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North Coast railway line, New South Wales

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North Coast railway line
Grafton Bridge opened over the
Clarence River in 1932
Overview
StatusOpen
OwnerNew South Wales Government Railways (1905–1915)
Department of Railways (1915–1972)
Public Transport Commission (1972–1980)
State Rail Authority (1980–2003)
RailCorp (2003–2020)
Transport Asset Holding Entity (2020–present)
LocaleMid North Coast and Northern Rivers regions of New South Wales
Termini
Service
TypeHeavy rail
History
Opened6 November 1905 (1905-11-06)
Technical
Line length795 km (494 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Route map

Showing distance in km from Central station, Sydney
193
Maitland (Left arrow Main North line Right arrow)
195
Telarah
Walka Water Works
199
Oakhampton
Hunter River
204
Mindaribba
206
Airdrie
213
Paterson
Rail Motor Society
Paterson River
219
Martins Creek
Martins Creek quarry
220
Barokee
226
Hilldale
Wallarobba Tunnel
232
Wallarobba
238
Wirragulla
245
Dungog
Williams River
250
Dingadee
254
Monkerai
Monkerai Tunnel
263
Nooroo
267
Stroud Road
273
Dewrang
278
Weismantels
283
Wards River
291
Craven
Stratford colliery
295
Stratford
Avon River
302
Berrico
309
Gloucester
Avon River
315
Tugrabakh
316
Yumbunga
319
Pitlochry
Bulliac Tunnel
324
Bulliac
328
Wirradgurie
330
Doon Ayre
334
Bundook
339
Somerset
Manning River Bridge
342
Mount George
348
Charity Creek
353
Kimbriki
355
Karaak Flat
360
Killawarra
367
Wingham
375
Kolodong
378
Taree
387
Kundle Kundle
392
Melinga
396
Lansdowne
400
Langley Vale
403
Coopernook
410
Moorland
418
Johns River
428
Rossglen
430
Batar
433
Kendall
439
Herons Creek
446
Kerrewong
Kerrewong Tunnel
455
Wauchope
Hastings River
463
Pembrooke
Wilson River
472
Telegraph Point
483
Mingaletta
487
Kundabung
Macleay River Bridge
504
Kempsey
515
Colombatti
520
Tamban
535
Eungai
544
Warrell Creek
552
Macksville
Nambucca River
557
Wirrimbi
560
Newee Creek
565
Nambucca Heads
569
Peterkins School Platform
571
Valla
575
Dalhousie Creek
581
Urunga
Kalang River
586
Raleigh
Bellinger River
588
Repton
Repton Tunnel
595
Archville
596
Bonville
601
Sawtell
607
Boambee
608
Coffs Harbour
609
Park Beach
611
North Coffs Harbour
Red Hill No.1 Tunnel
Red Hill No.2 Tunnel
Red Hill No.3 Tunnel
Red Hill No.4 Tunnel
Red Hill No.5 Tunnel
620
Landrigans
623
Karangi
628
Coramba
633
Mellelea
640
Nana Glen
(Left arrow Dorrigo line)
652
Glenreagh
664
Kungala
673
Lanitza
683
Braunstone
696
Grafton
Clarence River
699
Old Grafton
706
Koolkhan
714
Kyarran
717
Warragai Creek
724
Dilkoon
728
Gurranang
739
Lawrence Road
743
Banyabba
751
Whiporie
757
Camira Creek
762
Ampdale
770
Clearfield
773
Myrtle Creek
776
Rappville
785
Coombell
789
Amarina
794
Leeville
795
Boomooderie
796
Shannon Brook
804
South Casino
805
Casino
(Left arrow Murwillumbah line)
809
Nammoona
816
Fairy Hill
818
Backmede
822
Baraimol
826
Cedar Point
832
Yongurra
834
Kyogle
838
Kyogle North
842
Kilgra
844
Hermits Peak
847
Wiangaree
851
The Cape
853
The Risk
859
Mount Lion
863
Loadstone
867
Treberth
870
Cougal
Cougal Spiral No.2 Tunnel
Cougal Spiral No.1 Tunnel
875
Border Loop
Border Tunnel
876
Queensland border
888
Glenapp
897
Dulbolla
Left arrow Beaudesert Shire Tramway Right arrow
Logan River
909
Tamrookum
931
Bromelton
938
Kagaru
957
Greenbank
972
Acacia Ridge freight terminal
Left arrow
Queensland Rail Gold Coast line
(3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge)
Pradella Sidings
Queensland Rail Tennyson line
(3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge)
Right arrow
979
Clapham freight terminal
Left arrow
Fisherman Islands line
to Port of Brisbane
984
Park Road sidings
Vulture Street tunnel
986
South Brisbane (Interstate) station
(terminus 1930-1986)
Brisbane River (Merivale Bridge)
Riverside Expressway
988
Brisbane Roma Street
Left arrow
Queensland Rail Main line
(3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge)
Right arrow

The North Coast railway line is the primary rail route in the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers regions of New South Wales, Australia, and forms a major part of the Sydney–Brisbane rail corridor.

