Picton–Mittagong loop railway line: Difference between revisions
Fleet Lists (talk | contribs) →Coach route: Add reference and update trip information |
JarrahTree (talk | contribs) Changing short description from "Railway line in Australia" to "Railway line in New South Wales, Australia" |
||
(18 intermediate revisions by 15 users not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|Railway line in New South Wales, Australia}} |
|||
{{Use dmy dates|date= |
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} |
||
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2012}} |
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2012}} |
||
Line 13: | Line 14: | ||
| map = {{maplink|type=line}} |
| map = {{maplink|type=line}} |
||
}} |
}} |
||
{{routemap |
|||
⚫ | |||
{| {{Railway line header}} |
|||
|map = |
|||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
{{BS-table}} |
|||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
STR |
|||
⚫ | |||
STR |
|||
BHF~~[[Thirlmere railway station, New South Wales|Thirlmere]] |
|||
{{BS|STR|}} |
|||
eHST~~[[Couridjah railway station, New South Wales|Couridjah]] |
|||
HST~~[[Buxton railway station, New South Wales|Buxton]] |
|||
exHST~~[[Balmoral railway station, New South Wales|Balmoral]] |
|||
exHST~~[[Hill Top railway station, New South Wales|Hill Top]] |
|||
exHST~~[[Colo Vale railway station, New South Wales|Colo Vale]] |
|||
exHST~~[[Braemar railway station, New South Wales|Braemar]] |
|||
⚫ | |||
{{BS|exHST||[[Braemar, New South Wales|Braemar]]}} |
|||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
|} |
|||
The '''Picton–Mittagong Loop Line''' is a partly disused railway line between the towns of [[Picton, New South Wales|Picton]] and [[Mittagong, New South Wales|Mittagong]] in the [[Southern Highlands (New South Wales)|Southern Highlands]] of [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]]. |
The '''Picton–Mittagong Loop Line''' is a partly disused railway line between the towns of [[Picton, New South Wales|Picton]] and [[Mittagong, New South Wales|Mittagong]] in the [[Southern Highlands (New South Wales)|Southern Highlands]] of [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]]. |
||
==History== |
==History== |
||
The Picton–Mittagong line was opened in February 1867 as part of the [[Main Southern railway line, New South Wales|Main South line]].<ref name=WABayley>{{cite book|last=Bayley|first=William A|title=Picton-Mittagong Loop Line Railway|year=197x|publisher=Austrail Publications|location=Bulli|isbn=0-909597-14-6}}</ref><ref>Singleton, C.C. ''Centenary of the opening of the Southern Line to Mittagong'', ''Bulletin'' (Australian Railway Historical Society) March 1967 pp. |
The Picton–Mittagong line was opened in February 1867 as part of the [[Main Southern railway line, New South Wales|Main South line]].<ref name=WABayley>{{cite book|last=Bayley|first=William A|title=Picton-Mittagong Loop Line Railway|year=197x|publisher=Austrail Publications|location=Bulli|isbn=0-909597-14-6}}</ref><ref>Singleton, C.C. ''Centenary of the opening of the Southern Line to Mittagong'', ''Bulletin'' (Australian Railway Historical Society) March 1967 pp. 49–68</ref> |
||
The line ran north-northwest from [[Picton railway station, New South Wales|Picton]], over the Picton Viaduct, across the Great South Road before heading northwest. It then headed west-northwest through a 180 |
The line ran north-northwest from [[Picton railway station, New South Wales|Picton]], over the Picton Viaduct, across the Great South Road before heading northwest. It then headed west-northwest through a {{Convert|180|m|adj=on}} tunnel in the Redbank Range. |
||
Stations were constructed at [[Thirlmere railway station, New South Wales|Redbank]] (1885), [[Couridjah railway station, New South Wales|Couridjah]] (1867), [[Buxton railway station, New South Wales|Buxton]] (1893), |
Stations were constructed at [[Thirlmere railway station, New South Wales|Redbank]] (1885), [[Couridjah railway station, New South Wales|Couridjah]] (1867), [[Buxton railway station, New South Wales|Buxton]] (1893), |
||
