Maryborough West railway station

Maryborough West Railway Station is a railway station on the North Coast Railway Line in Queensland. It is about 262 km from Roma Street railway station.^[1] It was built to replace Maryborough Railway Station, when the North Coast line was realigned. It connects to Hervey Bay via free Trainlink buses provided by QR. It is located about 10 km west of Maryborough, and is located in the Maryborough Railway System, consisting of a number of lines branching off the North Coast line.^[2]

History

The first sod for the railway line north of Gympie was turned in 1878, with pick and shovel gangs completing the project in three years.^[3] Maryborough railway station was built in 1882 when a branch into Maryborough was made as part of the North Coast Railway Line. Along with the station, the railway line that was built into Maryborough also serviced a number of industries, including the Mary River Wharf. It still services EDI Rail (formerly known as Walkers Limited) and Maryborough Railway Station, along with the yard, is used as a storage point for rolling stock before it is sent into service. An air raid shelter was built into the station during the Second World War for protection of the staff in case an air raid occurred.^[3] Following the realignment of the North Coast line and subsequent closure of the old Maryborough Station, the building fell into a state of disrepair. It was restored in the early 2000s.

North Coast railway line realignment

Following the realignment and upgrade of the North Coast railway line in the 90's, some stations on the North Coast line were either re-built in a different location or shut down completely. Maryborough West railway station was built to replace the old Maryborough railway station so as to make passenger trains able to continue in a straight line without having to follow a branch line.^[4] Maryborough West railway station was built with three passing tracks, a change from the standard two. Facing north, the station is on the far left track and the branch into Maryborough is on the far right track, with the middle track reserved for trains that are required to stop so that other trains can pass them, such as the Tilt Train. Maryborough West railway station retains a shunting locomotive.^[5]

Services

References