Blayney-Demondrille railway line, New South Wales

The Blayney-Demondrille railway line is a railway line in New South Wales, Australia. ["New South Wales Cross-Country Lines - Blayney - Harden" Clark, L.A. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, November, 1954 pp136-140] It is used mainly for grain haulage. The line is owned by the NSW government, however in 2004 the Australian Rail Track Corporation became responsible for operations over the line. [cite web | ARTC| work = ARTC | title = Final Tripartite Agreement| url=http://www.artc.com.au/docs/nswlease/pdf/Final_Tripartite_Agreement.pdfname=NSW:grenfell | accessdate = 2007-05-24 ] The Lachlan Valley Railway operates heritage and tourist trains over the line, based at Cowra. It previously also operated general goods trains.

Opening

Approval was given by the New South Wales Government in April, 1881 for the construction of the 'Blayney-Murrumburrah Railway'. It in fact connects the Main West line at Blayney with the Main South Line at Demondrille, and passes through the towns of Cowra and Young.

The section between Demondrille and Young opened on 26 March, 1885. The next section, from Young to Cowra (on the west side of the Lachlan River), saw the firs government operated train on 2 November, 1886, however the contractor operated trains from May, 1886. The bridge over the river was tested on 25 August, 1887 and the line opened to the current station site forthwith. The final section, from Cowra to Blayney opened in August, 1887.Citation
last1 = Ryan | first1 = Lawrence.
last2 = | first2 =
last3 = | first3 =
title = Lines to the Lachlan (Revised ed)
publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society NSW Division
date = 1993
year =
isbn = 0-909650 31 4 ]

Eugowra Branch

A railway line branched from Cowra and headed west to the small township of Eugowra. The line opened to Canowindra on 4 July, 1910 and to Eugowra on 11 December,1922. It mainly carried grain traffic, but also had a passenger service until 1974. Services are currently suspended and the line is in a poor state and is unlikely to reopen.

ee also

* Rail transport in New South Wales
* Lachlan Valley Railway

References