60-635: Southern & Silverton Rail was an Australian rail operator founded in 1886 as the Silverton Tramway Company . The company operated the 1067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) Silverton Tramway , conveying silver-lead-zinc concentrates 58 kilometres (36 miles) from Broken Hill to the South Australian border. In 1970, its main line was bypassed by the newly standardised, government-funded line from Broken Hill to Port Pirie . It then diversified to operating hook-and-pull services and in
120-718: A 58-kilometre (36 mi)-long 1067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in )-gauge railway running from Cockburn on the New South Wales - South Australia state border to Broken Hill ; after the Government of New South Wales enacted into legislation the Silverton Tramway Act of 1886 that granted the Silverton Tramway Company the rights to build and operate a railway. It was headquartered in Melbourne , listing on
180-588: A Pine ridge, and throughout the whole length of the ridge (about half-a-mile) indications of ore are apparent”. The ore was varied, “consisting of blue and red carbonate, red and black oxide, and is of very high quality”. The writer was of the opinion the Cobar mine “promises to be one of the richest copper mines Australia has yet produced”. The South Cobar Mining Company built a furnace at Cobar and in May 1875 commenced smelting operations. Soon afterwards two additional furnaces and
240-495: A high school, an activities youth centre and a 31-bed hospital for acute care. The local council supports a local currency called Cobar Quid . Established in 2003 by the Cobar Business Association Inc. (CBA), Cobar Quid is a currency that encourages its residents to shop locally. This local currency is a minted medallion that can be exchanged for goods and services with accepting local businesses. The CBA sells
300-558: A mineral conditional purchase of 40 acres at the locality. Shortly afterwards the Cobar Copper Mining Company was formed, and the lease of the mine was transferred to the company. In May 1871 it was reported that there had been “a call for tenders for drawing in copper ore from Cobar”. In July 1871 a meeting was held in Bourke “of gentlemen interested in the Cobar copper mine” and shares were “eagerly bought at £15 per share”. By
360-646: A new alignment which led directly to the New South Wales operated Crystal Street station , taking one year and over $ 2 million more than if the Silverton proposal was carried out. The Silverton Tramway Company's business was lost to the South Australian Railways , with the company closing its narrow gauge shortline business, and returning the permanent way to the Crown. The STC then reinvented itself as
420-484: A new one made in 1949, in which the Commonwealth Government would be responsible for the acquisition. The New South Wales Government did not wish the company to remain as a main line operator, or to purchase it themselves; while South Australian train crews were not happy to work trains across the state border due to a loss of favourable industrial conditions. When the company purchased its diesel locomotives,
480-448: A number of locomotives from FreightCorp and AN Tasrail , in 1995/96 Silverton Rail leased six locomotives to National Rail for use on Adelaide to Melbourne services as bankers to Tailem Bend . With the introduction of an open access regime in New South Wales the business was rebranded as Silverton Rail, and in August 1999 began operating iron ore services from Cobar to Narromine as
540-451: A number of structures, including bridges, were modified ( loading gauge and axle loading ) to carry standard gauge, as the company ordered the wider bogies needed to operate on standard gauge. By 1967, the Silverton Tramway Company had offered to build a standard gauge line for a fixed sum, and transfer the line to New South Wales soon after. This line would have run from Cockburn to Broken Hill on an alignment that had some interaction with
600-630: A number of “weather-board and iron buildings and some adobe or clay houses” scattered throughout the town. The courthouse was described as “a handsome brick structure in Barton-street” with a gaol next to it. The township had nine hotels, “the principal ones being the Cobar and the Commercial”, and two banks, “the Commercial and the Joint Stock”. The writer was of the opinion that “Cobar owes its existence as
