bay, Lithgow, and Zaara Street, Newcastle, until its generation and transmission assets were taken over by the Electricity Commission of New South Wales, on 1 January 1953. [23]
In 1936, the company owned 1187 locomotives, 457 railcars, 1445 coaches, 172 brake vans and 22,068 goods wagons. [24]
Media related to New South Wales Government Railways at Wikimedia Commons
David Robert Hall was a politician and lawyer in New South Wales, Australia. He came from a political family which included Maggie Hall and he went to leading positions including Attorney General of New South Wales.
The state of New South Wales is divided into three divisions: the Eastern Division, the Central Division, and the Western Division. These were established for the purposes of the management of the lease of Crown land to private persons. The Western Division includes Broken Hill, Bourke, Cobar, Cockburn, Walgett, Wentworth as well as the western land boards of Forbes, Griffith, Rankins Springs, West Wyalong, White Cliffs, Wyalong, Conargo, Hay and Parkes.
Eric Sydney Spooner was an Australian politician.
John Fletcher Hargrave was a British-born Australian politician and judge.
Cranbrook is a large house built at Rose Bay in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Built in 1859 as a private residence, the house was used as an official residence for the Governor of New South Wales and Governor-General of Australia, it is now part of Cranbrook School.
Joseph Michael Leary, was an Australian politician and solicitor, serving as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.
The third Dibbs ministry, the 27th ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, was led by Sir George Dibbs, leader of the Protectionist Party, following the 1891 New South Wales election, which saw the Labour Party win seats in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and the balance of power. With no party having a majority, Sir Henry Parkes held on as Premier until October 1891 when he lost a vote in the Legislative Assembly, causing Parkes to resign as Premier and leader of the Free Trade Party. Dibbs formed the ministry on 23 October 1891, with Labour support, and comprised 10 ministers.
Thomas Garrett was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, newspaper proprietor and land agent.
The Department of Railways New South Wales was the agency of the Government of New South Wales that administered rail transport in New South Wales, Australia between 1932 and 1972.
Sir Robert Wisdom, was a politician in colonial New South Wales and Attorney General of New South Wales.
The Agent-General for New South Wales is the representative of the State of New South Wales in the United Kingdom who is responsible for the promotion of New South Wales' trade and economic interests in the United Kingdom, Europe and Israel. The holder is a state government public servant, as part of the Investment NSW agency, and also concurrently serves as New South Wales' Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner for Europe and Israel.
Alexander Kethel was a Scottish-born Australian politician and timber merchant.
Charles Kemp was an English-born Australian politician.
Solicitor General for New South Wales, known informally as the Solicitor General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Attorney General. They can exercise the powers of the Attorney General in the Attorney General's absence. The Solicitor General acts alongside the Crown Advocate, and Crown Solicitor, and serves as one of the legal and constitutional advisers of the Crown and its government in the Australian state of New South Wales.
Charles Gilbert Heydon was an Australian politician and judge.
Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council who served from 1856 to 1861 were appointed for a fixed term by the Governor on the advice of the Premier. The 1855 Constitution of New South Wales provided that the first council following self-government was for a period of 5 years from the first appointments, but that subsequent members would be appointed for life. The first appointments were on 13 May 1856 so that the first term lapsed on 13 May 1861. The number of members of the council had to be at least 21 and subsequent appointments also lapsed on 13 May 1861. The President was Sir Alfred Stephen until 28 January 1857, John Plunkett until 6 February 1858 and then Sir William Burton.
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Parramatta on 10 April 1861 caused by the resignation of sitting member James Byrnes. At the election in December 1860 he gained second place behind a newcomer John Lackey. While still successful, Byrnes took offence at being placed second, stating that the majority of voters had decided that he was not fit to serve them and resigned in March 1861 without taking his seat.
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Orange on 4 March 1879. It was triggered because the Elections and Qualifications Committee held that Edward Combes position of Executive Commissioner for New South Wales at the Paris International Exhibition was an office of profit under the crown and his seat was declared vacant.
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of West Sydney on 8 January 1863 because William Windeyer resigned. Windeyer was a member of the victorious NSW rifle team which had traveled to Melbourne for a rifle match. They were returning to Sydney on the City of Sydney, an iron steamship, when it struck rocks and sank at Green Cape. While all passengers and crew survived, the Australian Dictionary of Biography states it affected Windeyer's mental and physical health which led to his resignation. Windeyer's letter to the electors of West Sydney refers to the successful passage of the Lands Act, the abolition of state aid to religion, and the pursuit of his profession as a barrister.