Crookwell railway line, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
The Crookwell railway line is a disused branch railway line in the south of New South Wales
, Australia
. It has never officially been closed. It branched from the Main South line
at North Goulburn
and passed north through the localities of Kenmore and Roslyn to the town of Crookwell
.
The major engineering feature was a heavy (and expensive) steel lattice bridge over the Wollondilly River to the north of Goulburn. The line then passed through rolling hills to the town of Crookwell, and was opened in 1902. A platform was provided at Argyle, near the Goulburn Training Centre (now the Goulburn Correctional Centre), and stations were built at Kenmore, Norwood, The Forest, Woodhouselee, Roslyn, McAlister and Crookwell, with sidings at each of these locations. Several intermediate sidings were provided for stock loading and similar activities.
connected, opening on 23 February 1926 and closing on 1 May 1957. Whilst initially the line saw a six-days-a-week service, by the time of its demise it saw trains on Wednesdays only.
The station buildings were of concrete, similar to other stations constructed in that period. The line has been lifted and little remains of the formation. Part of the original alignment remains but has been turned into a road.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It has never officially been closed. It branched from the Main South line
Main Southern railway line, New South Wales
The Main Southern Railway is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Southern Highlands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes and the Riverina regions.- Description of route :...
at North Goulburn
Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people...
and passed north through the localities of Kenmore and Roslyn to the town of Crookwell
Crookwell, New South Wales
Crookwell is a small town located in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, in the Upper Lachlan Shire. At the 2006 census, Crookwell had a population of 1,993 people. The town is at a relatively high altitude in Australian terms , and there are occasional snowfalls during the...
.
History
The Crookwell district north of Goulburn is rich and productive agricultural land, with a high annual rainfall. A railway to Crookwell was proposed as early as 1857, but it was not until the late 1870s and early 1880s that formal submissions were made by local residents and landowners to the Commissioner for Railways. Various routes and proposals were considered, including the option of a tramway as a feeder to the Main South railway. From 1884, public meetings were held and deputations were made, but not until 1899 did the NSW Parliament finally pass a Bill for the construction of the Crookwell line.The major engineering feature was a heavy (and expensive) steel lattice bridge over the Wollondilly River to the north of Goulburn. The line then passed through rolling hills to the town of Crookwell, and was opened in 1902. A platform was provided at Argyle, near the Goulburn Training Centre (now the Goulburn Correctional Centre), and stations were built at Kenmore, Norwood, The Forest, Woodhouselee, Roslyn, McAlister and Crookwell, with sidings at each of these locations. Several intermediate sidings were provided for stock loading and similar activities.
Traffic
From opening, the line carried a mix of goods and passenger traffic. Superphosphate and livestock were the main goods carried, and superphosphate in particular was responsible for keeping the line operational long past the closure of similar branch lines. Initial passenger traffic was locomotive hauled 'mixed' trains of passenger and goods cars until the introduction of railmotors (CPH) from 1926. Two return daily railmotor services were provided allowing day return travel in either direction. Steam power was replaced with diesel from 1961. From the mid 1970s, goods traffic began to decline in competition with road transport. Passenger traffic ceased in 1974, and by the 1980s goods traffic had dwindled to such unprofitable levels that the final train operated in 1985 and the line listed 'out of use' in 1989.Current state
Much of the alignment and track of the line remains in place, including the substantial bridge over the Wollondilly River. Since 2007 there have been plans to operate heritage rail trips over the line. Sleeper replacement operations commencing 2010 with trike operations soon to follow.Taralga Branch
At Roslyn, a branch line to TaralgaTaralga, New South Wales
Taralga is a small village in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Upper Lachlan Shire. It is located at the intersection of the Goulburn-Oberon Road and the Laggan-Taralga Road. It is accessible from Oberon to the north, Mittagong to the east, Goulburn to the south, and...
connected, opening on 23 February 1926 and closing on 1 May 1957. Whilst initially the line saw a six-days-a-week service, by the time of its demise it saw trains on Wednesdays only.
The station buildings were of concrete, similar to other stations constructed in that period. The line has been lifted and little remains of the formation. Part of the original alignment remains but has been turned into a road.