660-512: A passenger service which eventually accounted for a third of their business. From 1888 to 1970 it was critical to the economic functioning of Broken Hill, by providing the key transport of ore to the Port Pirie smelters. It played a significant role in the politics and recreation of Broken Hill, and a crucial role at times of water shortage in Broken Hill. The Silverton Tramway was conceived as
SECTION 10
#1732851291293720-703: A refinery were built. In December 1875 the Cobar Copper Mining Company amalgamated with the South Cobar Mining Company to form the Great Cobar Copper Mining Company Ltd . It and subsequent companies operated a number of light railways carrying ore and similar material, as well as timber for mine supports. Cobar and many mining outskirts accommodated the miners who travelled to the area in the late 1880s. The overwhelming majority of these were of Cornish Australian stock at
780-454: A short haul rail operator, servicing the mining industry in and around Broken Hill with two of the 1961 diesel locomotives . Since 1886 the company had hauled some 90 million tonnes of bulk and general freight and 2.8 million passengers. The Sulphide Street Station (located in Broken Hill), still stands and its premises is the current Railway and Historical Museum. There, historical pieces of
840-568: A subcontractor to National Rail and relocated the majority of its fleet to Parkes Roundhouse. In August 1999, it also began operating trip workings in Sydney . In August 2000, Silverton began operating grain services from Nyngan to Sydney. During the early 2000s a new depot was established in Newcastle at the Broadmeadow Yard rail facilities. This small crew provided train crewing and logistics for
900-610: A town largely to the Great Cobar Copper Mine, although the pastoral properties have also contributed in a great measure to make it a fairly prosperous inland settlement”. Several fine heritage buildings from the late 1880s/early 1900s settlement are still in existence, including the Great Western Hotel (1898), claimed to have the longest verandah (at 91 metres) in New South Wales , the Cobar Post Office (1885),
960-500: A way to transport silver-lead-zinc ore from the newly discovered ore deposits at Silverton , to the smelters at Port Pirie , with the line later extended to Broken Hill with the discovery of that field. The need for a private line was in part due to the New South Wales Government refusing to allow the South Australian Railways to extend its line from Port Pirie across the border. The Silverton Tramway Act of 1886
1020-573: Is an important traditional meeting place with ceremonial significance. Extensive rock art at the site contains ochre and kaolin paintings of human and animal figures as well as hand stencils . To the pastoralists who had taken up runs along the Darling River during the 1850s the Cobar area was a waterless region between rivers. As pastoral stations became more established, tanks and wells were constructed to allow stock to be grazed in areas away from permanent watercourses (known as ‘back stations). By
1080-805: Is based mainly upon base metals and gold mining. The town is 712 km (442 mi) by road northwest of the state capital, Sydney . It is at the crossroads of the Kidman Way and Barrier Highway . The town and the local government area , the Cobar Shire , are on the eastern edge of the outback . At the 2016 census , the town of Cobar had a population of 3,990. The Shire has a population of approximately 4,700 and an area of 44,065 square kilometres (17,014 sq mi). Many sights of cultural interest can be found in and around Cobar. The town retains much of its colonial 19th-century architecture. The Towsers Huts, 3 km south of town but currently inaccessible to
1140-423: Is considerable in both maximum and minimum temperatures. It is very sunny, with 156.1 clear days and 3,297.6 hours of sunshine annually. The highest temperature recorded at Cobar was 47.8 °C (118.0 °F) on 26 February 1889 and again on 11 January 1939, while the lowest recorded was −6.7 °C (19.9 °F) on 28 July 1881. NSW TrainLink operates a coach service from Dubbo. The train line through Cobar
1200-684: The Canbelego belt and the Girilambone belt. Visits to mine sites may be arranged through the Cobar Heritage and Visitor Information Centre overlooking the open cut mine . The Festival of the Miners' Ghost , held during the last weekend in October, is a festival celebrating the spirits of the old miners. The area of Cobar also includes the now empty sites of the former villages of Wrightville and Dapville , and
