Marree | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 The former Marree railway station building, with an explanatory sign outside, in 2013 | ||||||||||||||||
| General information | ||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 29°23′S 138°02′E / 29.38°S 138.03°E | |||||||||||||||
| Operated by | South Australian Railways 1884–1926 Commonwealth Railways 1926–1975 Australian National 1975–1987 | |||||||||||||||
| Line(s) | Central Australia Railway, Marree railway line | |||||||||||||||
| Distance | 709 kilometres from Adelaide | |||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 (1 island) | |||||||||||||||
| Construction | ||||||||||||||||
| Structure type | Ground | |||||||||||||||
| Other information | ||||||||||||||||
| Status | Closed | |||||||||||||||
| History | ||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 7 February 1884 | |||||||||||||||
| Closed | 10 June 1987 | |||||||||||||||
| Rebuilt | 27 July 1957 | |||||||||||||||
| Previous names | Hergott Springs | |||||||||||||||
| Services | ||||||||||||||||
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Marree railway station was located on the Central Australia Railway, and later the Marree railway line serving the small South Australian outback town of Marree.
History
Early history
Marree station opened on 7 February 1884 at what was then known as Hergott Springs as the terminus of the Central Australia Railway when it was extended from Farina. The line was extended to Coward Springs on 1 February 1888. The town and railway station were renamed as Marree in 1917.[1][2] In 1891, the line was extended north to Oodnadatta, ultimately reaching Alice Springs in 1929.[3]
Conversion to dual gauge
On 27 July 1957, Marree became a dual-gauge junction station, when the extension of a heavy-duty standard gauge line was opened originally to convey coal from Telford Cut to Stirling North since the capacity of the flood-prone, lightly constructed narrow gauge line from Port Augusta was inadequate for tonnages required to serve the new Playford A Power Station near Port Augusta, though the extension to Marree was also justified because of the cattle traffic.[4]: 234 The narrow gauge line south of Marree remained operational for freight traffic until the standard gauge line was completed.[5] As part of the new standard gauge line, the station was rebuilt with a new brick station building similar to those at Copley and Telford, an island platform to serve SG trains on one side and NG trains on the other, and a goods shed and platform for standard gauge trains.
Decline and closure
The narrow gauge trains north of Marree ceased when a new standard gauge line opened from Tarcoola to Alice Springs in 1980, replacing the Central Australia Railway in its role as the line to Alice Springs. [6] This led to the cessation of regular passenger services to Marree, but passengers were still able to travel there via mixed goods trains until 1985 when the service was replaced with a goods only train. [7] A farewell train was operated to Marree using a set of Bluebird railcars on 9 May 1987. The line was officially closed on 10 June 1987 and removed in 1993. [1][8] [7]
Present day
The goods platform, passenger platform, and station building are intact with the station building preserved as a museum. Two NSU class locomotives and 2 wagons have been preserved at the station under the ownership of the Marree Progress Association, while another NSU is within the township, though it is for sale and in derelict condition.
References
- 1 2 Bromby, Robin (2004). The Railway Age in Australia. South Melbourne: Thomas Lothan. p. 64. ISBN 0 734407 15 7.
- ↑ Port Augusta to Marree Chris' Commonwealth Railways
- ↑ The Ghan South Australian History
- ↑ Fuller, Basil (1975). The Ghan: the story of the Alice Springs railway. Adelaide: Rigby. ISBN 0727000160.
- ↑ Hawker Railway Station Hawker Visitor Information Centre
- ↑ Good times on the Ghan, 90 years after its maiden journey Financial Review
- 1 2 FLINDERS RANGES HERITAGE SURVEY VOLUME 6 Department of Environment and Natural Resources
- ↑ Leigh Creek Coalfield line SA Track & Signal