Ten Tunnels Deviation 1910, New South Wales

The Ten Tunnels Deviation is the section of track between Newnes Junction and Zig Zag Box in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales. It was constructed from 1908 to 1910.

The deviation was constructed to replace the Lithgow Zig Zag, which limited the length of goods trains over the Mountains. Construction started near Oakey Park Colliery on the 1 in 42 Bottom Road, which had already been duplicated in 1880. It eventually passed Bottom Points before entering a series of ten tunnels. Originally eleven were planned, but one of them was blown up instead leaving possibly the deepest cutting in New South Wales. The headquarters for the works was at nearby Clarence, where much of the navvies were temporarily housed. The tunnels were situated on a maximum grade of 1 in 50. After leaving the tunnels, the line curves towards Newnes Junction.

Newnes Junction also had to be moved to its current place, and two more tracks were also constructed for the Wolgan Valley Railway. When the deviation was completed, much of the equipment was moved to the other deviation works at Glenbrook, as well as the navvies. As a result, the population of Clarence declined rapidly. The deviation was electrified along with the rest of the line in 1957.

In 1978, the roadbed of the Ten Tunnels was lowered to allow the new double deck interurbans to run on the line. The deviation today is still in use.

References

*Conquering the Blue Mountains by Mark Langdon
*Full Steam Across the Mountains by Phil Belpin
*Sydney's Electric Trains by John Beckhaus