The line begins at Maitland and ends at Roma Street railway station in Brisbane, although freight services terminate at the yard at Acacia Ridge on the outskirts of Brisbane. Along the way, the railway passes through the towns of Dungog, Gloucester, Wingham, Taree, Kendall, Wauchope, Kempsey, Macksville, Nambucca Heads, Urunga, Sawtell, Coffs Harbour, Grafton, Casino and Kyogle. After the standard gauge line ends at Acacia Ridge, it forms a dual gauge line into Brisbane, running alongside parts of the Beenleigh railway line.

Since the Main Northern Line was closed north of Armidale in 1988, the North Coast line is now the only route between Sydney and Queensland. With the closure of former branches to Dorrigo (1972) and Murwillumbah (2004) there are no operating branches off the line.

The Bonalbo branch from Casino was stillborn, with partial construction left incomplete.

At the NSW/Queensland border is a long tunnel called Border Tunnel, a single-track extending 1160 metres. Immediately south of it was Border Loop, a short crossing loop, which is now closed. About one kilometre south of that is the Cougal Spiral. These two locations are often confused.

The line is owned by the Transport Asset Holding Entity but leased to the Australian Rail Track Corporation until 2064.[1][2][3]

History

[edit]
Paterson bridge under construction in 1910
Official opening of the Kyogle Interstate Railway Line by Mrs AE Moore, wife of Queensland Premier at South Brisbane

The first North Coast railway was opened between Murwillumbah, Byron Bay and Lismore in 1894 and extended to Casino in 1903 and Grafton in 1905. A branch line was built to Kyogle in 1910, it was extended to South Brisbane in 1930.

The line was built between 1905 and 1932, and when completed, bypassed the Main North line and provided a quicker route up the eastern seaboard. The development of the line was hampered by the many large rivers that flow through the North Coast. The line also features the Cougal Spiral, which is one of only two spirals in New South Wales.

A railway was built from Maitland to Paterson and Dungog in 1911. It was extended to Gloucester and Taree in 1913 and to Wauchope, Kempsey and Coffs Harbour and from Glenreagh to South Grafton (now Grafton station) in 1915. The gap between Coffs Harbour and Glenreagh, which contains five tunnels, was completed in 1922.[4]

The Clarence River was the most difficult river to cross and it was not crossed until 1932.[4][5] In the meantime, services were connected by rail ferry that carried the carriages across the river. The opening of the Grafton Bridge in 1932 completed the Sydney – Brisbane line as the first standard gauge inter-capital link.

The completion of the Sydney–Brisbane link saw the Casino–Murwillumbah line become a branch line.[6] In 1930 a branch line had been added to Ballina but this closed in 1949.[7] The Murwillumbah branch closed in 2004.

A picturesque branch was opened from Glenreagh to Dorrigo in 1924, but was difficult to maintain due to the steep terrain and high rainfall and it was closed in 1972 after a washaway.[8] The Glenreagh to Ulong section is proposed for reopening as a heritage tourist railway by the Glenreagh Mountain Railway. The Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum is also being set up in Dorrigo as a museum and working exhibit.

Passenger services

[edit]
An XPT at Sydney's Central Station
Line at Bundook, near Gloucester
Kendall station in January 2008

Current services

[edit]

NSW TrainLink operates three daily XPT services from Sydney terminating at Grafton, Casino and Brisbane and thirty-one weekly services from Newcastle terminating at Dungog.[9][10]

Historical services

[edit]

The premier trains on the North Coast line were the two daily services to Brisbane, the Brisbane Limited and the Brisbane Express. The Limited was the fastest service, stopping only at major stations, while the Express operated as a sweeper service stopping at most stations north of Grafton and provided connections to services on the Murwillumbah branch.[11] Air-conditioned Sleeping cars had operated on the Brisbane Limited from 1960. In April 1973 the Brisbane Express was withdrawn and replaced by the Gold Coast Motorail, operating to Murwillumbah. The North Coast Daylight Express and North Coast Mail operated to Grafton until they were both replaced in 1985 by a single Holiday Coast XPT train. Following the Booz Allen Hamilton review of 1989 which recommended severe rationalisation of country rail services, the Brisbane and Murwillumbah services were converted to XPT operation in February 1990, and a locomotive hauled Grafton Express service to Grafton introduced in June 1990.[12] In November 1993 the Grafton Express was also converted to XPT operation.[13]

Freight services

[edit]

When the Main North Line was closed north of Armidale in 1988, super-freighters to Brisbane began using the North Coast Line, operated by the State Rail Authority, then National Rail. Today, freight services on the North Coast Line are operated by Pacific National and SCT Logistics. These superfreighters do not serve any of the towns they pass through - in the government railways era, there would be regular freight services to towns such as Kempsey, Grafton and Casino.

