Merredin to Yilliminning railway line

The Merredin to Yilliminning railway line was a railway line connecting Merredin to Yilliminning via Kondinin. Also known as the West Merredin to Yilliminning via Kondinin railway, it was 260 kilometres (160 mi) long. At its northern end, at Merredin, it connected to the Eastern Goldfields Railway while, at the southern terminus at Yilliminning, it connected to the Merredin to Narrogin railway line. From Yilliminning, this line continued to Narrogin, 23 kilometres (14 mi) further west, where the line intersected the Great Southern Railway.[1][2]

Merredin to Yilliminning railway line
A tree growing on the railway line at Kulin
Overview
StatusClosed
LocaleWheatbelt, Western Australia
Termini
Service
Operator(s)Western Australian Government Railways
History
Commenced1912
Opened16 March 1925 (1925-03-16)
Section 1 openedYilliminning to Kondinin: 15 March 1915 (1915-03-15)
Section 2 openedKondinin to Narembeen: 22 December 1917 (1917-12-22)
Section 3 openedNarembeen to Merredin: 16 March 1925 (1925-03-16)
Technical
Line length260 km (160 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Merredin to Yilliminning railway line
Main locations
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
150km
100miles
Narrogin
4
Narrogin
Yilliminning
3
Yilliminning
Kondinin
2
Kondinin
Merredin
1
Merredin
Route map

260
Merredin
244
Collgar
237
Norpa
228
Koonadgin
217
Tandagin
208
Muntadgin
203
Cramphorne
191
Wogarl
178
Wadderin
169
Narembeen
164
Emu Hill
156
Hedges
153
South Kumminin
144
Billericay
130
Bendering
122
Notting
118
Kondinin
104
Gnarming
95
Kulin
85
South Kulin
74
Jitarning
64
Traysurin
59
Dudinin
No. 2 Rabbit-proof fence
50
Harrismith
40
Tincurrin
32
Wedin
25
Toolibin
14
Noman’s Lake
0
Yilliminning

History

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The Yillimining-Kodinin Railway Act 1911, an act by the Parliament of Western Australia assented to on 9 January 1912, authorised the construction of the railway line from Yilliminning to Kondinin.[3] A second act, the Yilliminning-Kondinin Railway Extension Act 1914, assented to in 18 February 1915, authorised the construction of the railway line extension from Kondinin to Merredin.[4]

The railway line's contract for construction for the first section from Yilliminning to Kondinin was awarded on 23 October 1912 and the line officially opened on 15 March 1915. It was constructed by the Western Australian Public Works Department. The second section of the line, from Kondinin to Narembeen, had its contract awarded on 7 February 1917, was constructed that year and officially opened on 22 December 1917, again having been built by the Public Works Department. The final section of the railway from Narembeen to Merredin had its contract awarded on 11 June 1923 and was officially opened on 16 March 1925, having once more been constructed by the Public Works Department.[5]

In 1954, the state government of Western Australia had compiled a list of loss-making railway operations, of which the Merredin to Yilliminning line was one, having had a total expenditure of almost four times its earnings in the financial year to June 1953. The line was broken down in the report in a northern and southern section, split at Kondinin. The northern section was more unprofitable than the southern one, recording £A 98,946 expenditure versus earnings of £A 25,882 while figures for the southern section were £A 84,261 versus £A26,965. With a recorded loss of £A 73,064, the northern section of the line was the worst of the 18 railway lines listed for unprofitability.[6]

Arc Infrastructure deems the railway line to be part of its Grain Freight Rail Network, which, in 2017, accounted for 50 percent of its network but only 10 percent of its freight. The line south of Kulin and north of Kondinin was classified as Tier 3 while the section in between was not assessed.[7]

In 2021, it was estimated that it would cost A$164.41 million to upgrade the Narrogin to Kulin section of the railway line to reopen it. Reopening the Kondinin to Merredin section was estimated to cost A$210.67 million, or A$238.08 to upgrade the line to standard gauge.[8] The following year, in 2022, it was announced that the state government would spend A$72 million on the railway line from Narrogin to Kulin, nine years after its closure, in order to reopen the Narrogin to Tincurrin section.[9]

Legacy

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The railway line, as well as the Merredin to Narrogin railway line running in parallel further west, still exist, but are designated as "Not in use" on the Arc Infrastructure map in 2024.[10]

At the northern terminus, at Merredin, four entries related to the railways are on the State Register of Heritage Places: the Merredin Railway Station, the Railway Water Tank, the Railway Dam and the Railway Housing Precinct.[11]

At Narembeen, the Narembeen Railway Precinct is on the Shire of Narembeen's heritage list and consists of a goods sheet and stationmasters house, among other installations.[12]

The Kondinin Railway Precinct is on the heritage list of the Shire of Kondinin and consists of a Ladies Waiting Room and a goods shed.[13]

In the Shire of Kulin, the railway facilities at Dudinin and Kulin are on the shire's heritage list.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "Public Transport Authority: Railway System: April 2019" (PDF). Public Transport Authority. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Railway map of Western Australia, 1952". Trove. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Yillimining-Kodinin Railway Act 1911". www.legislation.wa.gov.au. Government of Western Australia. 9 January 1912. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Yilliminning-Kondinin Railway Extension Act 1914". www.legislation.wa.gov.au. Government of Western Australia. 18 February 1915. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  5. ^ Opening dates for sections from 12. Construction of the W.A. Government Railways network, 1879 - 1931, pages 208-210 Gunzburg, Adrian; Austin, Jeff; Rail Heritage WA; Gunzburg, Adrian (2008), Rails through the bush : timber and firewood tramways and railway contractors of Western Australia (2nd ed.), Rail Heritage WA, ISBN 978-0-9803922-2-7
  6. ^ "Minister Says Many Railway Sections Show Big Losses", The Farmers' Weekly, 11 February 1954, retrieved 30 July 2024
  7. ^ "Issues Paper" (PDF). www.arcinfra.com. Arc Infrastructure. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  8. ^ Bree Swift (22 May 2021). "Budget raises hope of Tier 3 upgrades". Farm Weekly. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  9. ^ "$400m for WA rail upgrade after record grain harvest". ABC News. 3 May 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Arc Map Network" (PDF). Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Shire of Merredin State Register of Heritage Places". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Narembeen Railway Precinct". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Kondinin Railway Precinct". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Shire of Kulin Heritage Places". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
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