CARLINGFORD LINE

As with most of the railfan community, I headed out with some mates in the dying days of the Carlingford line.
While I was by no means a regular on the line, I have been on it, and it's branch to Sandown, on many an occasion. In fact, I have a video of the Sandown line, from the rear of a spark, still to come to my SRF YouTube channel.

So many memories came back during our day there, the afternoon Sydney Terminal to Sandown CPH, the red sets, the S sets, the two car L sets.
 Then there was the time we rode the last Hardies terminator, last Portlink service from Sandown,  the race train lineup and the once busy freight sidings. I have been blessed to see so much guff out there.

But like all good things over the last few decades, it has been destroyed in the name of progress and, once again, another nail was add to the NSW railway interest.

Clyde station - Opened 1882

The days semi-interesting adventure started at Clyde station, the then junction for the lines to Carlingford and Sandown.

Photo of Parramatta Road not long after closure.
Robert Parnell

Parramatta Road motorists would be among the few happy with the closure.

This Rosehill signal has been taken away for preservation.
Rosehill station - Opened January 1888

Camelia Station - Opened January 1885

Rydalmere Station - Opened April 1896

Dundas is the only station expected to not be demolished as part of the light rail conversion. Quite a relief as it is a nice heritage structure.
Dundas Station - Opened June 1925

Telopea station - Opened April 1896

Carlingford Line Video - Part 1

Carlingford Line Video - Part 2

Date information from nswrail.net

TUMBARUMBA 1989-90

Photos taken during a tour of the Tumut/Batlow and Tumbarumba lines.

The station was known to have existed until 1987 (nswrail.net)

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~~ PROSPECT QUARRY LINE ~~

A lunch with friends yesterday lead to my partaking in a long desired plan to check out the long removed Toongabbie to Prospect Reservoir quarry railway.
Due to time constraints only the first section was followed, with a quick look around Toongabbie Road where all trace seems to have been removed.
This initial section now forms a path, with a shallow cutting being the most obvious sign of its former usage.
  Just beyond the former steel siding the formation seems to do a slight S bend before disappearing into factories.
It is planned to go back for a better look in the near future.

 

DUDLEY (BURWOOD) COLLIERY BRANCH

27-4-2013

 

G'day foamers, last weekend a free afternoon following a late friends birthday allowed me the opportunity to go take a look at a former coal line in Newcaslte thats long been on my to do list.

This branch junctioned off the Belmont line just north of Whitebridge at, not surprisingly, Dudley Junction, then leading a curvey course through local suburbs to the colliery.
Sadly, time was short and only so much could initially be seen, however a follow up visit, including walk, is already being organised

 

 

The above map from Google Earth was what we initially used for our visit. Unfortunately we are not quite sure of where the line ran in the Whitebridge area.

 

Presumably a bridge or short tunnel exists under all this growth on Burwood Road.

 

 

 

Then And Now

Its hard to imagine the activity that once went on in what is now a football field.
The two photos above compare shots, the earlier one being courtesy of the State Library of NSW.

EDWARDS CROSSING

A Forgotten Halt on the Tumbarumba Line.

Buggar all is known about this little Riverina halt, not far east of Tarcutta on the long closed Tumbarumba line. It may have opened with the line in 1917 and quite possibly was available for passengers until flood damage caused service suspension beyond Ladysmith in 1975.

Despite its no longer being needed, Edwards Crossing survived nearly four decades as an interesting relic of better times on our railways. A shot of her back in 1985 can be found HERE.

  

Sadly, the start of 2013 has seen New South Wales plagues with bush fires ranging from small, to the extremely large. One of these was in the Tarcutta area, it was huge and it received much media coverage around the country.

Our final stop after a weekends Riverina railfanning saw us taken to see this little halt hidden well away from where others would normally go.
However, as we got closer we found ourselves entering the fire zone and the chances of finding an intact halt were not looking good, far bigger structures having been destroyed all over the place.
What we found was a dismal reminder of what fire can do and how our rail heritage can be wiped out in the blink of an eye.

COMING SOON

More views from the Semi-Retired Foamers Riverina jaunt.

                                     ~~ HOSKINSTOWN - MOLONGLO RIVER ~~

  Starting at the very small platform and gangers shed that mark the location of Hoskinstown, we made our way towards the Molonglo River as we continued to head towards Captains Flat.
  Despite the Captain Flat portion of our trip being very railway biased, I have been surprised to find both my electronic game loving boys wanting to go back again.

Later this week, Bungendore through to Hoskinstown.