The only freight train that regularly services the North Coast Line is a cement and sugar train for Grafton, and is operated by Pacific National.

Improvement works

[edit]

The North Coast Line has significant curvature, equivalent to turning through 150 circles – 75.5 to the right and 74.5 to the left heading north, the difference of one circle due to the Cougal Spiral in the Border Ranges. Of course the curves are unevenly distributed meaning that maximum speeds change hundreds of times usually within the range of 60 km/h (37 mph) and 115 km/h (71 mph) for freight trains.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation has recently resleepered the track with concrete sleepers, upgraded the signals and installed new loops to increase efficiency. In mid-2011 they eased about 58 sections of curves on the line, increasing line speed for the XPT and freight trains. The curve easing was done without land purchases, so the track changes would be minor, staying within the existing corridor.

Location list

[edit]

This is a list of all the locations and crossing loops on the North Coast line.

Location km from Sydney Signal Prefix
Telarah 194.5 MD
Mindaribba 203.5 02
Paterson 213.2 03
Martins Creek 218.5 04
Kilbride 223.5 05
Hilldale 226.2
Wallarobba 231.7
Wallarobba Loop 234.0 06
Wirragulla 238.0
Dungog 245.2 07
North Dungog 247.2 07
Monkerai 254.0 08
Stroud Road 266.5 09
Duralie 272.8 09
Weismantels 278.1
South Craven 290.5 11
North Craven 292.5 11
Berrico 301.9 12
Gloucester 309.3 13
Yumbunga (closed) 316.4 14
Bulliac 324.1 15
Bundook 334.4 16
Mount George 342.1 17
Kimbriki (closed) 353.2 18
Killawarra 360.3 19
Wingham 367.1 20
Taree 378.6 21
Melinga 392.3 22
Coopernook 403.6 23
Johns River 417.7 24
Kendall 433.0 25
Kerewong 445.8 26
Wauchope 455.0 27
Telegraph Point 472.5 28
Kundabung 487.2 29
Kempsey 503.5 30
Collombatti
Tamban 520.6 31
Barraganyatti
Eungai 534.6 32
Warrell Creek
Macksville 552.4
Nambucca Heads 565.1 34
Urunga 580.9
Raleigh 586.5 35
Bonville 596.5 36
Sawtell 600.7
Boambee Beach 606.8 37
Coffs Harbour 608.1 37
Landrigans siding (closed) 619.6 38
Coramba 628.0 39
Nana Glen 640.3 40
Glenreagh 651.9 41
Kungala 664.3 42
Braunstone 683.3 43
Grafton 695.7 44
Old Grafton 698.8 45
Koolkhan 706.8
Kyarran 713.6 46
Lawrence Road 738.7 47
Camira Creek
Rappville 776.2 50
Leeville (closed) 793.7 51
Casino 805.1 52
Nammoona 810.1 CO
Kyogle 833.8
Kyogle Loop 837.1 KE
Loadstone 863.5 LE
Border Loop (or Cougal Spiral) 875.1 [14]
NSW/Queensland Border 876.0
Glenapp 887.6 GP
Tamrookum 909.3 TM
Bromelton 931.7 BN
Greenbank 955.6 GK
Acacia Ridge AR
Salisbury Junction 975.976 SY
Clapham Loop CM
Yeerongpilly YY
Dutton Park Junction DP
South Brisbane SB
Roma Street RS

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Memorandum between The Commonwealth of Australia & The State of New South Wales & Australian Rail Track Corporation Limited Archived 11 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Australian Rail Track Corporation
  2. ^ The Agreement in Summary Australian Rail Track Corporation
  3. ^ Annual Report 30 June 2004 Archived 11 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Australian Rail Track Corporation
  4. ^ a b "North Coast Line". NSWrail.net. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Crossing the Clarence" Roundhouse July 1982 pages 4-23
  6. ^ "Murwillumbah Branch". nswrail.net. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  7. ^ "Ballina Branch". NSWrail.net. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  8. ^ "Dorrigo Branch". NSWrail.net. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  9. ^ "North Coast timetable". NSW TrainLink. 7 September 2019.
  10. ^ "| transportnsw.info". transportnsw.info. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  11. ^ Milne, R. The last days of the Brisbane Express and the Brisbane Limited. Bulletin, ARHS. Vol 49, no 724. Feb 1998.
  12. ^ "An Obituary to the Grafton Express" Railway Digest January 1994
  13. ^ "Ten Years of the North Coast XPTs" Railway Digest February 2000
  14. ^ "Border Loop railway formation and landscape". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01027. Retrieved 2 June 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.

Bibliography

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