- Cowan Bank
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Contents
Overview
The Cowan Bank is a 8.6 km double-track section of standard gauge railway line between Cowan railway station 48.8 km north of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and Hawkesbury River railway station 57.4 km north of Sydney. It is part of the main north railway line between Sydney and Newcastle (168.1 km north of Sydney), one of the busiest rail corridors in Australia.
A down interurban train approaches Hawkesbury River station after descending the Cowan Bank
It has an average grade of 2.5% (1 in 40) rising from close to sea level at Hawkesbury River railway station to a height of 200m on the ridge top at Cowan railway station.
The Cowan Bank has 5 tunnels (of which 4 are still in use), no level or grade crossings and two road bridges. The line crosses under the Pacific Highway twice, once using a road bridge near Cowan station and again while passing through Boronia #1 tunnel. It crosses under the Sydney-Newcastle Expressway while passing through Boronia #2 tunnel. The line was built through very rugged and heavily forested terrain on the western edge of the Kuring-gai Chase National Park. Because of its isolated location there are very few places from where the track can be observed - sections of the Pacific Highway on the ridge between Cowan and the Hawkesbury River provide a few vantage points.
Bank engines were attached to the rear of trains at Hawkesbury River station to assist them in the climb and were detached at Cowan station. After assisting a train up the bank, the bank engine would usually return to Hawkesbury River station to await the next train. Bank engines are no longer used on the line.
Because of its long grade and proximity to locomotive manufacturing and maintenance facilities in both Sydney and Newcastle, the Cowan Bank is often used to test locomotives and power cars.
Cowan Bank Gauge: 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) Legend
to Newcastle 
57km Hawkesbury River railway station 
Brooklyn Road 
Boronia #5 (74m) (abandoned) 
55km Boronia #4 (74m) 54km Boronia #3 (141m) 
52km Boronia #2 (602m) 51km Boronia #1 (422m) Pacific Highway 49km Cowan railway station 
to Sydney † Diagram not to scale
Line History
Construction
The single track line between Cowan and Hawkesbury River stations was completed in 1887[1]. Five tunnels (Boronia #1 to Boronia #5) were built as double track tunnels but initially only a single track was laid through them[1]. The line was duplicated in stages between 1907 and 1909[1]. Boronia #5 tunnel was abandoned when the tracks were realigned during the duplication[1][2].
The line was electrified in 1959[1].
Bi-directional running was introduced in 1996 to allow faster up trains to use the adjacent down track to overtake slower freight trains climbing the bank. Track cross-overs were installed at Cowan railway station, between Boronia #1 and #2 tunnels, and just south of Hawkesbury River railway station.[3]
Loading Gauge
The Main Northern Line and Cowan Bank were built with a narrower loading gauge than the 10' 6" width adopted around 1910. This meant that tunnels had to be widened to accommodate rolling stock with larger width gauges such as the CityRail Intercity double deck EMUs. The narrower than usual space between adjacent tracks may have contributed to the 1974 side collision listed below.
Accidents
Five serious incidents have occurred to date on the Cowan bank.
- 21st June 1887 - an excursion train from Sydney ran out of control down the Bank and collided with freight wagons stored on a siding at Hawkesbury River railway station. 6 fatalities and 70 injured.
- 20th January 1944 - a local road bus stalled on the level crossing at Brooklyn Road and was hit by the north bound Kempsey mail train. 17 fatalities.
- 9th June 1948 - a rear end collision between the stationary Newcastle Flyer bound for Sydney, which had stalled on the bank, and the following Cessnock Express[1]. 43 passengers were injured.
- 6th November 1974 - a side collision between a CityRail Intercity electric train which was passing a freight train[1]. No injuries.
- 6th May 1990 - a rear end collision between a stationary passenger excursion train hauled by historic steam locomotive 3801, which had stalled between Boronia #2 and #3 tunnels, and the following CityRail Intercity electric train[1][4] . There were 6 fatalities, including the driver of the Intercity electric train, and 99 injured.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Historical Notes on Main Northern Railway", Australian Railway Historical Society (NSW Division) 2nd ed 1999
- ^ "Boronia #5 Tunnel". http://www.nswrail.net/locations/show.php?name=NSW:Boronia+No+5+Tunnel&line=NSW:main_north:0. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
- ^ "NSW Track and Signalling Diagrams", Australian Railway Historical Society (NSW Division)
- ^ "Rail Horror". Sydney Morning Herald. 06/May/1990. http://newsstore.smh.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&kw=3801&pb=smh&dt=selectRange&dr=entire&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=news900506_0166_7646. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
Links
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Categories:- Regional railway lines in New South Wales
- Standard gauge railways in Australia
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