[[Balmoral railway station, New South Wales|Balmoral]] (1878), [[Hill Top railway station, New South Wales|Hill Top]] (1878), [[Colo Vale railway station, New South Wales|Colo Vale]] (1883) and [[Braemar, New South Wales|Braemar]] (1867). There were a number of smaller stops, sidings and passing loops along the line, as well. North of Hill Top, the cutting through Big Hill was for many years the deepest in Australia. |
[[Balmoral railway station, New South Wales|Balmoral]] (1878), [[Hill Top railway station, New South Wales|Hill Top]] (1878), [[Colo Vale railway station, New South Wales|Colo Vale]] (1883) and [[Braemar, New South Wales|Braemar]] (1867). There were a number of smaller stops, sidings and passing loops along the line, as well. North of Hill Top, the cutting through Big Hill was for many years the deepest in Australia. The rock-cut inscription dated 1863, commemorating the deaths of two men in an explosion during the excavation of the cutting, north of Hill Top, is considered one of the oldest in Australia. |
||
To service the line, Picton became a busy station with a locomotive depot for [[bank engine]]s, dormitories for train crews, and goods sidings.<ref>Bayley, William A 1975. ''Picton-Mittagong Main Line Railway |
To service the line, Picton became a busy station with a locomotive depot for [[bank engine]]s, dormitories for train crews, and goods sidings.<ref>Bayley, William A 1975. ''Picton-Mittagong Main Line Railway''. Bulli: Austrail. {{ISBN|0-909597-15-4}}</ref><ref>Wright, Harry. "Picton Locomotive Depot and the Picton-Mittagong Loop Line", ''Roundhouse'' Vol. 41, No. 2, April 2004. pp. 5–15</ref> |
||
The line, while gently curved, had gradients as steep as 1 in 30. It was also a single-track line, and even though deviations were constructed between Hill Top and Colo Vale to ease grades, these factors combined to create a bottleneck, as rail traffic increased. In July 1919 a new double track alignment with ruling 1 in 75 grades between Picton and Mittagong via [[Bargo, New South Wales|Bargo]] opened. The original proposal was for the line to be shifted considerably further eastwards from [[Appin, New South Wales|Appin]] to [[Bargo, New South Wales|Bargo]] avoiding Picton. This was strongly opposed in Parliament by Picton local interests, hence the 180° curve that |
The line, while gently curved, had gradients as steep as 1 in 30. It was also a single-track line, and even though deviations were constructed between Hill Top and Colo Vale to ease grades, these factors combined to create a bottleneck, as rail traffic increased. In July 1919 a new double track alignment with ruling 1 in 75 grades between Picton and Mittagong via [[Bargo, New South Wales|Bargo]] opened. The original proposal was for the line to be shifted considerably further eastwards from [[Appin, New South Wales|Appin]] to [[Bargo, New South Wales|Bargo]] avoiding Picton. This was strongly opposed in Parliament by Picton local interests, hence the 180° curve that circumnavigates the town.<ref name=WABayley/> The old line, now renamed the Loop Line, continued to be served by passenger services until August 1978. Most services were operated by [[New South Wales 30 class locomotive|30 class]] locomotives and later [[CPH railmotor]]s, although there was a Sunday evening service to Sydney hauled by main line locomotives as recently as 1973. |
||
From the 1960s the line was popular with steam hauled specials, and was the preferred route for most journeys where they could operate without inhibiting regular services. |
From the 1960s the line was popular with steam hauled specials, and was the preferred route for most journeys where they could operate without inhibiting regular services. |
||
Following it relocating to Thirlmere, in June 1976 the [[New South Wales Rail Transport Museum]] commenced operating steam services on the line between Picton and Buxton.<ref name=RoundhouseJul76>"Museum on the Move" ''Roundhouse'' July 1976 page 5</ref><ref name=RoundhouseJan94>"The New South Wales Rail Transport Museum The First Thirty Years" ''Roundhouse'' January 1994 page 4</ref> |
