Thanks to the dreaded virus that has covered the world for the last couple of years, the annual pilgrimage to the Rosehill Racecourse for the 'Epping Model Railway Club' model railway exhibition, has not been on the agenda.
Not only would I normally be out there for the model trains, and volunteer duties on the 'Trains For Kid's With Cancer' stand, it was also a great opportunity to check out the closed lines to Carlingford and Sandown. Although, the former was still open the last time I attended one of these events.
So, with the virus now not the huge inconvenience it once was, the exhibitions have started again, and last month I took the opportunity to have a squiz around Camellia to see how things are progressing.
The following post looks at the incredible changes made to the location over the last couple of years, along with some photos of the same spots before it was all ripped out.
Brad Peadon
Y1 at the Rosehill Racecourse station.
Today the tracks and signalling are all gone, leaving just the two platforms as a reminder of what once was.
Photo: Carl Millington
Between Rosehill Racecourse and Camelia today.
Above: Looking toward Camelia, with Grand Avenue seen in the distance. The Sandown line would have been on the right, with the Carlingford one being on the left. The two lines actually junctioned at Rosehill Racecourse.
Below: Looking back towards the racecourse station and Clyde.
Photo: Brad Peadon
K81 approaching Camellia station with a Carlingford bound service.
The former line to Sandown can be seen heading off in the background. It had been disused for some time at this stage.
Where the K set appears in this shot, is roughly around the light rail junction in the article banner shot.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Camellia station on the weekend of the final Rosehill exhibition prior to the virus. It was known that the end was coming, so visits became more important than in earlier years.
Photo: Brad Peadon
The above, and below, shots were taken from the now little irrelevant Grand Avenue road overbridge. It shows the track curving off right to the former Hardies station, then onward to Sandown.
The only traffic it will now see will be people who now have to endure the walk from the light rail stop at Camellia, all the way to the racecourse.
Far less convenient for patrons than the earlier setup.
Photo: Brad Peadon
The last Patricks Portlink train to depart the Sandown line.
The smoke is from numerous detonators being placed along the railhead.
A video of this operation can be found at the end of the article.
While quite irrelevant, this shot would become my first ever Railway Digest cover shot. Go me! :-)
Photo: Brad Peadon
4821 and 4904 on a fuel train from Sandown.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Taken from the level crossing in the above two shots, and looking back towards Grand Avenue.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Above: The same spot before the tracks were removed.
Below: Right behind me in the above shot was the location of the former Hardies station.
The Sandown branch once had four stations.
Hardies (opened 1938)
Goodyear (opened 1934)
Cream of Tartar (closed in 1959, the same year as the electrification of the line)
Sandown (opened 1892)
Photo: Brad Peadon
Hardies station would have sat on a curve, to the right of the light rail tracks here.
Photo: Brad Peadon
For a time, a couple of weekday services would terminate at Hardies station before returning to Clyde.
L1 forms the last of these services, with all services again terminating at Sandown for the time they had left.
Photo: Brad Peadon
48136 4887 (both now scrapped) sit at the former location of Hardies station with the last Patricks Portlink service.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Location of Hardies station following closure.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Crossing for the road entrance to Camellia station. The Hardies station would have been where the grass is in the background.
Photo: Brad Peadon
The light rail tracks currently end near the old entrance points for Sandown Yard. The light rail points are part of a triangle serving the new light rail depot on the south side of Grand Avenue (see below).
Photo: Brad Peadon
48136 4887 (both now scrapped) sit near the entrance points (see above) for Sandown yard with the last Patricks Portlink service.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Some reminders of the former goods line still manage to survive.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Looking back towards Camellia. Along the former Sandown formation
Photo: Brad Peadon
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A bit of a look at the new light rail track into the planned depot.
Double track level crossing that will eventually lead to the new depot being developed beyond.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Back in the old days, well what I refer to as the old days, the rather uninspiring platform that formed the grandiose Sandown terminus would see a number of services on weekdays. None of these, on my visits, ever appeared to be particularly full of humans.
On horse racing weekends though, the line would be used to stable many electric sets along its length. They would wait here until the end of the day saw a large number of punters wanting to take the convenient service home.
Three car red set Y2 awaits departure.
The last regular service to depart Sandown station was back in December 1991. However, quite a few tours visited over the years following.
Photo: Carl Millington
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Thanks
Bradly Coulter & Carl Millington
nswrail.net
Wikipedia
Australian Railway Historical Society
With plenty more Sandown photos, and much more change expected in coming years, it is likely we will be revisiting this fascinating branch again in the future.
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