Toronto railway line, New South Wales

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Toronto Branch Railway Line is a closed railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The line opened in 1891,^[1] and branched off the Main Northern line at Fassifern station, crossing over a single lane tunnel on Fassifern Road, and following the shore of Fennell Bay to Blackalls Park. The Toronto end of the line is located close to the shore of Toronto Bay.

Horse drawn carriages were first to run along the branch line. A variety of steam engines also ran along the line during its operation, including a Coffee Pot engine, and the Prince of Wales travelled to Toronto by train on 24 June 1920.

Passenger services operated over the line, generally as a shuttle service between Fassifern and Toronto, but through services to Newcastle also operated. Services in 1989 were operated by 620/720 class diesel railcars, and operated as frequently as every 20 minutes.^[2] The line was not included in the Wyong- Newcastle electrification project completed in 1984, which probably sealed its fate, as it was controversially closed in 1990 despite local opposition, with a privately operated bus service replacing the train. Following closure, a cycleway called the Toronto Greenway was constructed along the line. Most of the cycleway was constructed alongside the railway line in case the line is ever to be reopened.

[edit] List of Stations

• Fassifern
• Blackalls Park
• Fennells Platform
• Bowers Platform
• Toronto

Looking north along line with cycleway in background. Near the end of Narara Street, Fassifern

Looking east across the intersection of the cycleway near the end of Narara Street, Fassifern. The overgrown railway line and Fennell Bay are in background

Toronto Station

Toronto branch platform at Fassifern railway station

[edit] References

v • d • e Railway Lines in New South Wales Main lines Broken Hill Line · Main North Line · Main South Line · Main West Line · North Coast Line · South Coast Line   Country Branch lines Berrima Line • Binnaway-Werris Creek Line • Blayney-Demondrille Line • Boggabilla Branch • Bombala Line • Canberra Branch • Cobar Branch • Coonamble Branch • Grenfell Branch • Gwabegar Line • Hay Branch • Lake Cargelligo Branch • Medway Quarry Branch • Mungindi Line • Naradhan Branch • Newcastle branch • Oaklands Branch • Parkes to Narromine Line • Picton Loop Line • Pokataroo Branch • Sandy Hollow - Gulgong Line • South Maitland Railway • Stockinbingal - Parkes Line • Temora to Roto Line • Tottenham Branch • Troy Junction - Merrygoen Line • Unanderra - Moss Vale Line • Walgett Branch • Warren Branch • Yanco - Griffith Line Closed: Ballina line • Barraba line • Belmont line • Boorowa branch • Brewarrina Line • Burcher Branch • Camden Branch • Captains Flat Branch • Corowa Branch • Crookwell line • Dorrigo Line • Holbrook Branch • Kunama (Batlow) Branch • Kywong Branch • Merriwa line • Molong to Dubbo line • Murwillumbah Branch • Newnes line • Oberon Line • Rand Branch • Rankins Springs Branch • Richmond Vale Railway • Taralga Branch • Toronto Line • Tumbarumba Line • Tumut Branch • Westby Branch   Sydney Suburban lines Airport & East Hills Line • Bankstown Line • Carlingford Line • City Circle • Cumberland Line • Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line (Cronulla Line, Eastern Suburbs Line) • Inner West Line • North Shore Line • Northern Line • Olympic Park Line • South Line • Western Line (Richmond Line) Closed: Camden Line • Ropes Creek Line • Royal National Park Line • Rogans Hill Line   InterCity and Regional Passenger Services Blue Mountains Line • Hunter Lines • Newcastle & Central Coast Line • South Coast Line • Southern Highlands Line   Proposed or Under Construction CBD Rail Link • Epping to Chatswood Line • North West Rail Link • South West Rail Link   Tourist railways Richmond Vale Railway • Skitube • Zig Zag Railway   Sydney goods lines Metropolitan Goods Line • Sandown Line • Southern Sydney Freight Line