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Bathurst
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| CountryLink Western | |
| Station code | BHS |
| Town | Bathurst |
| Street(s) | Keppel Street |
| Distance from Central Station | 239.900 km |
| Station Altitude (above sea level) | ? m |
| Types of stopping trains | CountryLink XPT CountryLink Xplorer |
| Number of platforms | 2 (1 in use) |
| Number of tracks | 2 |
| Platform arrangement | 2 Side |
| Type of station | Ground |
| Transfers available | Bus |
| Disabled access | Yes |
Bathurst Railway Station is a regional railway station on Main Western Line. It serves the city of Bathurst and its surrounding area in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. The station is served by CountryLink trains for its Western Region, and is also the most westerly point of the ticketed CityRail network, being served by a regional bus route that connects to CityRail's Blue Mountains Line.
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The Great Western Railway (now the Main Western Line) was opened as far as Bathurst on April 4, 1876 by the then Governor of New South Wales, Sir Hercules Robinson. Tenders for the Railway Station buildings were called in 1875, and the Victorian Tudor style building in Keppel Street opened on the day the railway line arrived.[1] Along with the station building a goods shed, Divisional Engineers office, and a grand two story Station Masters residence were also completed in 1876[2]. Gas lighting was installed to the station and the adjoining Station Master's residence in 1882.[3] Other early buildings and structures included a Stores office (c1876), coal stage (relocated from Raglan in 1877), new coal stage (1878), blacksmith’s shop (1878-1879), turntable (relocated from Rydal in 1879), enginemens depot (1879), engine shed (1881) and the West signal box (1885)
During the 1880s the Railway Commission in New South Wales built workshops on the land adjoining the station. This started a large railway workers' community and a Rail Institute, which made many jobs available and drew thousands of workers to Bathurst. In the early years of the 20th century, Ben Chifley, later Prime Minister of Australia, attended night school and extension classes there. Union meetings Chifley attended at the Institute helped to shape his Labour convictions.[3]
Many changes and additions were made to the Bathurst rail yards in the late 19th century and 20th century, examples of which include the original stockyards (c1900), a wagon repair shed (1891), a new turntable (1897), platform lengthened (1897), waiting shed erected on the Down platform (1902), Down platform extended and widened (1911), line duplicated (1915) elevated coal storage (1916), refreshment room (1917), new T6 trucking yards (1927), and an additional signal box (East Box) in 1944[2].
Following WWII (between 1945 and 1960) there were as many as 500 railway workers working at Bathurst station and yard. By the 1970s, changes in freight transportation trends and the move from steam to diesel locomotives resulted in the redundancy of many buildings and former functions on site and the rationalisation of many structures[2]. The refreshment room closed in 1968 and The Railway Institute in 1975[2].
The station has two tracks, but only one operating platform. CountryLink trains stop on the same track at Bathurst station, which is the closest to the station entrance. Another now disused platform, sits on the other side of the tracks, connected by an underground subway which is not open to the public.
The station is wheelchair accessible, and also has an indoor waiting room and a CountryLink Travel Centre, which is open weekdays from 8am to 5pm. There are seats on the platform, and at the front of the station opposite the bus bay. The station has a small parking area with about twenty parking spaces, and a taxi rank.
The station is usually only serviced by CountryLink trains. CountryLink's Dubbo XPT stops daily at Bathurst, heading to Dubbo in the morning, and to Sydney in the late afternoon. The Dubbo XPT travels from Sydney to Dubbo via Katoomba, Lithgow, Orange and stations in between. The Broken Hill Explorer stops at Bathurst weekly, on Monday morning when travelling to Broken Hill and Tuesday evening when travelling to Sydney.[4] The Indian Pacific train services the station twice a week - heading to Adelaide on Wednesday and Saturday evenings, and heading to Sydney on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
Platform 1
CountryLink bus services run daily between Lithgow and Bathurst, to provide a reliable link for the lack of rail services. There are six bus services on weekdays, three bus services on Saturdays and two bus services on Sundays in both directions. Most of these bus services connect with CityRail's interurban rail services to Sydney on the Blue Mountains line.[5] CountryLink buses pick up and set down in a marked bus bay outside Bathurst station.
A place must be booked on CountryLink bus services, at the cost of a CityRail fare. Tickets can be purchased from CityRail stations. Some bus services also stop at Wallerawang, Mount Lambie, Meadow Flats, Yetholme, Raglan and Kelso. Some of these bus services require notification that a passenger needs to stop between Lithgow and Bathurst, or it will not stop.
Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Bathurt_Railway_Station Bathurt Railway Station] at Wikimedia Commons
| Preceding station | CountryLink | Following station | ||
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towards Dubbo
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CountryLink Western
Dubbo XPT
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towards Sydney
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| CountryLink Western
Broken Hill Outback Xplorer
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towards Sydney
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| Preceding station | Great Southern Railway | Following station | ||
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towards East Perth
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Indian Pacific |
towards Sydney
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