Railways on the West Coast of Tasmania

The history of the Railways on the West Coast of Tasmania has fascinated enthusiasts from around the world, because of the combination of the harsh terrain in which the railways were created, and the unique nature of most of the lines. The Mount Lyell rack railway which has an Abt rack system, the presence of the world's first Garratt locomotive on the North East Dundas Tramway, and the collection of narrow-gauge lines as the only links to the outside world for a number of the communities for over fifty years.

The haulage railways occurred at Mount Read, and at the Mount Lyell mining lease - and they were both significant in their use in moving both people and metal ore.

A number of proposed railway lines that were proposed in the late nineteenth century, and early twentieth century - but never appeared - are not listed here.

The main mining towns during their boom times were connected with the outside world by railway as the main form of transport into their communities and also out to the outside world.

Railways and Tramways

Most lines were 3' 6" (1067mm) gauge, or 2'0" (610mm) gauge. The following list is of most of the significant named lines but it is not a complete list. There have also been haulage lines, and other tramlines within small areas that exist in mining leases and forest areas.

* Comstock Tramway, Zeehan
** Zeehan to Comstock - 610mm
* Comstock Tramway, Mount Lyell
** Queenstown to Comstock Mine - 610mm
* Emu Bay Railway
** Burnie to Zeehan - 1067mm
* Lake Margaret Tram
** Howards Plains to Lake Margaret power station and community - 610mm
* Macquarie Heads Breakwater Railway
** The main access between Cape Sorell lighthouse and the local jetty and wharf
* Magnet Tramway
** Magnet Junction to Magnet Mine - 610mm
* Mount Dundas- Zeehan Railway
** Zeehan to Maestris 1067mm
* Mount Lyell Haulage
** Howards Plains to Queenstown - 610mm
* Mount Lyell Quarry Railway
** 610mm
* Mount Lyell Underground Railway
** 610mm
* Mount Read Haulage
** Williamsford to Mount Read - 610mm
* North Mount Farrell Tramway
** Farrell Siding to Tullah - 610mm
* North Mount Lyell Railway
** Gormanston and Linda to Pillinger/Kelly Basin - 1067mm
* North East Dundas Tramway
** Zeehan to Williamsford - 610mm
* Strahan-Zeehan Railway
** Regatta Point to Zeehan - 1067mm
* West Coast Wilderness Railway - Formerly Mount Lyell Railway
** Queenstown to Regatta Point - 1067mm (Abt)

West Coast Railways Timeline

* 04.02.1892 Strahan to Zeehan line opened "Australian Railway Routes 1854-2000" Quinlan, Howard & Newland, John R. Australian Railway Historical Society New South Wales Division 2000 ISBN 0-909650-49-7]
* 25.04.1892 Zeehan to Mt Dundas line opened
* 18.03.1897 Mt Lyell line to Teepookana openedcite book| author=Rae, Lou|title=The Abt Railway Tasmania's West Coast Wilderness Railway | publisher=Lou Rae | location=Sandy Bay| year=2005| id=ISBN 0-9592098-8-3]
* 01.11.1899 Mt Lyell line to Regatta Point opened
* 15.12.1900 North Mt Lyell line opened
* 21.12.1900 Emu Bay line Guildford Junction to Zeehan opened
* 23.01.1902 Magnet Tramway opened "Australian Railway Atlas" Quail Map Company 2004 ISBN 1-898319-69-3]
* 26.11.1902 North Mt Farrell tramway openedcite book| author=Rae, Lou|title=A History of Railways and Tramways on Tasmania's West Coast | publisher=Lou Rae | location=Sandy Bay| year=1984| id=ISBN 0-9592098-0-8]
* 05.07.1932 Mt Dundas and North East Dundas lines closed
* 08.10.1933 Comstock Tram closed
* 02.06.1960 Strahan-Zeehan line closed
* 22.12.1961 Tullah Tram closed
* 10.08.1963 Mount Lyell line closed
* 27.12.2002 First day of operation of rebuilt Mount Lyell line
* 03.04.2003 Official opening of Mount Lyell line as West Coast Wilderness Railway

Dispersal of Rolling Stock

Following closing of various lines, engines and carriages were often re-located on other working railways. Ex Mt Lyell passenger stock can be found on the Puffing Billy Railway in Victoria, while by serendipity the West Coast Wilderness Railway has seen the return of reconditioned engines that used to work on the original Mount Lyell lines. A number of steam engines are held at the West Coast Pioneers Museum in Zeehan.

Following the closures of most railways in the early 1960s, rolling stock was dispersed but engines were fortuitously kept on the west coast, in most cases at the museum in Zeehan. Some of these have returned to service on the West Coast Wilderness Railway.

Further reading

*
*
*
*
*: 2003 edition - Queenstown: Municipality of Queenstown. :1949 edition - Hobart: Davies Brothers. OCLC|48825404; ASIN [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FMPZ80 B000FMPZ80] :1924 edition - Queenstown: Mount Lyell Tourist Association. OCLC|35070001; ASIN [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0008BM4XC B0008BM4XC]
*

Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin articles

See reference:- [Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin]
* Thomas, C.B "Railways of the West Coast" February to June, 1943 pp 15–18; pp 33–34; pp 48–50; pp 64–67; pp 74–76;July to December, 1943 pp 5–6; pp 22–25; pp 40–42; p 53; pp 69–70, January, 1944 pp 7–9.
* Additional information from LG Poole appears in issue March, 1943 p 42 and issue August, 1943 p 19.

References