Bridge! What Bridge?
There once was a rail bridge that crossed Main Rd 217. Right here. I tried looking for some relic of that past, but all i can find is the road bed leading to it. This bridge carried the Wangi Wangi Branch line that travelled from the Main Northern Line at Awaba to the Wangi Wangi Power Station. A single line of about 10Kms length, with a ruling grade 1:50 towards Newcastle and a grade of 1:66 against loaded trains. The line was opened in 1954 to supply coal from the local coalfields to the station. Only a short life for a branchline, it ended operations in 1973, replaced by a conveyor, though not decomissioned until 1989. There is not much left except for the actual earth works, a small amount of rail, sleepers, fence posts and telegraph poles.
The bridge was a timber structure (Hopefully i can find a picture) that only just allowed two cars to pass comfortably underneath. The road being widened once the bridge was removed.
The power station still stands, though is in a bad state of repair, and is only a shell of its former self. It operated from 1956 till 1986. You can see the three chimneys along the trail further on.
I will try and follow this branchline as far as i can, and will continue the story of the line, and the power station as we go.
as an added note, I have been doing this series for the last 4 years, submitted once on reviewers note, and never got back to it, though still researched on and off. The OZ Geomuster has got me moving, as I do not want this area to go to Geo Art, as I feel its important to try and retain its history.