Sandy Creek/Sandy Hollow railway line, NSW

railnut · Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 4:54 pm

I am wondering if anyone has any information on this line. Only part of it happened. They built the permant way and no track. It has a tunnel on the line which is approx 1 mile 3/4 long, made out of dirt. Apparently it used to feature in motor shows 30 years ago because it made a good test track for cars. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Railnut

johnboy · Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 6:56 pm

It has been a fully operational line since 1985, mainly coal from Ulan mines and the Cobar Ore train once per day. It was mostly constructed some years before and work was stopped for many decades. The Ulan road ran through one of the tunnels (Coxs Gap Number 1) which is over 700metres long. But it is a straight tunnel and you could see if any cars were coming before you entered.

There was another section from Gulgong - Mary Vale which was never completed.

Rolf has some info here:
http://www.nswrail.net/lines/sandy_hollow_gulgong/index.html

nosecone · Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 7:55 pm

The Man in Blue · Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 10:17 pm

colinw · Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2006 9:20 am

Is the still abandoned #5 at spicers gap a complete tunnel, or unfinished?

Restarting the work on the #3 when the line was completed must have been quite a challenge, as it looks like it was in quite a bad state with flooding, etc.

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johnboy · Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2006 10:17 am

No 5 was left as it is. I belive only one side portal was completed and I dont believe that it was broken thru. It's on private property so it's hard to find out. Tunnels 1, 2 and 4 were all lined and completed earlier. 3 was completed in the early 80s.

The Man in Blue · Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2006 8:25 pm

johnboy · Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2006 8:40 pm

The Man in Blue · Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2006 8:14 am

The Man in Blue · Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2006 8:32 am

OK, just to prove the point, below is a photo of the other portal of No5

Also an interior shot,

And the relics outside the tunnel,

The tunnel is east of this landmark on the Wellington to gulgong road and west of the little town of Spicers Creek

HAPPY ARCHAEOLOGY !

SAVE EVELEIGH! Once the largest industrial complex in Australia. The Smithsonian Institute described Eveleigh as “the most important historic railway workshops remaining in the world

johnboy · Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2006 1:44 pm

All clear now, Thanks for that!

railnut · Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 9:04 pm

Many thanks for all of your information.

Railnut

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7334 · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 6:55 am

This is stretching the memory a bit but there was a documentary made years ago about the Sandy Hollow to Maryvale "ghost" railway. This was some years before the Ulan mine was mooted and there was finally a reason to build the eastern end of the railway.

I think this was made by channel 2 and was hosted by Bill Peach but I might well be wrong there as it has to be at least thirty or so years ago.

The scene I most remember was an aerial shot of the western end of Wollar Gap tunnel complete but obviously no track. The formation kind of dove into the otherwise flat ground in a steadily deepening cutting until it disappeared into the tunnel.

I think the show also featured partly built stations and bridges. The bridges were finished for the railway and what remained of the stations was demolished.

In the Gulgong to Maryvale section none of this occurred and the scene remains pretty much as I imagine it was left in the early fifties.

Not far out of Gulgong there are two steel plate girder bridges complete but for track.

Near Goolma there is what would have been a rail underbridge over the road. The two abutments are in place with the embankments leading to them but no bridge span over the road.

Somewhere further west (and I cannot remember where but it is well off the beaten track) there is a rail cutting with what would have been a road bridge over it. Abutments, steel girders, but no deck.

Nearer to Maryvale there are the remains of a station platform in the middle of a wheat paddock. At Maryvale you can see where there was to be a triangle junction with the existing line.

If you want to trace the line it is worth investing in three maps from the CMA. The ones you want are in the 1:50000 series named GULGONG, GOOLMA, and GEURIE. These show the old line as an abandoned railway but make it easy to work out where to go. You can get them at the Lands Building in Bridge St Sydney.

I did this probably ten years ago. If anyone else does so then good luck, it is worth the effort.

Regards,

7334

The Man in Blue · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:45 am

nosecone · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:56 am