Stockyards

Continuing to work our way around the railway facilities of Eumungerie, this post considers the stock loading and unloading facilities - though it is clear from the data below that much more loading occurred than unloading.

In the earliest years of operation the railways used the loading bank opposite the station platform to load livestock.  Following the 1912/13 redevelopment of the yard the stock ramps utilised the bank of the wool dump.  Temporary barriers were extended when necessary.  These arrangements appear were likely used from the commencement of stock services to at least the mid-1940s.

In 1935 Eumungerie was noted as having a ‘C’ placed in the column headed Pigs, Sheep and Cattle Races – in the Merchandise Book.  Deciphered, this meant that up to six trucks could be dealt with at the Eumungerie stock races without the need for a locomotive.

In 1951, new stock yard ramps were built in a new location to the north of the silo on the Wheat Siding.  The cost of this improvement was ₤265, with labour costs of ₤581 incurred in the installation. 

The provision of discrete stock loading facility freed up the loading bank for other purposes.  However it did not increase stock loading capacity as the stockyards themselves were only rated to handle up to six cattle or sheep wagons with without a locomotive.

Tenders were called for the demolition and removal of the stockyards on 22 May 1974, suggesting that loading from this location ceased sometime prior to this.

Six or seven years prior to the demise of the stock yards, an un-named but very brave uncle clambered to the top of silo to take the following photograph. 

Occupational health and safety and public liability concerns of the 21^st century demand that I state that such foolhardy endeavours not be attempted, but I am sure glad he did!

The following photograph not only shows the stock ramps but the salubrious accommodation in the form of a small red shed provided for those in charge of stock yard.  Doubtless many a drover got the pleasure of a night’s rest in the shack, and even perhaps a decent shower under the water column?

So, what were these yards used for? Well, apart from providing a terrific play ground for kids visiting their great grand-mother, they were used for the loading of all sorts of animals.

In the 26 years of records constituting the period from the 1912/13 redevelopment of Eumungerie to the Second World War, 287,389 beasts left Eumungerie via the stockyards.  Of these, the vast majority were sheep (283,729 or 98.2 per cent).  A further 1,610 cattle and 1,311 pigs left town this way, along with 536 horses and 143 calves.  All up, this transport task garnered the NSW railways £35,603 - a very tidy earner in those days.

Level crossings

Here's a reeeaaaaallly interesting subject - level crossings, or railway crossings by roads - public and private.

Seven crossings existed within a short 4.4 kilometre stretch surrounding Eumungerie’s railway precinct.  Approaching from the south, the first was a public crossing located at 497.227 kilometres from Sydney. 

A second level crossing, nominated as Eumungerie, was located at 497.951 kilometres, while the Eumungerie Yard level crossing was located at 497.971 kilometres - just 20 metres to the north!  This level crossing had gates in the boundary fence of the railway yard. 

Going north, three further public level crossings were located at 498.675 kilometres (the northern end of the yard), 499.701 kilometres and 501.089 kilometres.  

The final level crossing, known as Dohnt’s (Private) level crossing, was located at 501.592 kilometres.

There is not much moresay about this particular topic.  On unfenced lines, such as the Coonamble branchline, crossing the track was a pretty easy job for any pedestrian.  Perhaps the need for, or existence of, seven crossings in under five kilometres is emblematic of the fairly relaxed view taken of civilisation out in those parts. 

Still, enough chatting.  Here's a photograph from 1985 of 4905 and 4875 making their way north across the crossing at 498 kilometres and 675 metres distant from the buffer stops at platform 1 in Sydney Steam Terminal.

Steam loco watering facilities

Yes, its been a while and I am still ploughing through various notes on the way to an expose on Eumungerie's grain receival and storage facilities.  While this will no doubt be a very high rating post, tonight I am going with another topic entirely.  

Its trite to note that without a dependable supply of water, steam locomotives and civilisation can't exist - in Eumungerie or anywhere else.

For the first decade of the railway's operations in Eumungerie the original water tank was located to the east of the Through Road, just to the north of the junction of the Through Road and the Siding.  Presumably locomotives were watered from a column whilst standing on the Through Road.

The watering facilities were fed by a dam constructed specifically for the purpose, which was completed by 14 October 1901.  The dam was located at the northern end of the village, adjacent to crown land leased for agricultural purposes.

The dam utilised water drawn from the Drillwarrina Creek, which skirted the western side of the village of Eumungerie, before moving to the northwest. 

An early parish map shows that a pump house was also provided at the site of the dam.  A subterranean pipeline ran southward across the land and crossed Breelong Street to reach the railway property. 

It appears that, at least initially, a second water tank was provided at the location of the dam.  Presumably this tank created sufficient pressure to gravity-feed the water towards the railway yard.  This tank may have been moved from the site of the dam to the railway property in October 1912.

