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Ten Tunnels Deviation
The Ten Tunnels Deviation is a heritage-listed 9.2-kilometre (5.7 mi) section of the Main Western Line between Newnes Junction and Zig Zag stations in Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed and built by the New South Wales Government Railways and built from 1 June 1908 and 16 October 1910. It is also known as Great Zig Zag Railway deviation tunnels and Bell to Zig Zag Ten Tunnel Railway Deviation. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
When they opened in 1910, the tunnels replaced the Lithgow Zig Zag, which limited the length of trains over the mountains and required two changes in direction. The deviation comprises ten tunnels of varying length from 70 to 825 metres (230 to 2,707 ft) over 3.7 kilometres (2.3 mi). The work also included the excavation of a 61-metre (200 ft) cutting, the deepest cutting on the NSW rail system. Journey times were reduced by 20 to 30 minutes.
The original 1869 Main Western single line headed north from Mount Victoria along the ridge known as the Darling Causeway. It then turned west and entered the Dargan's Creek valley. After climbing out of the head of this valley it reached an escarpment where the Zigzag was constructed to reach the valley floor. The Zig Zag was created by the track switching back on itself twice to reach the valley floor. From here it continued west to Lithgow. This section was opened on 18 October 1869.
The 1869 Zig Zag became a bottleneck to the flow of traffic and as early as 1885, consideration was given to its replacement. In 1897, the first major change was made, known as Dargan's Creek Deviation. This involved traversing the Dargan's Creek Valley on the northern side of the creek instead of the south. The line was still single-track at this point, and this soon became a bottleneck. In order to alleviate this, electric staff crossing loops were added at Edgecombe in 1901 (between Clarence and Top Points) and Dargan's in 1902 (between Bell and Clarence).
In 1906, a new junction and station were constructed at the first Newnes Junction Station. The junction was for the private Newnes railway line.
By 1910, it had become evident that a new route was required for the descent to Lithgow. Accordingly, a new route, known as the Ten Tunnels Deviation, was built and the Dargan's Creek Deviation was closed. The existing stations were all closed, with Newnes Junction relocated closer to Sydney, and a new Clarence station built where the line goes under the Bells Line of Road. The Newnes Line closed after 25 years of operation in 1932, and only the formation remains.
The Ten Tunnel Deviation started at Newnes Junction and finished at Bottom Points (now Zig Zag platform). As its name suggests, it featured 10 new tunnels, and it bypassed the Zig Zag. The new route broadly followed the previous one as far as Newnes Junction, before turning south and taking a more circuitous route via the tunnels to emerge from the final one near the base of the Zig Zag.
Supplies to the line during construction were provided by a funicular railway that descended 107 metres (350 ft) from the ridge to a location near No. 10 tunnel. Up to 1500 day employees worked on the project.
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Ten Tunnels Deviation
The Ten Tunnels Deviation is a heritage-listed 9.2-kilometre (5.7 mi) section of the Main Western Line between Newnes Junction and Zig Zag stations in Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed and built by the New South Wales Government Railways and built from 1 June 1908 and 16 October 1910. It is also known as Great Zig Zag Railway deviation tunnels and Bell to Zig Zag Ten Tunnel Railway Deviation. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
When they opened in 1910, the tunnels replaced the Lithgow Zig Zag, which limited the length of trains over the mountains and required two changes in direction. The deviation comprises ten tunnels of varying length from 70 to 825 metres (230 to 2,707 ft) over 3.7 kilometres (2.3 mi). The work also included the excavation of a 61-metre (200 ft) cutting, the deepest cutting on the NSW rail system. Journey times were reduced by 20 to 30 minutes.
The original 1869 Main Western single line headed north from Mount Victoria along the ridge known as the Darling Causeway. It then turned west and entered the Dargan's Creek valley. After climbing out of the head of this valley it reached an escarpment where the Zigzag was constructed to reach the valley floor. The Zig Zag was created by the track switching back on itself twice to reach the valley floor. From here it continued west to Lithgow. This section was opened on 18 October 1869.
The 1869 Zig Zag became a bottleneck to the flow of traffic and as early as 1885, consideration was given to its replacement. In 1897, the first major change was made, known as Dargan's Creek Deviation. This involved traversing the Dargan's Creek Valley on the northern side of the creek instead of the south. The line was still single-track at this point, and this soon became a bottleneck. In order to alleviate this, electric staff crossing loops were added at Edgecombe in 1901 (between Clarence and Top Points) and Dargan's in 1902 (between Bell and Clarence).
In 1906, a new junction and station were constructed at the first Newnes Junction Station. The junction was for the private Newnes railway line.
By 1910, it had become evident that a new route was required for the descent to Lithgow. Accordingly, a new route, known as the Ten Tunnels Deviation, was built and the Dargan's Creek Deviation was closed. The existing stations were all closed, with Newnes Junction relocated closer to Sydney, and a new Clarence station built where the line goes under the Bells Line of Road. The Newnes Line closed after 25 years of operation in 1932, and only the formation remains.
The Ten Tunnel Deviation started at Newnes Junction and finished at Bottom Points (now Zig Zag platform). As its name suggests, it featured 10 new tunnels, and it bypassed the Zig Zag. The new route broadly followed the previous one as far as Newnes Junction, before turning south and taking a more circuitous route via the tunnels to emerge from the final one near the base of the Zig Zag.
Supplies to the line during construction were provided by a funicular railway that descended 107 metres (350 ft) from the ridge to a location near No. 10 tunnel. Up to 1500 day employees worked on the project.