The Northern Railway has had a number of meanings in Western Australian railway history.
Opening in 1879 the Northern Line originated as a service between Geraldton port and mines at Northampton. It later extended to Ajana.
It was the first government built railway in Western Australia; other lines had been built prior to this date, but they were privately built. The Northampton line was serviced by two Fairlie double ended steam engines (which were some of the few to run in Australia) and two Kitson engines. The Northampton line was closed in 1957.
In 1886 the government of Western Australia contracted West Australian Midland Land and Railway Syndicate to build the Midland Railway of Western Australia line between Guildford and Walkaway. The contract was authorised under the Guildford–Greenough Flats (Walkaway) Railway Act of 1886, and included a grant of Crown land in return for construction. From Walkaway to Geraldton there was no Crown land available to grant and the government employed Edward V. H. Keane to construct this section for them completing the link from Perth to Northampton line, which opened 1 July 1887.
Built by the Western Australian Government Railways during the 1890–1900 the Northern Railway provided for passenger and freight services from Perth into the Murchison Goldfields.
There was a branch line from Cue to the mining town of Big Bell. After the completion of the line to Cue work commenced on the line to Nannine, it was not until 1909 that the line was extended from Nannine to Meekatharra and for a while to Wiluna.
During the 1970s passenger services were terminated at Mullewa with services to places further along the line being replaced by road coach, while the overnight passenger service "The Mullewa" ceased altogether 1974.
During the pre-construction stages the Joondalup line was referred to as the Northern line or Northern suburbs line. [1] The line was renamed the Yanchep line on 14 July 2024. [2]
The Annual Report for the Western Australian Government Railways in 1948 shows the subdivisions of the Northern Railway as:
Transwa is Western Australia's regional public transport provider, linking 240 destinations, from Kalbarri in the north to Augusta in the south west to Esperance in the south east.
Meekatharra is a town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. Meekatharra is a Yamatji word meaning "place of little water". At the 2016 census, Meekatharra had a population of 708, with 34.0% being of Aboriginal descent.
Walkaway is a small town in the City of Greater Geraldton local government area of Western Australia. At the 2016 census, Walkaway had a population of 270.
Mullewa is a town in the Mid West region of Western Australia, 450 kilometres (280 mi) north of Perth and 98 kilometres (61 mi) east-northeast of Geraldton. Mullewa is well known for its abundance of wildflowers in the spring and is one of the few places in Western Australia the wreath flower grows in. The surrounding areas produce wheat and other cereal crops. The town is a receival site for Cooperative Bulk Handling.
Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) was the state owned operator of railways in the state of Western Australia between October 1890 and June 2003. Owned by the state government, it was renamed a number of times to reflect extra responsibility for tram and ferry operations that it assumed and later relinquished. Westrail was the trading name of the WAGR from September 1975 until December 2000, when the WAGR's freight division and the Westrail brand were privatised. Its freight operations were privatised in December 2000, with all remaining passenger operations transferred to the Public Transport Authority in July 2003.
The Midland Railway of Western Australia (MRWA) was a railway company that built and operated the Midland line in Western Australia. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange. Although having its headquarters in London, it had no association with the English Midland Railway.
Nannine is a ghost town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. It is located on the northern bank of Lake Anneen, approximately 35 kilometres (22 mi) south-southwest of Meekatharra, and 735 kilometres (457 mi) north-northeast of Perth.
Railways in Western Australia were developed in the 19th century both by the Government of Western Australia and a number of private companies. Today passenger rail services are controlled by the Public Transport Authority through Transperth, which operates public transport in Perth, and Transwa, which operates country passenger services. Journey Beyond operates the Indian Pacific.
The Mullewa was an overnight passenger train operated by the Western Australian Government Railways between Perth and Mullewa in the Mid West Region via the Eastern and Northern lines.
Railways in Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, have existed since 1881, when the Eastern Railway was opened between Fremantle and Guildford. Today, Perth has seven Transperth suburban rail lines and 79 stations.
The Mullewa–Meekatharra railway was a section of the Northern Railway in Western Australia.
The Meekatharra to Wiluna railway was a 113-mile (182 km) branch line of the Western Australian Government Railways that extended the Mullewa – Meekatharra railway from Meekatharra to Wiluna. Wiluna was the furthest rail terminus from Perth on the Western Australian Government Railways system. Paroo was the highest station, at 1,916 feet (584 m) above sea level; the highest point on the Western Australian railway network, west of Paroo, was 2,134 feet (650 m).
The Northampton railway line, also referred to as the Geraldton to Ajana railway line, ran from Geraldton through Northampton and on to Ajana in Western Australia. It operated between 1879 and 1957. It was the first government railway constructed in Western Australia.
Western Australian Government Railways railway system during its peak operational time in the 1930s to 1950s was a large system of over 6,400 kilometres (4,000 mi) of railway line.
The Northern Times was a newspaper published in Carnarvon, Western Australia from 1905–1983.
Main Roads Western Australia controls the major roads in the state's Mid West region. There are four main highways through the Mid West: The north-south coastal route of Brand Highway and North West Coastal Highway, the inland alternative Great Northern Highway, and the northern section of Goldfields Highway, which links Meekatharra with Kalgoorlie. A network of main roads connects towns within the Mid West to each other, the highways, and neighbouring regions, with local roads providing additional links and access to smaller townsites. Roads are often named after the towns they connect.
The WAGR ADE class was a six member class of diesel railcars operated by the Western Australian Government Railways between 1937 and 1962.
The Midland railway line historically ran from Midland Junction to Walkaway in Western Australia. Built by the Midland Railway of Western Australia, the 446 kilometre line opened in November 1894.
The Upper Chapman Valley railway line was a 61-kilometre (38 mi) long state government-owned and WAGR-operated railway line in the Mid West region of Western Australia, connecting Wokarina, a siding on the Northampton railway line at Glenfield, to Yuna.
The Geraldton to Mullewa railway line is a 107-kilometre (66 mi) long railway line in the Mid West region of Western Australia, connecting Geraldton and Mullewa.