1260-637: The London Stock Exchange in 1897, later transferring to the Australian Stock Exchange . The line opened on 12 January 1888. Initially using hired South Australian Railways Y class locomotives, until it received its own locomotives . By the end of 1888, it had concluded a deal for the South Australian Railways to operate the main line services with Silverton servicing the various mines and sidings in Broken Hill. On 1 July 1893, Silverton resumed operating mainline services. In August 1899,
SECTION 20
#17328512912931320-684: The Mount Boppy Gold Mine , further away at Canbelego, and the remaining surface operations closed during 1922. In less than four years, all the major mines in the Cobar region had closed. The town was saved by the reopening of the old Occidental gold mine, in 1933, thereafter known as the New Occidental mine , and the Chesney Mine in 1937. These mines both closed in 1952. By the 1930s the town's population had dropped to little over 1,000, only to rise again and stabilise at around 3,500 through
1380-706: The New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR) purchased the Tarrawingee Tramway . As it was isolated and to a different gauge from the rest of its operations, the NSWGR contracted Silverton to operate services until the line closed in 1931. Following a new 1435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ) standard gauge line being opened in February 1970 by the Federal Government ,
1440-604: The New South Wales line opened in 1919, it terminated at a separate station 200 metres to the east. In 1927 the New South Wales government completed the railway from Sydney to Broken Hill, thus joining the Silverton Tramway and completing the link from Sydney to Adelaide. After the completion of the Trans-Australian Railway in 1937, the Silverton Tramway and the South Australian line to Port Pirie
1500-466: The Y , A and W classes. In 1958 it purchased a second-hand Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. diesel shunter, and in 1960/61 three Alco DL531s . In 1990, two ex Australian National 830 class were purchased from AN Tasrail followed in December 1994 by six 48 class and 442 class locomotives from FreightCorp . Also purchased for parts were two 830s and three 48s. In June 2002 a 45 class locomotive
1560-400: The 1970s and early 1980s. Copper mining was intermittent until 1965 when full-time operations resumed. In the 1980s, gold , silver , lead and zinc were discovered in the area, which led to a further population increase. The town's current positive economic development is due to the affluence of the mining boom. Three important mining belts are operational in the Cobar area: the Cobar belt,
1620-682: The Central West area of NSW bordered by the Lachlan, Darling-Barwon and Bogan rivers). The name ‘Cobar’ is derived from a Ngiyampaa word – variously transcribed as kubbur , kuparr , gubarr or cuburra – for a water-hole and quarry where pigments of ochre, kaolin and blue and green copper minerals were mined for ceremonial use. Other sources claim the Aboriginal word means ‘red earth’ or ‘burnt earth’ (the ochre used for ceremonial body paint). The Mount Grenfell Historic Site located north-west of Cobar
1680-557: The Cobar Court House (1887) and Court House Hotel (1895) in Barton Street, as well as the Cobar Heritage and Visitor Information Centre, located in the former Mines Office (1910). On Hillston Road southeast out of town is Fort Bourke Hill, which affords a view of the town, as well as the historic Towser's Huts, a series of stone miners' cottages dating back as early as the 1890s, possibly even the 1870s, and built by an Italian miner by
1740-693: The Great Cobar's smelters, and it too closed in March 1919. Then came the unexpected closure, due to an underground fire, of the C.S.A. Mine, located to the north of the Cobar township, at Elouera , in March 1920. The Gladstone Mine, at Wrightville closed, around May 1920, because it was reliant upon the copper smelters at the C.S.A. Mine, which closed at that time. The Occidental gold mine, at Wrightville, closed in July 1921. Last, in September 1921, hard rock mining ceased at
1800-585: The STC acquired its own locomotives . In late 1888, a deal was reached for the South Australian Railways to assume responsibility for the main line workings with the STC operating services to the various mines and sidings in Broken Hill. This ceased on 30 June 1893, with the STC once again operating all services. Major traffic on the line included passengers, livestock, bullion, ore and concentrates. In 1913, 844,477 tons of ore and concentrates were carried on
