STATIONS AND SIDINGS

Research by Gordon Freegard

Listed below are the details of all the Railway Stations and Sidings known to have existed on the Upper Darling Railway between Midland Junction and the terminus at Karragullen. We have now slotted in copies of the appropriate old maps from the Third Edition of The Metropolitan Area and Environs Road Maps and Index dated June, 1947.

MAP FROM 3RD EDITION METROPOLITAN STREET DIRECTORY 1947    #47

Midland Junction (10m 28ch)
 The Upper Darling Range Railway left the main Eastern Railway in the station yard, and ran parallel to the right of it for 25 chains before curving away to the South-East.  Previously known as Helena Vale, later Midland Junction

EARLY PHOTO OF MIDLAND JUNCTION STATION   #34

Bushmead  (11m 30ch)
Known as Water Hall until October 1910. Siding and low level landing provided, with a private siding to the Defence Department Ordnance Depot. Two private sidings left the mail line 20 chains beyond Bushmead

                                      BUSHMEAD LAYOUT

Hesketh's Siding

Rifle Range

MAP FROM 3RD EDITION METROPOLITAN STREET DIRECTORY 1947    #48

Ridge Hill (14m 58ch)
A shelter shed was provided at this place.

RIDGE HILL SHELTER THE DAY BEFORE THE RAILWAY WAS CLOSED   #35

City Council's Siding (14m 62ch)
A 56 chain siding ran to the Quarry, originally known as Statham's Quarry. When the line was built, the "Zig-Zag" section consisted of only three dead ends. The first 15 chains of the Quarry line were main line, and the bottom points were situated near the site of the (later) No. 2 points. Under this arrangement, trains had to be gravity shunted at the bottom points on "Down" (i.e. to Kalamunda) and top points on "Up" journeys, in order to place the locomotive at the head of the train when leaving the "zig-zag" section. This precarious operation was ended on the 15th April 1907, when a fourth dead-end was added, becoming the bottom points, and the Quarry junction then became 4 chains beyond Ridge Hill.

Statham’s Quarry (15m 62ch)
Previously known as Darling Range Quarries. Statham's Quarry is considered a rare example of a stone quarry which has retained physical evidence of its operations and is associated with the development of the quarry industry in Western Austraila. The quarry was established by Thomas Statham and William Burton in 1894 until Statham's death in 1920. The Perth City Council operated following Statham's death and material from the quarry was used as street paving in Perth during the early 1900's. The rocks for the groyne at City Beach also came from the quarry. The quarry is the claimed location of one of the most extensive dolerite dykes on the Darling Scarp.The dead-end was known by this name, although There does not appear to have been any facilities provided at this piont for passenger or goods working.

A RECENT PHOTO OF THE ABANDONED STATHAM'S QUARRY  #41

The Zig Zag

ZIG ZAG SECTION OF RAILWAY #39

Gooseberry Hill (18m 77ch)
A siding appears to have been provided at this location in the days of private operation, but a low level platform and shelter shed were the only facilities provided since Government operation of the line.

                                GOOSEBERRY HILL LANDING LAYOUT

MAP FROM 3RD EDITION METROPOLITAN STREET DIRECTORY 1947    #49

Kalamunda (20m 10ch)
Originally known as Stirk’s Landing and later Jeck’s Crossing, it became Kalamunnda by the time of the W.A.G.R. take-over, and later was spelt with only one "n". The only high level platform on the line was situated at this station, which also had a goods yard and depot.

                                        KALAMUNDA STATION LAYOUT
 

KALAMUNDA RAILWAY STATION IN THE EARLY 1920'S
WITH TRAIN APPROACHING FROM PICKERING BROOK.   #10

South Kalamunda (21m 7ch)
Originally known as Guppy’s Siding, a 25 chain siding was provided to serve the saw mill run by G. W. Guppy. A low level landing was provided at the Junction, and when the siding was removed in December 1917, a shelter shed was provided. This was resited to 21m 60ch in January 1938.

                              SOUTH KALAMUNDA SIDING LAYOUT

GUPPY'S MILL SERVICED BY SOUTH KALAMUNA SIDING.   #36

Walliston (22m 42ch)
Originally known as 12 Mile Siding, and later as Wallis Landing after the original settlers in the area. The name Walliston was adopted in Novenber 1918. A public siding low level passenger platform and shelter was provided.

                                     WALLISTON LANDING LAYOUT

WALISTON LANDING .  #37

MAP FROM 3RD EDITION METROPOLITAN STREET DIRECTORY 1947    #50

Bickley (23m 45ch)
Originally known as Heidelberg, the present name was adopted in September 1915. Public siding and low level platform and shed were provided.

                                     BICKLEY SIDING LAYOUT

Carmel Siding (24m 48ch)
Originally known as Green’s Landing after local settlers. A shelter shed was provided at this place. On 27th July, 1921 Carmel and Turner's Siding were closed and removed, and a new station built at 24m 57ch became known as Carmel.

                                     CARMEL SIDING LAYOUT

CARMEL SIDING      #30

Turner's Siding (25m 11ch)
Public siding and shelter shed were provided. These were removed on 27th July, 1921 in favour of a new station erected at Carmel.

                                  TURNER'S SIDING LAYOUT

PASSENGERS WAITING AT TURNER'S SIDING c1920    #13

Monument Hill (25m 68ch)
Situated in the vicinity of Mason and Bird's timber mill, this place was a station on the line in the days of private operation but had disappeared when the Government took over the line in 1903.

Pickering Brook (26m 9ch)
Known as Pickering and later as Pickering Junction under private operation, this station was renamed Pickering Brook Junction when the Government commenced operations in 1903, and subsequently "Junction" was deleted from the name. Station buildings fronted on to a low level platform, public sidings and goods handling facilities were provided. Train movements towards the junction were controlled by down, home and distant signals. The junction with the sub line to Barton’s Mill, was combined in a triangular lay-out, which provided turning facilities for locomotives.

                     PICKERING BROOK STATION LAYOUT

PICKERING BROOK JUNCTION STATION     #31

Canning Mills (29m 57ch)
Originally known as Canning Timber Station, it was taken over by the W.A.G.R. in 1910, when Millar's operations became based at Barton's Mill. Station building and public siding were provided.

                            CANNING MILLS LANDING LAYOUT

CANNING MILLS STATION THE DAY BEFORE THE RAILWAY CLOSED      #32

Karragullen (31m 2ch)
The final terminus of the line. A low level platform shed and public siding was provided.

                     KARRAGULLEN TERMINUS LAYOUT

KARRAGULLEN  TERMINUS THE DAY BEFORE THE RAILWAY CLOSED     #38

MILL FORMATIONS (OR TRAMWAYS) IN THE FOREST 1891-c1940

THIS IS A REPRODUCTION MAP MADE BY MR. J. AUSTIN OF THE A.R.H.S. IN 1982.  IT INVOLVED TRACING ALL REMNANTS OF THE TRACKS ON FOOT. THE FORMATIONS WOULD NOT ALL HAVE BEEN IN POSITION AT THE SAME TIME

References:     Article:     Kalamunda of the Dreamtime- F.J.McNamara

                     Images:   41  Unknown
                                     5  Westralian Newspapers
                                    39   Rails in the Hills K.D.H.S.
                                    10  W.A.G.R. Achives
                                    13, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36, 36, 37, 38   Tom Price
                                    47, 48, 49, 50    Gordon Freegard

Copyright :Gordon Freegard 2008-2020