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Railways on the West Coast of Tasmania

May 03, 2024

The history of the railways on the West Coast of Tasmania has fascinated enthusiasts from around the world, because of the combination of the harsh terrain in which the railways were created, and the unique nature of most of the lines.

Points of note include the Mount Lyell rack railway which has an Abt rack system, the presence of the world's first Garratt locomotive and a Hagans articulated locomotive on the North East Dundas Tramway, and the collection of narrow-gauge lines as the only links to the outside world for a number of the communities for over fifty years.[1]

The haulage railways at Mount Read, and the various ones in the area of the Mount Lyell mining lease, were also significant in their use in moving both people and metal ore. Also aerial ropeways were operating in the region well into the late twentieth century.

A number of railway lines were proposed in the late nineteenth century, and early twentieth century – but they never appeared – not all proposed lines are listed here.

The main mining towns during their boom times were connected with the outside world by railway as the main form of transport into their communities and also out to the outside world.

Railways, tramways and haulages edit

 
Emu Bay railway connected with most lines on the West Coast directly or indirectly

Most lines were 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) 2 ft (610 mm) track gauges.

See also Zeehan for tramways that centred on that location

The following list is of most of the significant named lines but it is not a complete list. There have also been haulage lines, and other tramlines within small areas that existed in mining leases and forest areas.

Proposed but not constructed edit

West Coast Railways timeline edit

  • 04.02.1892 Strahan to Zeehan line opened[20]
  • 25.04.1892 Zeehan to Mount Dundas line opened[20]
  • 18.03.1897 Mount Lyell line to Teepookana opened[21]
  • 01.11.1899 Mount Lyell line to Regatta Point opened[21]
  • 15.12.1900 North Mount Lyell line opened[20]
  • 21.12.1900 Emu Bay line Guildford Junction to Zeehan opened[21]
  • 23.01.1902 Magnet Tramway opened[22]
  • 26.11.1902 North Mount Farrell tramway opened[23]
  • 05.07.1932 Mount Dundas and North East Dundas lines closed[22]
  • 08.10.1933 Comstock Tram closed[20]
  • 02.06.1960 Strahan–Zeehan line closed[20]
  • 22.12.1961 Tullah Tram closed[22]
  • 10.08.1963 Mount Lyell line closed[21]
  • 27.12.2002 First day of operation of rebuilt Mount Lyell line[21]
  • 03.04.2003 Official opening of Mount Lyell line as West Coast Wilderness Railway[21]

Dispersal of rolling stock edit

Following closing of various lines, engines and carriages were often re-located on other working railways. Ex Mount Lyell passenger stock can be found on the Puffing Billy Railway in Victoria, while the West Coast Wilderness Railway has seen the return of reconditioned engines that used to work on the original Mount Lyell lines. A number of steam engines are held at the West Coast Pioneers Museum in Zeehan.

Following the closures of most railways in the early 1960s, rolling stock was dispersed but engines were fortuitously retained on the west coast, in most cases at the museum in Zeehan. Some of these have returned to service on the West Coast Wilderness Railway.