1860-434: The Silverton Tramway are preserved, including rolling stock and memorabilia. Locomotives situated at the premises include a Silverton Tramway W class numbered W24, a Silverton Tramway Y class Y1, and one South Australian Railways T class numbered T181, as well as some rolling stock from the New South Wales Government Railways . Cobar Cobar is a town in central western New South Wales , Australia whose economy
Southern & Silverton Rail - Misplaced Pages Continue
1920-727: The Southland (Pelton) Coal Mine near Cessnock to Pacific National until its 2003 closure due to underground fires. Other services from the Broadmeadow Depot included the daily containerised freight service from Tolls Carrington to Port Botany and return, as well as crewing both ends of the Wee Waa to Port Botany export cotton trains. Crewing services were also provided to Interail and Pacific National Rural & Bulk, Pacific National Coal and Railcorp for AK Track Recording Cars, maintenance and emergency recovery trains. In February 2006, Silverton Rail
1980-542: The coins to the local business in values of $ 5, $ 10, $ 20 and $ 50 values, and the medallions are minted by the Royal Australian Mint . Business can redeem the medallions for cash which is controlled by the Cobar Shire Council. Cobar has a hot semi-arid climate ( Köppen : BSh ) with long, very hot summers and short, cool winters, with low rainfall that is spread rather evenly across the year. Seasonal range
2040-513: The comfort of the inhabitants of Cobar” and on a number of occasions “the people have been upon the verge of a water famine”. Government-constructed tanks relying on rainfall was the principal means of household supply and the watering of stock, supplemented by “small tanks sunk in the ground” beside many of the houses. A description of Cobar published in April 1888 noted that “the houses generally are substantially built; many of them being of brick”, with
2100-572: The day and returning to Broken Hill in the afternoon. When traveling to South Australia the train would travel from Broken Hill, through Silverton and then to Burns which is on the New South Wales side of the border of Cockburn (a town divided by the NSW/SA border). A four-road engine shed, 15.24-metre (50.0-foot) turntable and small workshop were built just outside Broken Hill at Railway Town. The line had six stations: Cockburn , Burns, Thackaringa, Silverton , Railway Town and Sulphide Street . When
2160-458: The dry country between the rivers. Along the way they camped beside the Kubbur waterhole. The men noted the green and blue staining at the waterhole and collected some rock samples. On their journey further south the well-sinkers stopped at a shanty operated by Henry Kruge (near to the future site of Gilgunnia ). Kruge’s wife, Sidwell, was from Cornwall and her family had emigrated to South Australia in
2220-469: The existing Crystal Street station , but the Commonwealth Government rejected it as it wished for the line to be built on a new alignment. The Silverton Tramway played a strategic role in the trans-Australia network until 1970, when it was surpassed by the New South Wales Government Railways ( Indian-Pacific ). The Silverton Tramway closed on 9 January 1970. The standard gauge line opened on
2280-515: The following November it was reported that “the affairs of the Cobar Copper Mine Company are in a flourishing condition, shares having rushed up from £15 to £70 and £80 per share”. In December 1871 a correspondent visited “the new Cobar copper mine” in company with Captain Lean, the newly-appointed mining manager. The mine had been in operation for the previous four months. It was situated “on
2340-404: The informal settlement of Cornish Town. Further away, but at locations now within the area of Cobar, are the empty sites of two other former mining settlements, Illewong and Elouera . There was also a village site at The Peak, proclaimed in 1897. Cobar has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: The New Occidental Hotel was a pub located on the edge of town and was built in 1879; it
2400-490: The land taken up by or belonging to the company working the mine), and Cornish Town”, with “the mine and its appurtenances in the centre”. Most of the houses, places of business and public buildings were located in the Private Township. In the surveyed Government Township there were “very few houses indeed”. Cornish Town was described as “pretty thickly populated”. The “want of water” was described as “the great drawback to
