Midland railway line, Western Australia

Regional railway line in Western Australia

This article is about the regional railway line in Western Australia. For the company that built it, see Midland Railway of Western Australia. For the suburban railway, see Midland line, Perth.

Midland railway line

The Westrail P class locomotives Shire of Kulin (2515) and Shire of Dalwallinu (2504) pulling a freight train past the Three Springs grain silos in August 2022

Overview
Owner| Public Transport Authority
Termini|

* Originally: Midland Junction

Current: Millendon Junction
* Originally: Walkaway

Current: Narngulu

Stations| 39
Service
Operator(s)| Arc Infrastructure
History
Opened| November 1894
Technical
Line length| Originally: 446 kilometres (277 mi)

Current: 452 kilometres (281 mi)
Track gauge| 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Highest elevation| 323.6 m (1,062 ft)

Route map

Legend

|  |  |

|  |

Geraldton to Mullewa railway

|
|
|
|

|  |

|  | Narngulu East
|  |

452

| Narngulu
|  |

434

| Walkaway
|  |

419

| Bookara
|  |

394

| Dongara
|  |

|  | Dongara–Eneabba railway line
|  |

376

| Irwin
|  |

363

| Strawberry
|  |

|  | Irwin River
|  |

338

| Mingenew
|  |

319

| Yandanooka
|  |

302

| Arrino
|  |

284

| Three Springs
|  |

261

| Carnamah
|  |

234

| Coorow
|  |

214

| Marchagee
|  |

203

| Gunyidi
|  |

185

| Watheroo
|  |

176

| Namban
|  |

166

| Coomberdale
|  |

161

| Cairn Hill
|  |

|  | Moore River North
|  |

143

| Moora
|  |

|  | Moore River East
|  |

100

| Mogumber
|  |

| Mooliabeenie
|  |

| Gingin
|  |

| Chandalla
|  |

| Muchea
|  |

| Millendon
|  |

| Eastern Railway
|  |  |  |  |  |

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The Midland railway line historically ran from Midland Junction to Walkaway (30 kilometres south of Geraldton) in Western Australia. Built by the Midland Railway of Western Australia, the 446 kilometre line opened in November 1894.

The contemporary railway line, operated by Arc Infrastructure, is referred to as the Millendon Junction to Narngulu railway line, and runs from Millendon Junction, on the Eastern Railway, to Narngulu on the Geraldton to Mullewa railway.[1][2][3]

## History

[edit]

### As a private railway

[edit]

Map of the Midland railway line and adjacent country in 1894

In December 1883, John Waddington representing a syndicate of English capitalists, proposed to Governor Broome to build a line from York via Northam, Newcastle, Bejoording, New Norcia and along the Berkshire Valley to Geraldton under a land grant scheme. A parliamentary select committee recommended the route be altered to branch off from the Eastern Railway at Guildford and run via Chittering, Bindoon, Victoria Plains, Carnamah, Arrino, Upper Irwin and Dongara to Walkaway where it would join the Western Australian Government Railway’s line from Geraldton. The agreement was signed on 27 February 1886, with work commencing a few days later.[4][5]

Under the land grant scheme, 12,000 acres (4,900 ha) of land was granted for every mile of railway completed, a total of 3,319,000 acres (1,343,000 ha). The consortium was able to select land within 40 miles (64 km) of the new railway. Financing problems delayed construction with construction being suspended in June 1887. The Government tried to rescind the contract, but could not as the consortium had until 1890 to complete the first 160 kilometres of the line.[4][5][6][7]

On 21 March 1890, the Midland Railway Company of Western Australia was floated on the London Stock Exchange and Herbert Bond purchased John Waddington's shareholding in the consortium and work recommenced on the 446 kilometre line from both ends.[4]

The first section from Midland Junction to Gingin opened on 9 April 1891, followed by Walkaway to Mingenew on 16 August 1891, Gin Gin to Moore River (Mogumbur) on 22 February 1892, Mingenew to Arrino on 25 February 1892, Mogumbur to Mora on 2 July 1894, with the two sections linked between Carnamah and Three Springs on 1 November 1894.[4][8][9][10]

### As a government railway

[edit]

On 1 August 1964, the line was sold to the Western Australian Government Railways.[9]

In April 1976, the Dongara–Eneabba railway line opened as a branch of the Midland railway line at Dongara.[11][12]

### Services in both eras

[edit]

The Midland Railway of Western Australia operated a weekly passenger train in each direction. After the sale of the line to the Western Australian Government Railways, it was relaunched as The Midlander. It ceased on 28 July 1975.[13][14]

Today the line is primarily utilised by CBH Group grain trains operating to the ports of Geraldton and Kwinana from eight receival points.[15]

As of 2024, it is operated by Arc Infrastructure as the Millendon Junction to Narngulu railway line, connecting to the Geraldton to Mullewa line at Narngulu.[1][2][3]

## Elevation

[edit]

The railway line starts at an elevation of 21.5 metres (71 ft) at Millendon Junction and finishes at Narngulu at an elevation of 26.3 metres (86 ft). It reaches its lowest point of 5.9 metres (19 ft) at the 399.6-kilometre (248.3 mi) mark, north of Dongara, and its highest point of 323.6 metres (1,062 ft) at the 213.7-kilometre (132.8 mi) mark, just south of Marchagee.[16]

## Incidents

[edit]

