On the 25th May 1914, the Canberra Line was opened. The Australian Rail Historical Society ACT re enacted this today. The train that hauled Canberra's first train, 1210, is sitting in the museums yard & some other engine went out today.
Trying to be as close to as where the Canberra line splits from the Bombala line, I watched things from the Railway Street bridge near Oaks Estate. Presumably, when I stood on the old bridge, this would of been the bridge the first train went under.
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Train approaches the Railway Street (Oaks Estate) bridge.
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Train heads along the Canberra line approaching the old Railway Street bridge, it is next to the current bridge.
A video of the train going under the bridge http://youtu.be/mdi-zpqqFVQ
There was also some guy in a Federal Government car (rego ZY****) doing a bit of filming as well, including us on the bridge.
Great photos, Bus 400.
100 years on, the approach into canberra station is a turnout... makes you wonder why they didn't make the entire 9 km or so capable of 140 km/h
Not knowing how things operated back then & my only railway man contact working on the Main Western Line. I can't really say, but only being a single line & multiple sidings. Plus as per Cotter Dam, WWI would of affected any upgrade at the time. Plus the flood that washed the bridge over the Molonglo River out.
But going by NSW Government Railway reports from 1913 & 1915 (I don't appear to have the report for 1914). The main job of the NSWGR was extending certain lines (Nimmitabel to Bombala for example) & duplicating the main south line (Marulan to Goulburn). After a skim through those reports, I couldn't find any mention of engines.
DISCLAIMER-These NSWGR Reports were my Uncles & he was a trainspotter. I have no idea where he picked them up from. While many a year is missed, they go from 1900 to 1952.
Worth keeping in mind that the Queanbeyan to Canberra line was Commonwealth Railways, not NSWGR.
I did wonder if that was the case.