Crookwell railway line

Crookwell railway line
Overview
Termini	Goulburn Crookwell
Stations	8
History
Opened	22 April 1902[1]
Technical
Track length	35 miles 49 chains (57.3 km)[2]
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Route map Map Crookwell McAlister branch line to Taralga Roslyn Woodhouselee The Forest Norwood Kenmore Argyle Wollondilly River joins the Main South line to Goulburn

The Crookwell railway line is a disused branch railway line in the south of

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, with a survey of the proposed route taking place,^[4] but not until 1899 did the NSW Parliament finally pass a Bill for the construction of the Crookwell line.^[5][6]

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.^[7]

In 1913, there was a proposal to extend the branch line further north west to Cowra. With the advent of the great war, the proposal didn't move forward.^[8]

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

Much of the alignment and track of the line remains in place, including the substantial bridge over the Wollondilly River. Since 2000 there were continuing plans to operate heritage rail trips over the line but as of 2020 it is set to be converted into a rail trail walk. The Goulburn Crookwell Heritage Railway group has been maintaining what is left of the lines infrastructure and sleeper replacement. Track vehicles known as trikes are operated for maintenance purposes.^[12]

Taralga Branch

At Roslyn, a branch line to Taralga diverged, opening on 23 February 1926 and closing on 1 May 1957.^[13][14] Whilst initially the line saw a six-days-a-week service, by the time of its demise it saw trains on Wednesdays only.^[15]

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.

References