Notes edit

  1. ^ Poole, L.G. (1943) March 1943 p 42 and issue August 1943 p 19. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin and Thomas, C.B. Railways of the West Coast February to June 1943 pp 15–18; pp 33–34; pp 48–50; pp 64–67; pp 74–76;July to December 1943 pp 5–6; pp 22–25; pp 40–42; p 53; pp 69–70, January 1944 pp 7–9. in Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin
  2. ^ "COMSTOCK TRAM". The Clipper. Vol. 8, no. 436. Tasmania, Australia. 10 August 1901. p. 7. Retrieved 6 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "LYELL". Zeehan and Dundas Herald. Hobart, Tas. 22 November 1918. p. 4. Retrieved 28 June 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "MAGNET". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. XXXVII, no. 272. Tasmania, Australia. 14 November 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 6 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "LYELL THARSIS AERIAL ROPEWAY". Daily Telegraph. Vol. XIX, no. 75. Tasmania, Australia. 29 March 1899. p. 8. Retrieved 6 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "MOUNT LYELL MINES". The Age. No. 14, 265. Victoria, Australia. 23 November 1900. p. 7. Retrieved 6 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "LYELL". Zeehan and Dundas Herald. Vol. XX, no. 182. Tasmania, Australia. 17 May 1909. p. 4. Retrieved 6 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "THE HAULAGE". Zeehan and Dundas Herald. Vol. XVI, no. 243. Tasmania, Australia. 27 July 1905. p. 4. Retrieved 6 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ Not to be confused with the Aerial Tram between flux quarries and smelter – "MOUNT LYELL MINING NOTES". The Mercury. Vol. LXXII, no. 8922. Tasmania, Australia. 5 October 1898. p. 3. Retrieved 6 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "MOUNT LYELL OPERATIONS". The Age. No. 22, 820. Victoria, Australia. 28 May 1928. p. 13. Retrieved 6 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "Underground Workings". The Mercury. Vol. CXL, no. 20, 774. Tasmania. 8 March 1934. p. 2. Retrieved 6 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ shown on Mt Lyell Mining Field Map in editions of The Peaks of Lyell
  13. ^ * Murdoch, Geoff (1998). Tasmania's Hagans: the North East Dundas Tramway articulated J class. Redbank Plaza, Qld: The author. ISBN 0-646-33442-5.
  14. ^ "STRAHAN-ZEEHAN RAILWAY". The Mercury. Vol. LVIII, no. 6, 802. Tasmania, Australia. 11 December 1891. p. 3. Retrieved 6 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ "09 Jan 1915 – UNEMPLOYED AT ZEEHAN. – Trove". Mercury. 9 January 1915.
  16. ^ "AERIAL ROPEWAY". The Advocate (Tasmania). Tasmania, Australia. 6 February 1930. p. 6 (DAILY). Retrieved 6 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ "CHUDLEIGH-ZEEHAN RAILWAY". Launceston Examiner. Vol. LI, no. 254. Tasmania, Australia. 26 October 1891. p. 4. Retrieved 26 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "TASMANIA". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate. No. 11, 860. New South Wales, Australia. 31 October 1891. p. 7. Retrieved 26 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "The Chudleigh Railway". Colonist. Vol. II, no. VI. Tasmania, Australia. 9 February 1889. p. 24. Retrieved 26 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |workr= ignored (help)
  20. ^ a b c d e Quinlan, Howard & Newland, John R. (2000). Australian Railway Routes 1854–2000. Sydney: Australian Railway Historical Society New South Wales Division. ISBN 0-909650-49-7.
  21. ^ a b c d e f Rae, Lou (2005). The Abt Railway Tasmania's West Coast Wilderness Railway. Sandy Bay: Lou Rae. ISBN 0-9592098-8-3.
  22. ^ a b c Australian Railway Atlas Quail Map Company 2004 ISBN 1-898319-69-3
  23. ^ Rae, Lou (1984). A History of Railways and Tramways on Tasmania's West Coast. Sandy Bay: Lou Rae. ISBN 0-9592098-0-8.

References edit

  • Aubrey, Ronald K. (1975). A pictorial history of the railways & tramways of Western Tasmania. Hobart: OBM Bookshop. ISBN 0-9599034-1-0.
  • Blainey, Geoffrey (2000). The Peaks of Lyell (6th ed.). Hobart: St. David's Park Publishing. ISBN 0-7246-2265-9.
  • Branagan, J.G. (1996). Bush Tram-Ways and Private Railways of Tasmania c 1850 to c 1960. Launceston: Regal Publications. ISBN 978-0-949457-87-5.
  • Whitham, Charles (2003). Western Tasmania – A land of riches and beauty (Reprint 2003 ed.). Queenstown: Municipality of Queenstown.
  • Whitham, Lindsay (2002). Railways, Mines, Pubs and People and other historical research. Sandy Bay: Tasmanian Historical Research Association. ISBN 0-909479-21-6.

External links edit

  • Listen to Michael Cannon's song '100 Miles (Emu Bay)' about the building of the Emu Bay Railway on the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia's YouTube Channel

