Holbrook railway line

Holbrook railway line
Overview
Locale Riverina, New South Wales
Termini Culcairn
Holbrook
Stations 4
Operation
Opened 18 September 1902
Closed 2 February 1987
Owner NSWGR
Technical
Line length 16.27 miles (26.18 km)
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Holbrook Branch Line
Legend
 km Station
0 Main South line at Culcairn
 7 Morven
 12 Fellow Hills
 18 Ralvona
 26 Holbrook

The Culcairn to Holbrook railway line[1] is a short, closed, railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The line ran from the Main South railway line at Culcairn for 26 km east to the town of Holbrook.

Construction

Following the line from Culcairn to Corowa being completed in 1892, the locals of Germanton campaigned hard for their own railway line.[2][3]

The line was authorised early in 1901[4] with surveying being worked on up until March.[5] Tenders for supplies were accepted from April through June[6][7][8] with construction starting in July.[9][10] The line opened on 18 September 1902.[11][12] Holbrook was, at that time, known as Germanton. The name was changed in 1915 following anti-German feelings which arose as a consequence of World War 1.[13] The new name commemorates the exploits of Lieutenant-Commander Norman Holbrook.[14][15]

Services on the line

Holbrook railway yards

The initial service on the line consisted of a mixed train that operated in both directions on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, connecting with the overnight Mail Trains to and from Sydney.

From 18 December 1923, the thrice weekly mixed train was replaced by a CPH railmotor which operated twice a day in each direction on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. A goods train operated on Mondays. The railmotor service was short-lived and mixed trains returned from 18 November 1924, but now making one return trip on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

From 26 August 1929, the mixed train was reduced to running only twice weekly and, by 1946, this had been further reduced to running on Mondays only.

Dieselisation of the line took place from 11 February 1962, using 48 class locomotives.

Passenger services ceased completely from 12 October 1970. Goods services continued to operate on Mondays until 8 July 1974 when all regularly scheduled trains ceased.

The last revenue train to operate on the line was a livestock special on 7 March 1978.

The line was officially closed on 2 February 1987.[13] Much of the infrastructure remains along the line.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Culcairn to Germanton Railway Act 1900 ( NSW )
  2. ↑ "RAILWAY FROM CULCAIRN TO GERMANTON.". The Sydney Morning Herald (16,836). New South Wales, Australia. 8 March 1892. p. 5. Retrieved 2 September 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ↑ "CHEAP RAILWAY FOR NEW SOUTH WALES.". The Age (11760). Victoria, Australia. 3 November 1892. p. 5. Retrieved 2 September 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ↑ "THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.". Clarence and Richmond Examiner. New South Wales, Australia. 2 January 1901. p. 2. Retrieved 2 September 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ "New Lines of Railway.". The National Advocate. 11, (332). New South Wales, Australia. 20 February 1901. p. 3. Retrieved 2 September 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ "NEW PUBLIC WORKS.". The Evening News (10,567). New South Wales, Australia. 23 April 1901. p. 3. Retrieved 2 September 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ↑ "TENDERS.". Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate (8281). New South Wales, Australia. 30 May 1901. p. 5. Retrieved 2 September 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ↑ "CULCAIRN-GERMANTON RAILWAY.". Wagga Wagga Express. XLII, (7322). New South Wales, Australia. 8 June 1901. p. 2. Retrieved 2 September 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ↑ "CULCAIRN.". The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. New South Wales, Australia. 12 July 1901. p. 16. Retrieved 3 September 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ↑ "NEW RAILWAYS.". The Evening News (10,645). New South Wales, Australia. 23 July 1901. p. 3. Retrieved 3 September 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ↑ "THE NEW LINE: CULCAIRN TO GERMANTON.". The Sydney Mail And New South Wales Advertiser. LXXIV, (2202). New South Wales, Australia. 17 September 1902. p. 734. Retrieved 2 September 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ↑ "CULCAIRN-GERMANTON RAILWAY.". Wagga Wagga Express. XLIII, (7520). New South Wales, Australia. 20 September 1902. p. 2. Retrieved 2 September 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. 1 2 3 Bangor, Chris. The Culcairn to Holbrook Railway Today. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, April, 1993 pp83-97
  14. ↑ "The Australian submarine has got up through the Narrows…".
  15. ↑ "Lieutenant Norman Holbrook VC and the HMS Submarine B11". Gallipoli and the Anzacs. Retrieved 2 September 2016.

Further reading

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