- Boggabilla railway line
-
The Boggabilla railway line is a partly closed railway line in New South Wales, Australia. It branches from the Moree to Mungindi line at Camurra.
Locomotive 3228T arrives at Crooble on 5 October 1959 with a Goods Train as the Railmotor service from Boggabilla waits patiently
Contents
Construction
When the line was first approved, few could have envisaged the development of grain production after the 1940s in the area. It was mainly grazing country then. The Boggabilla line was authorised mainly to ensure that the output of graziers in the area went south through New South Wales ports rather than north, across the border, to Queensland.
The line involved only light earthworks, but did include a number of watercourses to be crossed. By mid-1928, clearing had been completed to the 23-mile point and work steadily continued until 1930 when due to a shortage of funds, work closed down for six months.[1]
Opening
The line was eventually opened throughout on 20 June 1932[2]
Traffic
Upon opening, the train service comprised a twice weekly mixed train running from Moree to Boggabilla on Mondays and Fridays, returning the following day. From 24 February 1936, a weekly railmotor service was introduced. This was later increased to thrice weekly, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. These railmotor services were daily return from Moree. Additionally, goods trains operated as well.
Bulk wheat storage at locations along the line first appeared in 1956 bringing additional traffic to the line. 48 class diesel locomotives first appeared in 1959, speeding up the movement of grain and other freight.
Passenger services came to an abrupt halt on 3 August 1974, when the railmotor service was cancelled in the name of the then current fuel crisis. Goods services also diminished at this time, being replaced by road trucks working out of Moree.
By 1978, rail services were largely worked on a seasonal basis, hauling wheat, and an occasional train to Boggabilla to collect sleepers milled locally.[1]
Demise
Since the 1970s, the lines radiating out of Moree have been basically on a seasonal basis only, serving the needs of the grain producers. The Stationmaster at Boggabilla was withdrawn in 1979. In 1987, the line was truncated at North Star and grain was road trucked to the silos there and at Crooble. The last train to run to Boggabilla was on 23 November 1987.[1]
The line may be reused as part of a proposed new Melbourne to Brisbane inland rail corridor.
See also
References
- ^ a b c The Boggabilla Branch Milne, Rod Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, February, 1993 pp27-47
- ^ Bozier, Rolfe; et al.. "Boggabilla Branch Line". NSWrail.net. http://www.nswrail.net/lines/show.php?name=NSW:bogabilla. Retrieved 2007-05-07.
Railway Lines in New South Wales 
Main lines Broken Hill Line · Main North Line · Main South Line · Main West Line · North Coast Line · South Coast Line
Country branch lines Berrima Line • Binnaway-Werris Creek Line • Blayney-Demondrille Line • Boggabilla Branch • Bombala Line • Canberra Branch • Cobar Branch • Coonamble Branch • Grenfell Branch • Gwabegar Line • Hay Branch • Lake Cargelligo Branch • Medway Quarry Branch • Mungindi Line • Naradhan Branch • Newcastle branch • Oaklands Branch • Parkes to Narromine Line • Picton - Mittagong loop • Pokataroo Branch • Sandy Hollow - Gulgong Line • South Maitland Railway • Stockinbingal - Parkes Line • Temora to Roto Line • Tottenham Branch • Troy Junction - Merrygoen Line • Unanderra - Moss Vale Line • Walgett Branch • Warren Branch • Yanco - Griffith Line
Closed: Ballina line • Barraba line • Belmont line • Boorowa branch • Brewarrina Line • Burcher Branch • Camden Branch • Captains Flat Branch • Corowa Branch • Crookwell line • Dorrigo Line • Eugowra branch • Holbrook Branch • Kunama (Batlow) Branch • Kywong Branch • Merriwa line • Molong to Dubbo line • Morpeth line • Mount Hope line • Murwillumbah Branch • Newnes line • Oberon Line • Rand Branch • Rankins Springs Branch • Richmond Vale Railway • Taralga Branch • Tocumwal line • Toronto Line • Tumbarumba Line • Tumut Branch •Wallsend Branch • Westby Branch
Sydney lines Main Suburban Line • City Circle
Airport Line • Bankstown Line • Carlingford Line • Cumberland Line • Cronulla Line • Eastern Suburbs Line • East Hills Line • Epping to Chatswood Line • Illawarra Line • Inner West Line • North Shore Line • Northern Line • Olympic Park Line • Richmond Line • South Line • Western Line
Goods only: Metropolitan Goods Line • Southern Sydney Freight Line
Closed: Camden Line • Kurrajong Line • Rogans Hill Line • Ropes Creek Line • Royal National Park Line • Sandown Line
Interurban and regional passenger services Blue Mountains Line • Hunter Lines • Newcastle & Central Coast Line • South Coast Line • Southern Highlands Line
Proposed or under construction Tourist & heritage railways Glenreagh Mountain Railway • Lachlan Valley Railway • Richmond Vale Railway • Skitube • Zig Zag Railway
Categories:- Regional railway lines in New South Wales
- Standard gauge railways in Australia
- New South Wales rail transport stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
