The Robertstown railway line was a railway line on the South Australian Railways network. It opened on 9 December 1914 from a junction with the Morgan line at Eudunda running 21.6 kilometres via Point Pass to Robertstown.[1] The line was used by both passenger and freight trains, though the regular passenger service on the line was withdrawn on 23 September 1962. Grain trains serving the Robertstown silos were among the last traffic to use the line in its later years. Train Tour Promotions ran the last passenger train using locomotive 804 on 20 May 1989, with the last freight train being a grain train on 21 February 1990.[2] The line formally closed on 25 September 1990.[3] The line was lifted in the years following, with all stations on the line being demolished. The only significant railway remnants left are the former Robertstown station sign and the former goods crane.[4] The goods crane has collapsed, though there are plans to restore it.[4]
Robertstown railway line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Robertstown railway station sign | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Overview | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Status | Closed & removed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Termini | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Continues from | Morgan line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Service | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
System | South Australian Railways | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operator(s) | South Australian Railways Australian National | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opened | 9 December 1914 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Closed | 25 September 1990 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Technical | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Line length | 21.6 km (13.4 mi) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Track gauge | 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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References
edit- ^ "Robertstown Railway". The Advertiser. Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 10 December 1914. p. 9. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
- ^ Mary Eberhard. "The last wheat train leaves Robertstown, 1986" (photograph). Johnny's Pages. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
- ^ Quinlan, Howard; Newland, John (2000). Australian Railway Routes 1854 - 2000. Redfern: Australian Railway Historical Society. p. 55. ISBN 0-909650-49-7.
- ^ a b Robertstown Community Management Inc. "2 Tonne Scotch Derrick Crane in the Railway Yards at Robertstown" (PDF). Robertstown Info. Retrieved 16 June 2021.