The 1912/13 expansion of the yard necessitated the relocation of the water tank to a more easterly position, as it stood foul of the about-to-be-constructed Platform Road. 

Parish maps of the early 1920s show the tank as being at the northern boundary of the station master’s residence. I have already posted a nice shot of the water tank in my 3 September 2011 post.

From 1913 until the demise of steam, a standard water column was located between the Through Road and the Platform Road, approximately 250 feet from the northern end of the Platform Road.  It was numbered ‘43’ on its upright, and was constructed of a 9” standpipe, with a 7”jib.

By 1973 all locomotive watering facilities had been removed from the Coonamble line.  After demolition, the water tank at Eumungerie remained on the ground for several months.  The following photograph gives a hint as to the sophisticated way in which the demolition occurred.

Eumungerie's station

W H Hudson was contracted to build the original station at Coalbaggie.  As noted above, the original building sat in its first location for only nine years before railway authorities realised it was in the way of progress.

The October 1912 contract for the construction of a second crossing loop necessitated the removal and re-erection of the platform and the station building.

While it is clear what was standing following the completion of the 1912/13 redevelopment, it cannot be assumed that the original building was simply relocated.  As noted earlier, this writer has been to date unable to ascertain just what was built in 1902 and there appears to be no photograph or description of the original building extant.

The difficulty is that what became known as the Eumungerie railway station after 1912/13 is what is known in the trade as a typical NSW Government Railways A3 skillion roof building. 

This type of building only came into vogue around 1909.  So, it may be that the original building was not re-erected at all, but replaced or transferred elsewhere – or Mr Hudson was just a builder a decade ahead of his time.

While this uncertainty is problematic, it is known from the official records that ₤128 was expended during the 1912/13 redevelopment to add an out-of shed adjacent to the southern end of the main station building.

And thus, by 1913, Eumungerie’s residents had the station that would serve them until the end of passenger rail services.

As with many things, the demise of an era is sometimes just as interesting as its rise.  And this is the case with Eumungerie’s station building.  It was a hiccupping ride to inevitable oblivion. 

While in its 50^th year at its second and final location, the building still cut a fine figure.

While there is much to admire in this photograph, certainly the red fire buckets at the tank stand and the platform bench suggest both a preparedness for action and a readiness to relax.

While the last station officer was withdrawn on 26 April 1970, an agent was designated as the person-in-charge for the final years of passenger service until 1975.  At some stage during its last decade of operation the buildings received a new paint scheme – light green with cream trim. 

After the cessation of passenger services, the wrecking ball arrived for the main building.  The out-of-shed was retained to keep the necessary safe-working materials from the elements.

By 1979, the dilapidation of the out-of-shed did not augur well for its future.  The peeling paint in the following photograph almost draws one’s attention away from the exotic combination which was caught in the yard.

 The embarrassment did not last long.  However, instead of wreckers, the painters arrived!

Several years later the signwriters also visited!

But it was not to last.  By the 1990s, rationalization had brought a new hut to replace the out-of shed and the frame.

So, into the 21^st century the smallest room in Eumungerie was could be found down in the railway yard.

A little cross-selling...

I am still working on the next installment, covering the station platform and buildings.  

While work is continuing, some effort has now been diverted to my other blog - the NSW Rail Rambler.  This blog will have many more photographs, far fewer facts and will venture far from the Coonamble branch line.

I hope you enjoy both blogs....

The dimensions of Eumungerie's railway

Here's a litttle more about the physical environment at Eumungerie...

By the time of its 1926 redevelopment Eumungerie yard measured 613 linear metres (671 yards) from the outer-most extremities of the southern and northern points.  It remains at this length to the current day.

At its most expanded, approaching from the southern (Dubbo) end a right-hand point led trains off the Through Road into the Platform Road on the eastern or up side of the line.  

 The Platform Road measured 1,735 feet.  After traveling 824 feet along the Platform Road, a 31 metre (134 foot), wood-faced platform was encountered.  The Platform Road was removed on 7 September 1993, leaving the platform-based signalling equipment somewhat adrift from the railway’s alignment (I will deal with this act of vandalism in another post).

Again, coming from the Dubbo end of the yard, 168 feet beyond the first point off the Through Road a left-hand point led trains onto a 726 foot long Goods Siding on the western or down side of the line.  A loading bank was located 158 feet along this siding with a goods shed further north and a gantry crane.  The crane was located shortly before a right-hand point which returned north-bound trains to the Through Road.

Trains proceeding straight along the Goods Siding entered the Wheat Siding once the point had been passed.  This siding measured 1,049 feet before returning to the Through Road.  The silo bins were reached after 175 feet of travel on this siding.