May 03, 2024
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The history of the railways on the West Coast of Tasmania has fascinated enthusiasts from around the world because of the combination of the harsh terrain in which the railways were created and the unique nature of most of the lines Points of note include the Mount Lyell rack railway which has an Abt rack system the presence of the world s first Garratt locomotive and a Hagans articulated locomotive on the North East Dundas Tramway and the collection of narrow gauge lines as the only links to the outside world for a number of the communities for over fifty years 1 The haulage railways at Mount Read and the various ones in the area of the Mount Lyell mining lease were also significant in their use in moving both people and metal ore Also aerial ropeways were operating in the region well into the late twentieth century A number of railway lines were proposed in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century but they never appeared not all proposed lines are listed here The main mining towns during their boom times were connected with the outside world by railway as the main form of transport into their communities and also out to the outside world Contents 1 Railways tramways and haulages 2 Proposed but not constructed 3 West Coast Railways timeline 4 Dispersal of rolling stock 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksRailways tramways and haulages edit nbsp Emu Bay railway connected with most lines on the West Coast directly or indirectly Most lines were 3 ft 6 in 1 067 mm 2 ft 610 mm track gauges See also Zeehan for tramways that centred on that location The following list is of most of the significant named lines but it is not a complete list There have also been haulage lines and other tramlines within small areas that existed in mining leases and forest areas Comstock Tramway Zeehan Zeehan to Comstock 2 ft 610 mm 2 Comstock Tramway Mount Lyell Queenstown to Comstock Mine 2 ft 610 mm 3 Emu Bay Railway Burnie to Zeehan 3 ft 6 in 1 067 mm Lake Margaret Tram Howards Plains to Lake Margaret power station and community 2 ft 610 mm Macquarie Heads breakwater railway The main access between Cape Sorell lighthouse and the local jetty and wharf Magnet Tramway Magnet Junction to Magnet Mine 2 ft 610 mm 4 Mount Dundas Zeehan Railway Zeehan to Maestris 3 ft 6 in 1 067 mm Mount Lyell Aerial Trams Four aerial systems are shown on Mt Lyell Mining Field Map 1900 1901 in editions of The Peaks of Lyell Lyell Tharsis Aerial Tram Lyell Tharsis Mine just south of the North Lyell Mine to Mt Lyell Aerial Tram 5 Mount Lyell Aerial Tram from Mount Lyell Mine on Philosophers Ridge to Queenstown Smelters 6 North Lyell Aerial Tram from North Lyell Tram to Linda Railway Station 7 Mount Lyell Haulage Located on Philosophers Ridge down to Mt Lyell smelters 8 Mount Lyell Quarry Railway 2 ft 610 mm 9 Mount Lyell Underground Railway also known as the North Lyell Tunnel 10 11 2 ft Mount Read Haulage also known as the Hercules Haulage Williamsford to Mount Read 2 ft 610 mm North Mount Farrell Tramway Farrell Siding to Tullah 2 ft 610 mm North Mount Lyell Railway Gormanston and Linda to Pillinger Kelly Basin 3 ft 6 in 1 067 mm North Lyell Tram North Lyell Mine to Mount Lyell Haulage 12 North East Dundas Tramway Zeehan to Williamsford 2 ft 610 mm 13 Strahan Zeehan Railway Regatta Point to Zeehan 3 ft 6 in 1 067 mm 14 Tasmanian Metals Extraction Company 15 Zeehan Granville West Coast Wilderness Railway Formerly Mount Lyell Railway Queenstown to Regatta Point 3 ft 6 in 1 067 mm Abt Williamsford to Rosebery Hercules ropeway Aerial ropeway 16 Proposed but not constructed editGreat Western Railway Tasmania discussed and spent money upon approximately in the era 1890 1908 Chudleigh Zeehan Railway debated in parliament in the 1890s never commenced 17 18 19 West Coast Railways timeline edit04 02 1892 Strahan to Zeehan line opened 20 25 04 1892 Zeehan to Mount Dundas line opened 20 18 03 1897 Mount Lyell line to Teepookana opened 21 01 11 1899 Mount Lyell line to Regatta Point opened 21 15 12 1900 North Mount Lyell line opened 20 21 12 1900 Emu Bay line Guildford Junction to Zeehan opened 21 23 01 1902 Magnet Tramway opened 22 26 11 1902 North Mount Farrell tramway opened 23 05 07 1932 Mount Dundas and North East Dundas lines closed 22 08 10 1933 Comstock Tram closed 20 02 06 1960 Strahan Zeehan line closed 20 22 12 1961 Tullah Tram closed 22 10 08 1963 Mount Lyell line closed 21 27 12 2002 First day of operation of rebuilt Mount Lyell line 21 03 04 2003 Official opening of Mount Lyell line as West Coast Wilderness Railway 21 Dispersal of rolling stock editFollowing closing of various lines engines and carriages were often re located on other working railways Ex Mount Lyell passenger stock can be found on the Puffing Billy Railway in Victoria while the West Coast Wilderness Railway has seen the return of