Surprised this slipped through the news, but as of 31st May Aurizon pulled the last of their maintenance crews from Avon, leaving only a handful of Brookfield people (train controllers and track personnel) and a small Watco presence.

Effectively Avon has closed as a locomotive and wagon depot, after opening on the 14th February 1966 as a major part of the standard gauge project. Now it is nothing more than a storage point for Aurizon rolling stock and a standard gauge CBH loading facility ( the narrow gauge long being out of use ).

I remember in the early '90s Avon being one of the biggest and busiest yards in the state. All gone now

What a sad state for WA rail

Surprised this slipped through the news, but as of 31st May Aurizon pulled the last of their maintenance crews from Avon, leaving only a handful of Brookfield people (train controllers and track personnel) and a small Watco presence.

Effectively Avon has closed as a locomotive and wagon depot, after opening on the 14th February 1966 as a major part of the standard gauge project. Now it is nothing more than a storage point for Aurizon rolling stock and a standard gauge CBH loading facility ( the narrow gauge long being out of use ).

I remember in the early '90s Avon being one of the biggest and busiest yards in the state. All gone now

Would CBH be looking for some place to service their Locomotives and rolling stock. It could be the opportunity that they have been looking forward to.As at the moment most servicing is done on side of the track. In Albany only ex QRN locomotives are being serviced in the Depot

Aurizon own all the track within Avon Yard, with the exception of the running lines and the CBH sidings. There is no way that they will ever allow Watco/CBH access to any of the yard or facilities in Avon Yard.

Besides, it's possible that with the end of RailExpress, Aurizon may be in a position to pick up grain haulage for other exprters now. I understand they had a couple of contracts close to being signed about 12 months ago, just waiting on an ACCC decision on Rail Express.

Watco already occupies  a large section of the Avon yard

Sorry, you're right. They have access to a small section for servicing and repairing near the east road entrance. Hardly a large section though.

Someone told me today that rail used to cart fuel up there, but now goes by road.

from where to where?

and this went via avon yard?

I came up in a conversation about Avon yard, but she mentioned the fuel depot was on the other side of town.

yep. at east northam. you can see whats left of the industrial sidings near the station. a lot of them still have the rails in them but are not connected up to the main line.

I noticed that the AD's are still there to the west of the shop building, but for the last few days there has been two AB's and a P class back in their old spot to the east side of the shop building. I thought it might be for the ballast train duties, but that seems to have been only a P class each time it has gone past. Are they back to working out of Avon again (Aurizon)?