Wilmington railway line

The Wilmington railway line was a railway line on the South Australian Railways network. It opened from Gladstone to Laura on 2 June 1884.[2] It was extended from Laura to Booleroo Centre on 13 April 1910,[3] and to Wilmington on 20 July 1915.[4][5]

Not to be confused with Wilmington/Newark Line.

Wilmington railway line
Overview
StatusClosed
LocaleMid North, South Australia
Termini
Continues fromHamley Bridge-Gladstone line
Service
SystemSouth Australian Railways
Operator(s)South Australian Railways
Australian National
History
OpenedGladstone-Laura: 2 June 1884
Laura-Booleroo Centre: 13 April 1910
Booleroo Centre-Wilmington: 20 July 1915
Closed14 March 1990
Technical
Line length87.5 km (54.4 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Route map

 Wilmington
 Terka
 Melrose
 Perroomba
 Booleroo Centre
 Yandiah
 Wirrabara
 Stone Hut
 Laura
to Broken Hill
 Gladstone
Crystal Brook–Broken Hill line
to Crystal Brook
Hamley Bridge–Gladstone line
to Hamley Bridge & Adelaide
broad gauge
standard gauge
3 ft 6 in narrow gauge
[1]

There were proposals to extend the line towards Port Augusta either through Horrocks Pass or via Quorn,[6] but neither plan was acted upon.

With the conversion of the Port Pirie to Broken Hill line from narrow to standard gauge in 1969, the line became an isolated narrow gauge railway. Passenger services ceased at this time,[7] with the line formally closed on 13 March 1990.[5][8]

References
  1. South Australia. Chief Engineer for Railways; Vaughan, A. (Alfred); South Australia. Surveyor-General's Office (1910), Map shewing lines of railways in South Australia, Novr. 1910, Surveyor General's Office, retrieved 1 December 2015
  2. "Gladstone and Laura Railway". Adelaide Observer. Vol. XLI, no. 2227. South Australia. 7 June 1884. p. 33. Retrieved 27 February 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Laura-Booleroo Centre Railway". Mount Barker Courier And Onkaparinga And Gumeracha Advertiser. Vol. 30, no. 1539. South Australia. 15 April 1910. p. 2. Retrieved 27 February 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "A New Railway". The Advertiser. Vol. LVIII, no. 17, 712. South Australia. 22 July 1915. p. 10. Retrieved 27 February 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. Quinlan, Howard; Newland, John (2000). Australian Railway Routes 1854 - 2000. Redfern: Australian Railway Historical Society. p. 58. ISBN 0-909650-49-7.
  6. "Continuation of Wilmington Railway". Transcontinental. 1 May 1915. p. 7. Retrieved 27 February 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. G F Vincent. "South Australia's Mixed Gauge Muddle" (PDF). National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide. pp. 8–10. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  8. "Gladstone's Railway History". Gladstone, Southern Flinders Ranges, SA. August 2009. Retrieved 27 February 2016.

Further reading
  • Evands, John (2010). Proceed to Wilmington. Elizabeth: Railmac Publications. ISBN 9781864770711.
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