Unlike the Through Road and the Platform Road, the Wheat Siding appears to have been built with a westward slewing of the track along the northern-most 446 feet of its travel.  This feature is shown in the 1926 NSWGR track diagram but appears to have been removed prior to the Second World War.  Its removal may have coincided with the construction of stock yards in this area around this time.

Not shown on the same 1926 track diagram but appears to be in place by 1945, is a similar slewing of the track in the Goods Siding, apparently in order to accommodate clearances around the gantry crane.

So, this has been a summary of the physical environment of the railway at Eumungerie.  Over the next few posts it is time to delve into certain aspects of the railway yard in much greater detail...

Eumungerie's railway yard

The railway yard at Eumungerie went through three major evolutions to grow to its most advanced state.  The last quarter of a century has brought several subsequent rationalisations to return it to much reduced state.

Its initial layout in 1903 involved a single passing loop provided on the western side of the main line.  The station was provided on the main line.  The initial length of the yard was 270 yards.

The initial track plan shows nothing in the way of railway infrastructure, apart from a platform, small station building and water tank.  From 1905 livestock and timber were loaded from a loading bank opposite the platform.

In October 1912 a contract was let for the provision of a second siding to act as a crossing loop.  Work associated with this first expansion major expansion of the precinct involved the re-erection of water tanks, removal and re-erection of platform and station buildings, provision of a crossing loop and removal and re-erection of cattle yards.

To facilitate these improvements on Monday, 16 October 1911 Eumungerie was temporarily closed as a staff or crossing station.  All trains timetabled to cross or pass at Eumungerie were suspended - No 37, a conditional goods train from Dubbo to Coonamble was not to run.  Similarly, No. 26, a conditional goods train from Gular to Dubbo was not to run.  Nos. 11, 27 and 85, all conditional goods trains from Dubbo to Coonamble, were not to run on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in order to avoid crossing the up mixed train.

As part of the yard’s trackwork enhancements a 20 ton cart weighbridge was installed at Eumungerie from 2 December 1911.  This facility may have proved to be inadequate or unsound as it was replaced as early as 1915 with a similar facility.

The most expensive element of the expansion of Eumungerie was the construction of a station officer’s residence, at a cost of ₤686.  The second largest piece of expenditure involved the provision of a larger crossing loop at a cost of ₤542, including ₤203 worth of railway sleepers.

The removal and re-erection of the platform and building cost only ₤28 but additions to both incurred a further ₤128 expenditure.  Other works involving the locomotive water supply cost ₤51 and cattle-stops ₤44.  Ancillary works of ₤14 brought the overall total to ₤1,493.

The rebuilding of the station building is an interesting matter for consideration.  No photographs or descriptions have been obtained of the original building.  The earliest photographs date from the 1930s and 1940s show glimpses of a typical NSW Government Railways A3 skillion roof building.  As this type of building came into vogue around 1909 it may be that the original building was not re-erected at all, but replaced or transferred elsewhere.

Eumungerie yard was reopened on Monday, 28 October 1912.  Seal press 448 was allocated to the station as if to stamp the occasion.  However it was not until 1 December 1912 that Eumungerie station was reopened as a booking office.  This event and the completion of the station officer’s house brought the first full-time rostered railway employee to the village.

As almost an afterthought 1913 brought the commissioning of the smaller platform building on the southern side of the original building.  This construction was described as an ‘out-of’ shed on the official station register.  Its purpose was to store parcels and small goods making the rail journey into or out of the village.  On Tuesday 8 July 1913 new signal and interlocking arrangements were also brought into use at Eumungerie.

By the time that all works were completed in July 1913 a siding had been constructed on the eastern side of the mainline, which was named subsequently as the Platform Road.  The yard had been extended to 594 yards, with distant signals placed 800 yards from the extremities of the yard.

This first major expansion of the yard increased the amount of usable track capacity from 324 yards to 932 yards – nearly a three-fold increase over the original yard.

A second expansion of the railway occurred in 1915 and was associated with the increase in wheat traffic.  A wheat stacking site was constructed just to the north of where the silos still stand.  The same year brought the erection of a 5 ton gantry crane straddling the siding to the north of the loading bank. 

Late in 1915 the siding was extended at the northern end, creating what became known as a stub-ended Wheat Siding.  Although no NSWGR track plan has been obtained to show this extension, a 1920 Parish Map clearly shows this addition.  The relevant Weekly Notices also state that on 23 November 1915 the siding at Eumungerie was extended at the northern end.  The siding could then provide standing room for 63 four-wheeled trucks.

A further and final expansion in 1925/26 involved the northward expansion of the Wheat Siding, principally to provide double-ended access to the wheat silos.  By providing 1,668 yards of usable track capacity the Eumungerie rail precinct had experienced a five-fold increase in just 25 years.

The 1925/26 track arrangement represents the maximum expansion of the railway at Eumungerie and it remained in place for the following 67 years.