| Historical notes: | The first cross-country railway line in NSW, connecting the southern and western lines, was proposed as early as 1875, with Surveyor Wade instructed to explore the country between Murrumburrah and Blayney to recommend a suitable route. Two similar routes were considered: one leaving the western line near the summit between Newbridge and Blayney, following the Evans Swamp Valley and the ridge near Waugoola Creek. The alternative was a line further west and in flatter country, between the Waugoola and Limestone creeks to the east of Cowra and continuing past Young before joining the southern line (Forsyth, 1985; Ryan, 1986).
A later proposal (1879), this time by Surveyor Hogg, recommended that the branch line leave the western line 1.005 kilometres beyond Blayney station, passing through Carcoar and going directly through, rather than above, the town of Young. Construction of the cross-country line was approved by Parliament in April 1881 and a contract for the first stage of works to the first section of line from Murrumburrah to Young let to Messrs. O’Rourke and McSharry in September 1882. The work was to be completed by December 1884 but did not open until March 1885 (Forsyth, 1985; Ryan 1986).
The rest of the cross-country line was constructed in two sections (Young to Cowra and Cowra to Blayney) with tenders called for both sections in February 1885 for completion by June 1887. The successful contractor for the Cowra to Blayney section was J.S. Robertson with the contract for the section from Young to Cowra let to Fishburn & Co. The first sod for the Blayney - Cowra section was turned in Blayney in March 1885 by the widow of Andrew Lynch, the former member for the electorate of Carcoar, who had been a strong advocate for construction of the line. The Young to Cowra section opened as a temporary terminus on November 1, 1886. The section between Cowra and Blayney (including Woodstock) was delayed due to late arrival of materials for the bridge over the Lachlan River at Cowra, but opened on February 13, 1888 (Forsyth, 1985; Ryan, 1986; SRA, 1993).
Opening dates for major locations along the cross-country line were: Blayney (November 1876), Carcoar (February 1888), Woodstock (February 1888) and Cowra (August 1887). Rail services to Woodstock (and other stations on the line) were suspended in c1987 (Ryan, 1986; SRA, 1993). |
