The presentation The Short North Line Pt1 covered passenger and freight operations between Sydney and Hawkesbury River, with a small review of the originating and terminating depots for this traffic. The presentation, The Short North Line Pt2, continues the journey north from Hawkesbury River to Broadmeadow, reviewing junctions off the main line, including Wondabyne Quarry, Vales Point, Eraring, Newstan (near Fassifern), Teralba (near Cockle Creek), Sulphide Junction and Broadmeadow Goods Yard.
The main line from Sydney reached Hawkesbury River in 1887. Independently, the Great Northern Railway, (conceived as an independent enterprise, headquartered in Newcastle and, like Sydney railway enterprise, taken over by the NSW government after it got into financial difficulties), developed trackage to their south, opening up from Islington Junction (a kilometre or so on what is now the ‘down’ side of Broadmeadow) to Gosford in 1887 followed by Gosford to Mullet Creek in 1888. The completion of the first Hawkesbury River railway bridge (by the Union Bridge Co of Cleveland Ohio USA) in 1889 finally provided through running between Sydney and Broadmeadow/Newcastle.
We start our journey on Hawkesbury River station platform and work our way north to Broadmeadow, viewing passenger and freight operations on both the ‘down’ and ‘up’. Locomotive types seen include 18, 421, 422, 423, 44, 442 (JL), 48, 600, 81, 82, AN, BL, C, DL, CLF/P, EL, G, GL and NR Classes in the liveries of ARG, Australian National, CFCLA, Freight Corp, Interail, National Rail, Pacific National, SCT, Silverton and Southern & Silverton while passenger rolling stock includes Endeavours, Explorers, Interurban, Oscars, Suburban (diesel and electric) and XPTs in the colours of CityRail and CountryLink.
Approximate run time: 90 minutes.