reconditioned engines that used to work on the original Mount Lyell lines A number of steam engines are held at the West Coast Pioneers Museum in Zeehan Following the closures of most railways in the early 1960s rolling stock was dispersed but engines were fortuitously retained on the west coast in most cases at the museum in Zeehan Some of these have returned to service on the West Coast Wilderness Railway Notes edit Poole L G 1943 March 1943 p 42 and issue August 1943 p 19 Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin and Thomas C B Railways of the West Coast February to June 1943 pp 15 18 pp 33 34 pp 48 50 pp 64 67 pp 74 76 July to December 1943 pp 5 6 pp 22 25 pp 40 42 p 53 pp 69 70 January 1944 pp 7 9 in Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin COMSTOCK TRAM The Clipper Vol 8 no 436 Tasmania Australia 10 August 1901 p 7 Retrieved 6 November 2016 via National Library of Australia LYELL Zeehan and Dundas Herald Hobart Tas 22 November 1918 p 4 Retrieved 28 June 2012 via National Library of Australia MAGNET The Daily Telegraph Vol XXXVII no 272 Tasmania Australia 14 November 1917 p 7 Retrieved 6 November 2016 via National Library of Australia LYELL THARSIS AERIAL ROPEWAY Daily Telegraph Vol XIX no 75 Tasmania Australia 29 March 1899 p 8 Retrieved 6 November 2016 via National Library of Australia MOUNT LYELL MINES The Age No 14 265 Victoria Australia 23 November 1900 p 7 Retrieved 6 November 2016 via National Library of Australia LYELL Zeehan and Dundas Herald Vol XX no 182 Tasmania Australia 17 May 1909 p 4 Retrieved 6 November 2016 via National Library of Australia THE HAULAGE Zeehan and Dundas Herald Vol XVI no 243 Tasmania Australia 27 July 1905 p 4 Retrieved 6 November 2016 via National Library of Australia Not to be confused with the Aerial Tram between flux quarries and smelter MOUNT LYELL MINING NOTES The Mercury Vol LXXII no 8922 Tasmania Australia 5 October 1898 p 3 Retrieved 6 November 2016 via National Library of Australia MOUNT LYELL OPERATIONS The Age No 22 820 Victoria Australia 28 May 1928 p 13 Retrieved 6 November 2016 via National Library of Australia Underground Workings The Mercury Vol CXL no 20 774 Tasmania 8 March 1934 p 2 Retrieved 6 November 2016 via National Library of Australia shown on Mt Lyell Mining Field Map in editions of The Peaks of Lyell Murdoch Geoff 1998 Tasmania s Hagans the North East Dundas Tramway articulated J class Redbank Plaza Qld The author ISBN 0 646 33442 5 STRAHAN ZEEHAN RAILWAY The Mercury Vol LVIII no 6 802 Tasmania Australia 11 December 1891 p 3 Retrieved 6 November 2016 via National Library of Australia 09 Jan 1915 UNEMPLOYED AT ZEEHAN Trove Mercury 9 January 1915 AERIAL ROPEWAY The Advocate Tasmania Tasmania Australia 6 February 1930 p 6 DAILY Retrieved 6 November 2016 via National Library of Australia CHUDLEIGH ZEEHAN RAILWAY Launceston Examiner Vol LI no 254 Tasmania Australia 26 October 1891 p 4 Retrieved 26 October 2022 via National Library of Australia TASMANIA Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners Advocate No 11 860 New South Wales Australia 31 October 1891 p 7 Retrieved 26 October 2022 via National Library of Australia The Chudleigh Railway Colonist Vol II no VI Tasmania Australia 9 February 1889 p 24 Retrieved 26 October 2022 via National Library of Australia a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a Unknown parameter workr ignored help a b c d e Quinlan Howard amp Newland John R 2000 Australian Railway Routes 1854 2000 Sydney Australian Railway Historical Society New South Wales Division ISBN 0 909650 49 7 a b c d e f Rae Lou 2005 The Abt Railway Tasmania s West Coast Wilderness Railway Sandy Bay Lou Rae ISBN 0 9592098 8 3 a b c Australian Railway Atlas Quail Map Company 2004 ISBN 1 898319 69 3 Rae Lou 1984 A History of Railways and Tramways on Tasmania s West Coast Sandy Bay Lou Rae ISBN 0 9592098 0 8 References editAubrey Ronald K 1975 A pictorial history of the railways amp tramways of Western Tasmania Hobart OBM Bookshop ISBN 0 9599034 1 0 Blainey Geoffrey 2000 The Peaks of Lyell 6th ed Hobart St David s Park Publishing ISBN 0 7246 2265 9 Branagan J G 1996 Bush Tram Ways and Private Railways of Tasmania c 1850 to c 1960 Launceston Regal Publications ISBN 978 0 949457 87 5 Whitham Charles 2003 Western Tasmania A land of riches and beauty Reprint 2003 ed Queenstown Municipality of Queenstown Whitham Lindsay 2002 Railways Mines Pubs and People and other historical research Sandy Bay Tasmanian Historical Research Association ISBN 0 909479 21 6 External links editListen to Michael Cannon s song 100 Miles Emu Bay about the building of the Emu Bay Railway on the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia s YouTube Channel Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Railways on the West Coast of Tasmania amp oldid 1216249306, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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