Following it relocating to [[Thirlmere railway station, New South Wales|Thirlmere]], in June 1976 the [[New South Wales Rail Transport Museum]] (NSW Rail Museum) commenced operating steam services on the line between Picton and Buxton.<ref name=RoundhouseJul76>"Museum on the Move" ''Roundhouse'' July 1976 page 5</ref><ref name=RoundhouseJan94>"The New South Wales Rail Transport Museum The First Thirty Years" ''Roundhouse'' January 1994 page 4</ref> |
||
The line remained open throughout, although by the 1980s the Buxton to Braemar section saw little use. [[CPH railmotor]] CPH22 ran a trip to Braemar and three shuttles between Braemar and Hilltop on 31 May 1987,<ref>"CPH 22 Back in Service" ''Railway Digest'' August 1987 page 260</ref> before a trestle bridge between Colo Vale and Braemar suffered flood damage, resulting in the line being divided into two separate branches in September 1987.<ref>"Picton-Mittagong Loop Line" ''Railway Digest'' November 1987 page 366</ref> |
The line remained open throughout, although by the 1980s the Buxton to Braemar section saw little use. [[CPH railmotor]] CPH22 ran a trip to Braemar and three shuttles between Braemar and Hilltop on 31 May 1987,<ref>"CPH 22 Back in Service" ''Railway Digest'' August 1987 page 260</ref> before a trestle bridge between Colo Vale and Braemar suffered flood damage, resulting in the line being divided into two separate branches in September 1987.<ref>"Picton-Mittagong Loop Line" ''Railway Digest'' November 1987 page 366</ref> |
||
Line 55: | Line 54: | ||
The Mittagong Junction to Braemar section remains open to give access to the [[Bradken]] rolling stock and Rocla concrete sleeper facilities. |
The Mittagong Junction to Braemar section remains open to give access to the [[Bradken]] rolling stock and Rocla concrete sleeper facilities. |
||
On 1 March 2019, the NSW Government promised to fund the re-opening of the Picton Loop Line between Buxton and Colo Vale. The grant will also fund the construction of new platforms at Picton, Hill Top and Balmoral.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dsf.newscorpaustralia.com/dailytelegraph/subscription/|title=Dailytelegraph.com.au | Subscribe to The Daily Telegraph|website=Dsf.newscorpaustralia.com|access-date=25 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nealon |first=Kelly |date=20 September 2020 |title=Wollondilly rail upgrade gathers steam |url=https://insidelocalgovernment.com.au/wollondilly-rail-upgrade-gathers-steam/ |access-date=3 June 2023 |website=Inside Local Government |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Loop Line Upgrade Project |url=https://www.thnsw.com.au/loop-line |access-date=3 June 2023 |website=THNSW |language=en}}</ref> |
|||
===Coach route=== |
===Coach route=== |
||
Line 70: | Line 71: | ||
==Gallery== |
==Gallery== |
||
<gallery caption="Existing features and infrastructure" widths="200px" heights="100px" perrow="4"> |
<gallery caption="Existing features and infrastructure" widths="200px" heights="100px" perrow="4" class="center"> |
||
File:Picton Loop Line Turnout.jpg| |
File:Picton Loop Line Turnout.jpg| Approach to Picton station with loop line on the left |
||
File:Picton Viaduct 2010.jpg| |
File:Picton Viaduct 2010.jpg| Viaduct over Stonequarry Creek, Picton |
||
File:Picton NSW Tollgate Lodge.jpg| |
File:Picton NSW Tollgate Lodge.jpg| Gatekeeper's cottage, Picton |
||
File:Picton Mushroom Tunnel.jpg| |
File:Picton Mushroom Tunnel.jpg| Tunnel through Redbank Range |
||
File:Picton Loop and Main Lines.jpg| |
File:Picton Loop and Main Lines.jpg| Looking north with Loop Line on left 1919 deviation on right |
||
File:Picton Mittagong Loop Line.jpg| |
File:Picton Mittagong Loop Line.jpg| Redbank, between Picton and Thirlmere |
||
File:Thirlmere Culvert Near Redb.jpg| |
File:Thirlmere Culvert Near Redb.jpg| Culvert near Redbank |
||
File:Thirlmere NSW Railway Station.jpg| |
File:Thirlmere NSW Railway Station.jpg| Thirlmere station |
||
File:Couridjah_station_NSW.jpg| |
File:Couridjah_station_NSW.jpg| Couridjah station |
||
File:Pumphouse Thirlmere Lakes NSW.jpg| |
File:Pumphouse Thirlmere Lakes NSW.jpg| Former pumphouse near Couridjah station |
||
File:Standpipes Couridjah Station.jpg| |
File:Standpipes Couridjah Station.jpg| Standpipes near Couridjah station |
||
File:Buxton Railway Station.jpg| |
File:Buxton Railway Station.jpg| Buxton station |
||
File:Buxton Station Locomotive.jpg| |
