Ongerup Branch Railway

A 94 km branch line to Ongerup from Tambellup on the Great Southern Railway main line between Perth and Albany was opened on 6 January 1913 to serve the growing agriculture industry and closed on 13 October 1957.[1] It was authorised for construction under the Tambellup-Ongerup Railway Act 1911.[2] [3]

A timetable from 1937 shows 2 trains per week leaving Ongerup on Tuesdays at 06:55 and Fridays at 04:00. Lengthy connections of around 12 hours were available at Katanning for Perth, arriving approximately 30 hours after leaving Ongerup.[4]. In 1918 a barracks was constructed on Eldridge Street for railway workers based in Ongerup. The building survived the closure of the railway and now houses the Ongerup / Needilup District Museum that was opened in 1978.

The line went via Tambellup, Dartnall, Toolbrunup, Pallinup, Gnowangerup, Formby, Kebaringup, Borden, Laurier, Toompup and finally Ongerup.[4] Borden and Laurier came into being as sidings on the new railway in 1912.[5] Water supply for the trains was provided at Formby[6]

Notes

  1. ^ The Ongerup Branch Milne, Rod Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, May, 2002 pp163-170
  2. ^ Tambellup-Ongerup Railway Act 1911 (State Law Publisher) p91 Act was no 11 of 1911 and also has reference 1911-1 Geo V No 22
  3. ^ Gnowangerup-Ongerup - builder Vincent Brothers, contract let 19.9.1911, line opened 6.1.1913 - in table Construction of the W.A Government Railways network, 1879-1931 - page 210 - in Gunzburg, Adrian and Austin, Jeff (2008) Rails through the Bush: Timber and Firewood Tramways and Railway Contractors of Western Australia Perth, W.A. Rail Heritage WA. ISBN 978-0-9803922-2-7
  4. ^ a b Western Australian Government Railways Timetables from 10th May, 1937 Until Further Notice Australian Association of Timetable Collectors - June 2000 newsletter page 9.
  5. ^ History of country town names - B Borden entry Landgate
  6. ^ Enquiries. Land for the Formby Water Supply Catchment Area for Tambellup - Ongerup Railway. BMA, WAWA 1915/0669 v1 State Records Office of Western Australia