Work commenced on the Sydney end of the Main West Line near Parramatta in 1860 and by 1876 the line had reached Bathurst. By 1885 it had been extended all the way to Bourke.
The first section of the Mudgee Branch Line was opened off the Main West Line at Wallerawang. This Wallerawang to Capertee section became operational in 1882, followed by the Capertee to Mudgee section (on which Kandos is located) in 1884. Over the subsequent 39 years the line eventually was extended to Gwabegar.
As well as passenger services, this branch line featured many lime, cement, coal and kerosene-shale processing facilities which primarily used rail transport, but gradually most closed and many lower output operations moved to road transport. Limited passenger services ceased in 1982 and by 2010 the only rail users were Kandos Cement Works and the collieries at Baal Bone, Charbon and the recently opened Airly.
The line beyond Kandos railway station to Mudgee was closed in 1992 but reopened in 1999 after several million dollars of ‘political’ restoration work, only to close again in 2006 due to lack of rail traffic. In 2011, Australian Cement announced the closure of the Kandos Cement Works which had opened back in 1914, and Charbon Junction became the end of the Mudgee Branch Line.
The short section of track from Charbon Junction to Kandos station was opened for the day on the 20th of October 2012 for a special heritage train service which also celebrated Goodwin Alco locomotive 4501 and 4486, from Central to Kandos and return.
Approximate run time: 99 minutes.