2460-411: The late-1840s and mined copper ore at Burra. She was able to identify the rock as containing copper. Sidwell Kruge's assessment was confirmed when her husband smelted some of the ore samples in his blacksmith's forge. The three men then returned to Bourke, intending to secure the ground around the Kubbur waterhole. In partnership with Bourke businessman Joseph Becker, Campbell, Hartman and Gibb took up
Southern & Silverton Rail - Misplaced Pages Continue
2520-499: The line was made redundant and the company concentrated on operating shunting and track maintenance services to the mines industry in and around Broken Hill with its remaining two diesel locomotives. Under the 1886 Act, the Government of New South Wales had an option to buy out the company for 21 times the annual divisible profits of the preceding seven years. Silverton calculated it was entitled to $ 5.8 million, but through legislation this
2580-443: The local mines and their employees, and consequently on world metal prices and hence is subject to great fluctuations. During 2008, after a fall of 75% in world zinc prices, one local mine cut 540 of its 655 jobs, with flow-on effects felt by many other businesses. Over the course of that year Cobar's workforce reduced by 10%. The town has increasing benefit from being the seat of the local government area. Cobar has two primary schools,
2640-533: The mid-1860s back stations such as ‘Booroomugga’ and ‘Buckwaroon’ had been established in the Cobar locality (within the Warrego Pastoral District). In September 1870 three contract well-sinkers, Charles Campbell, Thomas Hartman and George Gibb, were traveling south from Bourke to the Lachlan River. They had engaged two Aboriginal men, Frank and Boney, to guide them via the permanent watering places in
2700-476: The mid-1990s rebranded to Silverton Rail . In 2006, it was purchased by South Spur Rail Services and rebranded again as Southern & Silverton Rail, before both entities were sold to Coote Industrial . In June 2010 it was sold to Qube Logistics and absorbed into that brand. The Silverton Tramway Company was formed in 1886 by a consortium led by J. S. Reid , to build and operate the Silverton Tramway ,
2760-481: The name of Antonio Tozzi. At its peak, Cobar had a population of 10,000. It also became the regional centre for nearby mining villages, such as Elouera , Illewong , Wrightville , Dapville , and The Peak, and some further away such as Canbelego , Mount Drysdale , Nymagee and Shuttleton . However, mining operations in the area had virtually ceased by the early 1920s. In March 1919, the vast Great Cobar mine , Cobar's main employer, closed. The Chesney Mine had used
2820-432: The narrow gauge South Australian Railways lines. It was owned and operated by the Silverton Tramway Company (STC). The Silverton Tramway was one of only two privately-owned railways in New South Wales, originally founded to transport ore from local mines in the Broken Hill and Silverton region into South Australia. The company soon branched out, not only carrying ore from the mines but freighted other goods and offered
2880-574: The public, are ruins of very simple colonial dwellings from around 1870. The ancient Aboriginal rock paintings at Mount Grenfell are some of the largest and most important in Australia. The new Cobar Sound Chapel was opened in April 2022. The Cobar area is part of the traditional territory of the Wongaibon people (within the Ngiyampaa language group associated with the arid plains and rocky hill country of
2940-491: The settlement at Cobar was described as “large and scattered, as mining towns generally are, composed chiefly of huts and cottages, which lie about in all directions and cover an extensive area of ground”. The population was estimated to number 2,500 consisting “principally of miners and their families”. The township was “divided into three portions”, described as “the Government Township, the Private Township (or that upon
3000-510: The time. Although Cobar is best known as a copper mining area, it has also been a significant goldfield. The first significant gold producing mine at Cobar was the Chesney Mine. The New Occidental Mine is regarded as having been the most productive gold mine in New South Wales. Gold was also produced by refining the copper smelted from copper ores, this was first done in the Great Cobar electrolytic copper refinery at Lithgow . In March 1881