File:Buxton Station Locomotive.jpg| NSWRTM's 2705 at Buxton station |
||
File:Balmoral Abandoned Railway.jpg| |
File:Balmoral Abandoned Railway.jpg| Balmoral station |
||
File:Loop Line Big Hill Cutting.jpg| |
File:Loop Line Big Hill Cutting.jpg| Big Hill cutting north of Hill Top |
||
File:Hill Top Big Hill Monument.jpg| |
File:Hill Top Big Hill Monument.jpg| Monument to Human Endeavour near Big Hill cutting |
||
File:Survey Peg Loop Line.jpg| |
File:Survey Peg Loop Line.jpg| Survey peg, in Big Hill cutting |
||
File:Loop Line Explosion Memorial.jpg| |
File:Loop Line Explosion Memorial.jpg| Inscription commemorating deaths of workers from explosion, 1863 |
||
File: Hill Top Station Platform.jpg| |
File: Hill Top Station Platform.jpg| Hill Top station |
||
File:Loop Line Colo Vale Turnout.jpg| |
File:Loop Line Colo Vale Turnout.jpg| Passing loop points, Colo Vale station |
||
File:Colo Vale Railway Station.jpg| |
File:Colo Vale Railway Station.jpg| Colo Vale station |
||
File:Colo Vale Bridge Over Loop Line.jpg| |
File:Colo Vale Bridge Over Loop Line.jpg| Colo Vale Road underbridge |
||
File:Braemar Yards Loop Line.jpg| |
File:Braemar Yards Loop Line.jpg| Braemar industrial area sidings |
||
File:Loop Line Mittagong.jpg| |
File:Loop Line Mittagong.jpg| North of Mittagong looking south with 1919 deviation on left, Loop Line on right |
||
</gallery> |
</gallery> |
||
==References== |
==References== |
||
{{ |
{{reflist}} |
||
==External links== |
|||
* [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-22/picton-to-mittagong-return-of-the-age-of-steam/8781430 Return of steam trains on reclaimed rail trail] 2021 ABC News article about proposed combined rail trail and steam train operations. |
|||
{{Railway lines in New South Wales}} |
{{Railway lines in New South Wales}} |
Latest revision as of 11:21, 5 July 2023
Picton–Mittagong Loop Line | |||
---|---|---|---|
Overview | |||
Status | Heritage operation; partially disused | ||
Locale | Southern Highlands | ||
Stations | 9 | ||
Service | |||
Operator(s) | Transport Heritage NSW | ||
History | |||
Opened | February 1867 | ||
|
Picton Loop Line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
The Picton–Mittagong Loop Line is a partly disused railway line between the towns of Picton and Mittagong in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia.
History[edit]
The Picton–Mittagong line was opened in February 1867 as part of the Main South line.[1][2]
The line ran north-northwest from Picton, over the Picton Viaduct, across the Great South Road before heading northwest. It then headed west-northwest through a 180-metre (590 ft) tunnel in the Redbank Range.
Stations were constructed at Redbank (1885), Couridjah (1867), Buxton (1893), Balmoral (1878), Hill Top (1878), Colo Vale (1883) and Braemar (1867). There were a number of smaller stops, sidings and passing loops along the line, as well. North of Hill Top, the cutting through Big Hill was for many years the deepest in Australia. The rock-cut inscription dated 1863, commemorating the deaths of two men in an explosion during the excavation of the cutting, north of Hill Top, is considered one of the oldest in Australia.
To service the line, Picton became a busy station with a locomotive depot for bank engines, dormitories for train crews, and goods sidings.[3][4]
The line, while gently curved, had gradients as steep as 1 in 30. It was also a single-track line, and even though deviations were constructed between Hill Top and Colo Vale to ease grades, these factors combined to create a bottleneck, as rail traffic increased. In July 1919 a new double track alignment with ruling 1 in 75 grades between Picton and Mittagong via Bargo opened. The original proposal was for the line to be shifted considerably further eastwards from Appin to Bargo avoiding Picton. This was strongly opposed in Parliament by Picton local interests, hence the 180° curve that circumnavigates the town.[1] The old line, now renamed the Loop Line, continued to be served by passenger services until August 1978. Most services were operated by 30 class locomotives and later CPH railmotors, although there was a Sunday evening service to Sydney hauled by main line locomotives as recently as 1973.
