| Historical notes: | The Main Northern line between Sydney and Newcastle was constructed in two distinct stages and in the earliest years, was worked as two separate railway systems.
The line between Sydney (actually the junction at Strathfield) and the Hawkesbury River was opened on 7 April 1887, with the terminus being on the southern bank of the Hawkesbury River. The line between Newcastle and the northern bank of the Hawkesbury River (near present day Wondabyne) was opened in January 1888.
The line was completed through between Sydney and Newcastle with the opening of the massive bridge over the Hawkesbury River in 1889.
Hawkesbury River Railway Station is presently located on the Northern line between Cowan Railway Station and Wondabyne Railway Station.
The single-line section between Hornsby and the Hawkesbury River was opened for traffic on 7 April 1887. Separate side platforms were provided at the-then terminus, one for each of the future Up and Down lines in preparation for the forthcoming planned duplication of the Northern line. Completion of the bridge over the Hawkesbury River was still two years away and the station facilities provided at Hawkesbury River remained in use to serve as the railway terminus until the opening of the bridge. The construction name of Hawkesbury River was ‘Flat Rock’. The station was opened as ‘Hawkesbury River’, re-named ‘Brooklyn’ (1888), ‘Hawkesbury River’ (1889), ‘Hawkesbury’ (1890), finally reverting to Hawkesbury River in 1906.
Whilst the main line terminated at Hawkesbury River, an arrangement of trackwork, sidings and platforms was provided on the causeway formed by reclaimed land on the eastern side of Long Island where the new Long Island tunnel had been constructed. The station was known as ‘River Wharf’ and the tracks terminated at a wharf at the edge of the waterway. The purpose of the arrangement was to allow transhipment between the railways and river ferries, thus allowing passengers to cross the waterway, to another wharf on the northern side of the river, while the Hawkesbury River Bridge was under construction.
In the single line era, Hawkesbury River Station comprised two timber platforms, one for each of the Down main and Up main line. A timber station building was provided on the Up platform.
By 1912, duplication was extended to Hawkesbury River and the layout had changed. An island platform and standard brick station building had been provided, refuge sidings, loops and goods sidings had been laid in, all controlled by interlocking and a signal box on the platform. A footbridge and stairs allowed access to the platform.
In subsequent years, increased rail traffic resulted in constant re-modelling, improvement and updating of railway facilities at Hawkesbury River to cater for bank engines (which assisted up trains from Hawkesbury River to Cowan) and longer and heavier trains. Signalling and interlocking was improved as a result.
Electrification of the Hornsby-Gosford section was opened in 1960. The first stage of the project was the electrification of the Hornsby to Hawkesbury River section and this was opened into Hawkesbury River on 12 April 1959. As part of this scheme, the platforms, overbridges, underbridge, footbridges and other structures were modified or rebuilt to accommodate the wide electric rollingstock, planned to operate between Hornsby and Cowan.
The station footbridge was raised for electrification. The electrification at Hawkesbury River saw the demise of steam locomotive bank engines, replaced by electric locomotives. As a result, modifications and improvements were carried out to trackwork, sidings and signalling to suit the use of electric locomotives and the future operation of stainless steel electric interurban car sets on passenger trains.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, most station buildings on the northern line between Hornsby and Newcastle were further rebuilt with modern materials, a result of the extension of electrification from Gosford to Newcastle. However, the brick station building at Hawkesbury River is extant, although some additional awnings and structures have been added on the platform. The station steps have been rebuilt with modern materials.
At Hawkesbury River, the signal box at the Hornsby-end of the station building was closed at the time of the upgrading, with all signals being controlled by a control centre at Hornsby. |