3060-518: The tramway and another 843,307 tons of other goods including coke, coal, timber, crude oil and livestock, and by 1933 twenty steam locomotives were owned by the company, along with 660 goods wagons. The company serviced travellers on long trips heading interstate to Semaphore ( Adelaide ) to the Largs Bay Holiday Camp and excursions for local community groups often conveying passengers to Silverton and McCulloch Park (at Stephens Creek ) for
SECTION 50
#17328512912933120-411: Was a 58-kilometre-long 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) railway line running from Cockburn on the South Australian state border to Broken Hill in New South Wales . Operating between 1888 and 1970, it served the mines in Broken Hill, and formed the link between the 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ) standard gauge New South Wales Government Railways and
3180-556: Was a missing link in an unbroken Sydney to Perth rail journey (Perth to Kalgoorlie was the other). Moves towards conversion of the line to standard gauge were made with the passing of the Railway Standardisation Agreement Act of 1944 , in which the New South Wales Government would acquire the Silverton Tramway Company, then pass it to the South Australian Railways. This agreement lapsed, with
3240-515: Was built in twelve months at a cost of £125,000. The contract to build the line was awarded to C&E Millar, who were building the Peterborough to Cockburn line at the same time. The first train reached Broken Hill on 6 September 1887, with the line officially opened on 12 January 1888 by the Duke of Manchester . Services were initially operated by South Australian Railways Y class locomotives until
3300-477: Was known as the Star Hotel at that time. It became a significant local spot for miners as well as a common meeting place for groups and clubs in the area. In August 2014 a fire engulfed the building and resulted in the death of a firefighter who died of his injuries at Dubbo Base Hospital. According to the 2016 census of Population, there were 3,990 people in Cobar. The Cobar economy relies heavily on trade with
3360-416: Was passed by the New South Wales Government, permitting the narrow gauge line to be built by the STC. The Act also permitted the New South Wales Government to buy out the company and assets after 21 years, upon payment of an amount equal to 21 times the average divisible profits over the preceding seven years, and that the company could be obliged to alter the track gauge at any time at its expense. The line
3420-714: Was purchased from Great Northern Rail Services and returned to service as 45s1. A former Genesee & Wyoming Australia 930 class had entered service with Silverton by August 2002 as 44s1 while two former FreightCorp 44 class entered service as 44s2 and 44s3. In March 2003, twenty-four 80 class locomotives were purchased from FreightCorp with four returned to traffic. Around the same time nine C class locomotives were purchased from National Rail with seven placed in service and two sublet to Pacific National . Other acquisitions were eight 85 and forty 86 class electric locomotives from FreightCorp. All were scrapped without use. Silverton Tramway The Silverton Tramway
3480-492: Was removed, the company having to settle for a $ 2 million payment. In 1969, the Dillingham Corporation of Honolulu bought a 33% shareholding, later increasing to 50%. In 1972, it was then taken over by T & G Mutual Life Assurance Society and delisted. It was included in the 1983 purchase of T & G Mutual by National Mutual , and in 1986 was sold in a management buyout to Graham Clements. Having purchased
3540-492: Was sold to P&O Trans Australia. In April 2011, Qube Logistics acquired outright control and majority ownership of P&O Trans Australia and Southern & Silverton Rail was rebranded. Qube Logistics purchased New South Wales freight operator Independent Transport Group in June 2012. Silverton Tramway Company commenced operations with hired South Australian Railways Y class locomotives, before purchasing steam locomotives of
3600-639: Was sold to Western Australian-based South Spur Rail Services . The locomotives and rolling stock were sold to the Allco Finance Group and leased back. Silverton Rail was rebranded as Southern & Silverton Railway. In March 2007, South Spur Rail Services was purchased by Coote Industrial . Following Allco Finance running into financial trouble, Coote Industrial was able to buy much of the former Silverton rolling stock in January 2008 through controlled subsidiary Greentrains . In June 2010 South Spur Rail Services
#292707