From the 1960s the line was popular with steam hauled specials, and was the preferred route for most journeys where they could operate without inhibiting regular services.
Following it relocating to Thirlmere, in June 1976 the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum (NSW Rail Museum) commenced operating steam services on the line between Picton and Buxton.[5][6]
The line remained open throughout, although by the 1980s the Buxton to Braemar section saw little use. CPH railmotor CPH22 ran a trip to Braemar and three shuttles between Braemar and Hilltop on 31 May 1987,[7] before a trestle bridge between Colo Vale and Braemar suffered flood damage, resulting in the line being divided into two separate branches in September 1987.[8]
Following the Department for Transport calling for expressions of interest for using a number of disused lines, the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum was granted a lease over the Picton to Buxton section in 1993.[9]
The Mittagong Junction to Braemar section remains open to give access to the Bradken rolling stock and Rocla concrete sleeper facilities.
On 1 March 2019, the NSW Government promised to fund the re-opening of the Picton Loop Line between Buxton and Colo Vale. The grant will also fund the construction of new platforms at Picton, Hill Top and Balmoral.[10][11][12]
Coach route[edit]
NSW TrainLink operates buses in lieu of the former rail service. Six services are provided under contract by Berrima Buslines from Bowral and seven from Picton on weekdays only with stops at:[13]
- Picton station
- Barbour Road, Thirlmere
- West Parade, Couridjah
- West Parade, Buxton
- Wilson Drive, Balmoral
- Wilson Drive, Hill Top
- Wilson Drive & Church Avenue, Colo Vale
- Mittagong station
- Bowral station
Gallery[edit]
- Existing features and infrastructure
-
Approach to Picton station with loop line on the left
-
Viaduct over Stonequarry Creek, Picton
-
Gatekeeper's cottage, Picton
-
Tunnel through Redbank Range
-
Looking north with Loop Line on left 1919 deviation on right
-
Redbank, between Picton and Thirlmere
-
Culvert near Redbank
-
Thirlmere station
-
Couridjah station
-
Former pumphouse near Couridjah station
-
Standpipes near Couridjah station
-
Buxton station
-
NSWRTM's 2705 at Buxton station
-
Balmoral station
-
Big Hill cutting north of Hill Top
-
Monument to Human Endeavour near Big Hill cutting
-
Survey peg, in Big Hill cutting
-
Inscription commemorating deaths of workers from explosion, 1863
-
Hill Top station
-
Passing loop points, Colo Vale station
-
Colo Vale station
-
Colo Vale Road underbridge
-
Braemar industrial area sidings
-
North of Mittagong looking south with 1919 deviation on left, Loop Line on right
References[edit]
- ^ a b Bayley, William A (197x). Picton-Mittagong Loop Line Railway. Bulli: Austrail Publications. ISBN 0-909597-14-6.
- ^ Singleton, C.C. Centenary of the opening of the Southern Line to Mittagong, Bulletin (Australian Railway Historical Society) March 1967 pp. 49–68
- ^ Bayley, William A 1975. Picton-Mittagong Main Line Railway. Bulli: Austrail. ISBN 0-909597-15-4
- ^ Wright, Harry. "Picton Locomotive Depot and the Picton-Mittagong Loop Line", Roundhouse Vol. 41, No. 2, April 2004. pp. 5–15
- ^ "Museum on the Move" Roundhouse July 1976 page 5
- ^ "The New South Wales Rail Transport Museum The First Thirty Years" Roundhouse January 1994 page 4
- ^ "CPH 22 Back in Service" Railway Digest August 1987 page 260
- ^ "Picton-Mittagong Loop Line" Railway Digest November 1987 page 366
- ^ "Rail Transport Museum Set to Lease Loop Line" Railway Digest August 1993 page 316
- ^ "Dailytelegraph.com.au | Subscribe to The Daily Telegraph". Dsf.newscorpaustralia.com. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
- ^ Nealon, Kelly (20 September 2020). "Wollondilly rail upgrade gathers steam". Inside Local Government. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ "Loop Line Upgrade Project". THNSW. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ "Loop service timetable". Transport for NSW.
External links[edit]
- Return of steam trains on reclaimed rail trail 2021 ABC News article about proposed combined rail trail and steam train operations.