Serviceton is an interesting place to visit but I was not aware there was ever a NG service to the location.
Discussion for Serviceton Railway Station
I didn't remember because I never knew!The 3'6" line was the Eastern limit of the SAR South-East system.
Thanks Allan and this was into the platform? Do you remember the years in which it operated please?
According to WH Callaghan ("The Overland Railway"), the 3'6" track was laid as the station was built (1885), without passenger access to the station, and was taken up in 1898, the Privy Council, by then, having decided that Serviceton was in Victoria.Mixed gauge existed from Wolseley to both Bordertown and Serviceton. The former was the original break-of-gauge station for traffic to the South East, while the latter was presumably so any traffic offering to destinations on the Mt Gambier line wouldn't require transshipping. Unsuprisingly there was little demand for NG at Serviceton. The NG at Bordertown hung around until 1914 or thereabouts.
Very surprising, I had a vague recollection about the narrow-to-broad gauge trans-shipment and passenger-change point being in Bordertown but I didn't know that it also extended the other way to Serviceton.According to WH Callaghan ("The Overland Railway"), the 3'6" track was laid as the station was built (1885), without passenger access to the station, and was taken up in 1898, the Privy Council, by then, having decided that Serviceton was in Victoria.Mixed gauge existed from Wolseley to both Bordertown and Serviceton. The former was the original break-of-gauge station for traffic to the South East, while the latter was presumably so any traffic offering to destinations on the Mt Gambier line wouldn't require transshipping. Unsuprisingly there was little demand for NG at Serviceton. The NG at Bordertown hung around until 1914 or thereabouts.
#Very surprising, I had a vague recollection about the narrow-to-broad gauge trans-shipment and passenger-change point being in Bordertown but I didn't know that it also extended the other way to Serviceton.According to WH Callaghan ("The Overland Railway"), the 3'6" track was laid as the station was built (1885), without passenger access to the station, and was taken up in 1898, the Privy Council, by then, having decided that Serviceton was in Victoria.Mixed gauge existed from Wolseley to both Bordertown and Serviceton. The former was the original break-of-gauge station for traffic to the South East, while the latter was presumably so any traffic offering to destinations on the Mt Gambier line wouldn't require transshipping. Unsuprisingly there was little demand for NG at Serviceton. The NG at Bordertown hung around until 1914 or thereabouts.
To Wolseley (SA) and beyond...as allan said earlier,According to WH Callaghan ("The Overland Railway"), the 3'6" track was laid as the station was built (1885), without passenger access to the station, and was taken up in 1898
It was mixed gauge when opened.
To where?
The mixed gauge went past Wolseley to Bordertown. But that's an interesting comment allan. Unfortunately, like far too many "enthusiast" books,"The Overland Railway" has no references, so we have no idea where Callaghan got his information. There is a station diagram of Serviceton at 1894, showing the mixed and narrow gauge lines there, and presumably that was obtained from somewhere? Reece Jennings' "Line Clear" also has a diagram showing the mixed and narrow gauge at Serviceton, which is annotated "Original drawing by the Victorian Railways 1890, supplied by J. MacLean." Perhaps by 1890 the narrow gauge had been closed, but was not lifted until 1898?To Wolseley (SA) and beyond...as allan said earlier,According to WH Callaghan ("The Overland Railway"), the 3'6" track was laid as the station was built (1885), without passenger access to the station, and was taken up in 1898
It was mixed gauge when opened.
To where?
Had a look at a 1890 SAR WTT today - and found no reference to any narrow gauge service to Serviceton.
"The Overland Railway" is a bit more than an enthusiast book - it is a comprehensive history, but, without references, it is "grey" history. It is a starting point, and gives us a framework to work within. I found a copy of an ancient WTT, but that only lists scheduled services. David Harvey has accessed the Victorian Interlocking register, and the Victorian Railways Weekly Notice Extracts. Sooner or later we'll find other surviving documents that will allow us to fill out the story of the early history of this very large station sited in a sparsely populated region.Had a look at a 1890 SAR WTT today - and found no reference to any narrow gauge service to Serviceton.Unfortunately, like far too many "enthusiast" books,"The Overland Railway" has no references, so we have no idea where Callaghan got his information.
(Tying up the loose ends.) From the National Railway Museum website:Excellent link provided by the NRM that covers more information that one can retain in one sitting. Just to clarify . The Inter locking register that I have starts off at Serviceton at 15-5-1890 when a 40 lever apparatus was constructed THIS WAS SERVICETON A BOX and lasted till 1984. There is no mention of Serviceton B Box or its being abolished which is strange . Next entry is in 1914 .Makes me think there is bits missing as abolishing a signal box is a big event ,it should be here if it was there at all !. Victorian Railways Weekly Notice Extracts. first entry for serviceton is on the 24-6-1898 weekly notice No50 of 1898, states that the Train staff and ticket will be abolished and electric staff will be provided to Kaniva. Victorian Railways Weekly Notice Extracts entry for Wolseley S.A Weekly nNotice Number 53 of 1953 states that the line from Wolseley to Mount Gambier has been converted to 5' 3" gauge
Serviceton (Read the notes and Historic Note on page 42. North is at the bottom.)
http://nrm.org.au/assets/pdfdocs/collections/multi-gauge-muddle.pdf#page=45
No NG platform road. Perhaps you could rail a wagon load (eg wheat) to Kingston SE without transshipment.
The full document:
http://nrm.org.au/assets/pdfdocs/collections/multi-gauge-muddle.pdf#page=1
BG – red
NG – blue
SG – black
DG (BG & NG) – purple
DG (BG & SG) – orange
DG (NG & SG) – green
Triple-Gauge – pink
Just to clarify . The Inter locking register that I have starts off at Serviceton at 15-5-1890 when a 40 lever apparatus was constructed THIS WAS SERVICETON A BOX and lasted till 1984. There is no mention of Serviceton B Box or its being abolished which is strange . Next entry is in 1914 .Makes me think there is bits missing as abolishing a signal box is a big event ,it should be here if it was there at all !. Victorian Railways Weekly Notice Extracts. first entry for serviceton is on the 24-6-1898 weekly notice No50 of 1898, states that the Train staff and ticket will be abolished and electric staff will be provided to Kaniva. Victorian Railways Weekly Notice Extracts entry for Wolseley S.A Weekly nNotice Number 53 of 1953 states that the line from Wolseley to Mount Gambier has been converted to 5' 3" gauge]
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