Railways on the West Coast of Tasmania

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please improve this article if you can. (March 2007)

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. The Mount Lyell rack railway which has an Abt rack system, the presence of the world's first Garratt 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.

The haulage railways occurred at Mount Read, and at the Mount Lyell mining lease - and they were both significant in their use in moving both people and metal ore.

A number of proposed railway lines that were proposed in the late nineteenth century, and early twentieth century - but never appeared - are not 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

[edit] Railways and Tramways

Most lines were 3' 6" gauge, or 2' gauge. 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 exist in mining leases and forest areas.

[edit] West Coast Railways Timeline

  • 04.02.1892 Strahan to Zeehan line opened
  • 25.04.1892 Zeehan to Mt Dundas line opened
  • 18.03.1897 Mt Lyell ine to Teepookana opened
  • 01.11.1899 Mt Lyell line to Regatta Point opened
  • 15.12.1900 North Mt Lyell line opened
  • 21.12.1900 Emu Bay line to Zeehan opened
  • 03.12.1901 Magnet Tramway opened
  • 26.11.1902 North Mt Farrell tramway opened
  • 05.07.1932 Mt Dundas and N.E. Dundas lines closed
  • 08.07.1933 Comstock Tram closed
  • 04.06.1960 Strahan-Zeehan line closed
  • 22.12.1961 Tullah Tram closed
  • 10.08.1963 Mount Lyell line closed
  • 27.12.2002 Mount Lyell line re-opened - as West Coast Wilderness Railway

[edit] Dispersal of Rolling Stock

Following closing of various lines, engines and carriages were often re-located on other working railways. Ex Mt Lyell passenger stock can be found on the Puffing Billy Railway in Victoria, while by serendipity 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 kept 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.

[edit] Glossary of Alternative names

  • 'Abt Railway' - section of the Mount Lyell Railway
  • 'Maestris Tramway'
  • 'Wee Georgie Wood Railway' = North Mount Farrell Tramway
  • 'West Coast Wilderness Railway'- Mount Lyell Railway

[edit] Further reading

2003 edition - Queenstown: Municipality of Queenstown.
1949 edition - Hobart: Davies Brothers. OCLC 48825404; ASIN B000FMPZ80
1924 edition - Queenstown: Mount Lyell Tourist Association. OCLC 35070001; ASIN B0008BM4XC
  • Whitham, Lindsay (2002). Railways, Mines, Pubs and People and other historical research. Sandy Bay: Tasmanian Historical Research Association. ISBN 0-909479-21-6. 


[edit] ARHS Journal articles

  • Thomas, C.B (1943) Railways of the West Coast ARHS Journal (Old), No. 64, Feb 1943; pp 15–18 and continued - Bn 65 Mar 1943 pp 33–34, Bn 66 Apr 1943 pp 48–50, Bn 67 May 1943 pp 64–67, Bn 66 Jun 1943 pp 74–76, Bn 69 Jul 1943 pp 5–6, Bn 70 Aug 1943 pp 22–25, Bn 71 Sep 1943 pp 40–42, Bn 72 Oct 1943 p 53, Bn 73 Nov 1943 pp 69–70, and Bn 75 Jan 1944 pp 7–9. Additional information from LG Poole appears in Bn 65 Mar 1943 p 42 and Bn 70 Aug 1943 p 19.