On 24 July 1917, three people were killed and thirteen injured when the mail train from Perth to Geraldton derailed 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the siding at Gunyidi. One small child was killed on impact when the passenger carriages telescoped into the luggage van, while her mother and another man received severe injuries and died at the scene within hours.[17] A coronial inquest found that excess rain and the absence of appropriate culverts had resulted in a washaway of the tracks.[18]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Public Transport Authority: Railway System: April 2019" (PDF). pta.wa.gov.au. Public Transport Authority. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
2. ^ a b "Arc Map Network" (PDF). www.arcinfra.com. Arc Infrastructure. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
3. ^ a b "Track Inventory Data". www.arcinfra.com. Arc Infrastructure. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
4. ^ a b c d Gunzburg, Adrian (1989). The Midland Railway Company Locomotives of Western Australia. Surrey Hills: Light Railway Research Society of Australia. pp. 7–10, 13, 49, 54. ISBN 0-9093402-77.
5. ^ a b Midland Railway Company Battye Library
6. ^ The Midland Railway of Australia Western Mail 3 October 1891
7. ^ Royal Commission into the Management, Workings & Control of the Western Australian Government Railways Government of Western Australia December 1947 page 8
8. ^ The Midland Railway: Its Jubilee Year The West Australian 31 October 1936
9. ^ a b Affleck, Fred (1978). On Track: The Making of Westrail, 1950–1976. Perth: Westrail. pp. 73–85\. ISBN 0724475605. OCLC 6489347.
10. ^ Midland Railway Carnamah Historical Society & Museum
11. ^ Quinlan, Howard; Newland, John R. (2000). Australian Railway Routes 1854 to 2000. Australian Railway Historical Society, New South Wales Division. p. 69\. ISBN 978-0-909650-49-0.
12. ^ "Plaque for opening of Eneabba – Dongara railway". Collections WA. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
13. ^ May, Andrew S; Gray, Bill (2006). A History of WAGR Passenger Carriages. Midland, WA: Bill Gray. p. 260\. ISBN 0646459023.
14. ^ Higham, Geoffrey (2007). Marble Bar to Mandurah: A history of passenger rail services in Western Australia. Bassendean: Rail Heritage WA. pp. 118, 119. ISBN 978-0-9803922-0-3.
15. ^ Receival site map CBH Group
16. ^ "03 Millendon Junction to Narngulu Grade and Elevation: Elevation information". www.arcinfra.com. Arc Infrastructure. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
17. ^ "Railway Disasters: A Midland Train Derailed". The West Australian. 25 July 1917.
18. ^ "Midland Railway Disaster". The West Australian. 22 August 1917.

## External links

[edit]

* Flickr gallery

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Railway lines in Western Australia

Main lines|

* Eastern Goldfields
* Eastern Railway
* Great Southern Railway
* South Western Railway
* Trans-Australian Railway

Goldfields–Esperance|

* Esperance
* Hopetoun–Ravensthorpe†
* Kalgoorlie–Gnumballa Lake†
* Kanowna†
* Leonora
* Malcolm–Laverton†
* Kambalda–Redmine

Great Southern|

* Donnybrook–Katanning†
* Nornalup†
* Ongerup†
* Pingrup†

Mid West|

* Avon Yard–Mullewa†
* Cue–Big Bell†
* Dongara–Eneabba†
* Geraldton–Ajana†
* Geraldton–Mullewa
* Karara
* Meekatharra-Horseshoe†
* Millendon Junction–Narngulu
* Mullewa–Meekatharra†
* Sandstone†
* Upper Chapman Valley†
* Wiluna†

Peel|

* Waroona–Lake Clifton
* Pinjarra–Narrogin†

Pilbara|

* Fortescue
* Goldsworthy
* Hamersley & Robe River
* Marble Bar†
* Mount Newman
* Roy Hill

Perth|

* Airport
* Armadale
* Belmont†
* Ellenbrook
* Fremantle
* Kalamunda
* Kwinana
* Mandurah
* Midland (country)
* Midland (suburban)
* Mundaring
* Mundaring Weir
* Spearwood–Armadale†
* Thornlie
* Upper Darling Range
* Yanchep

South West|

* Brunswick Junction–Narrogin†
* Donnybrook–Katanning†
* Flinders Bay†
* Nannup†
* Northcliffe†
* Pinjarra–Narrogin†

Wheatbelt|

* Avon Yard–Mullewa†
* Bonnie Rock†
* Brookton–Corrigin†
* Brunswick Junction–Narrogin†
* Goomalling–West Merredin†
* Hyden
* Kalannie
* Merredin–Narrogin†
* Merredin–Yilliminning†
* Pinjarra–Narrogin†
* Newdegate
* Toodyay West–Miling
* Wagin–Bowelling†
* Wyalkatchem–Southern Cross†
* York-Bruce Rock†

Tourist and heritage railways|

* Bennett Brook
* Hotham Valley
* Oliver Hill

Timber railway lines|

* Ballaarat tramline
* Jarrahdale–Rockingham

Trams and tramways|

* Baldivis tramway
* Broome Tramway
* Carnarvon tram
* Trams in Fremantle
* Trams in Kalgoorlie
* Trams in Perth

Approved by Parliament
but not constructed|

* Boyup Brook–Cranbrook
* Brookton–Dale River
* Manjimup–Mount Barker
* Southern Cross southwards
* Yarramony eastward
* Yuna-Dartmoor

^† Denotes railway is closed, partially closed or has been removed

See also: Agricultural railways ♦ Wheatbelt railways
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