Riverton railway station

Last updated

Riverton
Former Australian National regional rail
Riverton Railway Station(GN12700).jpg
Riverton railway station (circa 1929)
General information
LocationHannaford Avenue, Riverton, South Australia
Coordinates 34°09′31″S138°44′58″E / 34.15870337710053°S 138.74958000545595°E / -34.15870337710053; 138.74958000545595
Owned by South Australian Railways 1860 - 1978 Australian National 1978 - 1997 One Rail Australia 1997-2022 Aurizon 2022-present
Operated by South Australian Railways 1860 - 1978 Australian National 1978 - 1986
Line(s) Roseworthy-Peterborough line
Distance102 kilometres from Adelaide
Platforms2
Tracks2
Construction
Structure typeGround
Other information
StatusClosed
History
Opened21 February 1870
ClosedDecember 1986
Services
Preceding station Aurizon Following station
Tarlee
towards Adelaide
Roseworthy-Peterborough railway line Saddleworth
towards Peterborough

Riverton railway station was located at the junction of the Roseworthy-Peterborough railway line and the Spalding railway line in South Australia.

Contents

History

Riverton railway station opened on 21 February 1870 when the Roseworthy-Forresters railway line was extended to the towns of Manoora and Burra. [1] It became a junction station on 5 July 1918 with the opening of the branch line to Clare (later extended to Spalding in 1922). Both lines were constructed as 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge.[ citation needed ]

Shooting

A shooting occurred at the station on 22 March 1921, when Russian gunman Koorman Tomayoff departed the Broken Hill Express at Riverton and fired at several people, killing 2. [2] It became the first political assassination in Australia as one of the deaths was New South Wales politician Percy Brookfield, who had attempted to subdue the gunman before being shot. [3] Tomyaoff only expressed remorse for shooting Brookfield and no one else who was shot, but he later allegedly claimed that he was paid to kill Brookfield. [4] [5] [6] Tomayoff was later declared insane and so he was never prosecuted, his motives for the shooting remaining unclear. [7] [8]

Closure

Regular passenger services on the Spalding line was replaced by a co-ordinated bus service on 24 May 1954. In 1978, the station and all associated infrastructure was included in the transfer of South Australian Railways to Australian National. Riverton ceased to be a junction station with the closure of the Spalding line in 1984. Regular passenger services on the Peterborough line ceased in December 1986. Some special train tours used the station up until 2004. In 1997, the station and railway line were included in the transfer of Australian National's freight assets to Australian Southern Railroad (later known as One Rail Australia.) Bulk grain trains last used the line in October 2005.[ citation needed ]

Present day

In 1981, the station was complex was found to have state heritage significance, and was subsequently placed on the SA State Heritage Register in 1987. [9] [10] The complex is now privately owned, and the station building is a private residence. [11] During the 1990s some Redhen railcars were moved to the station complex and were used as accommodation. Most of the railcars have been scrapped, but a few have been retained as a wine tasting venue. [12]

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References

  1. ↑ "Roseworthy and Forresters railway". South Australian Chronicle and Weekly Mail. 3 July 1869 – via Trove.
  2. ↑ "Tragedy at Riverton". Singleton Argus . New South Wales, Australia. 24 March 1921. p. 3. Retrieved 24 August 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  3. ↑ "RIVERTON SHOOTING CASE". Barrier Miner . New South Wales, Australia. 27 July 1921. p. 1. Retrieved 24 August 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  4. ↑ "TOMAYOFF BEFORE COURT". Barrier Miner . New South Wales, Australia. 22 March 1921. p. 4. Retrieved 24 August 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ Keane, Daniel (20 March 2021). "Australia's first political assassination is just as mysterious today as it was a century ago". ABC News. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  6. ↑ The Riverton shooting 11 April 1921
  7. ↑ Adams, Paul Roberts. "The Life and Death of Percival Stanley 'Jack' Brookfield". Australian Society for the Study of Labour History. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  8. ↑ "Tomayoff Declared Insane". Young Witness . New South Wales, Australia. 7 May 1921. p. 4 (LATEST EDITION). Retrieved 24 August 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  9. ↑ "Riverton Railway Station". The South Australia Heritage Places database. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  10. ↑ "HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE LOWER NORTH" (PDF). Enviro Data SA. District Council of Riverton. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  11. ↑ "Caravan Correspondent". Historical Riverton SA. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  12. ↑ "RIVERTON STATION". BLACK STUMP WINES AU. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
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