Toronto Railway Station (NSW – Australia)

This station is on the shores of Lake Macquarie and about a 10 minute drive from where I live. The line to the station was a small branch off a main north south line, but served the local community at the time. Things have changed a little since.

The station itself is not much different from many others in NSW still existing and functioning but with a few added added or subtracted features.

Apart from the design I’m not sure there will be many Station Master signs anymore; perhaps Station Person is more the go; I haven’t looked lately. As for chimneys, having travelled plenty of trains in Sydney for years, I don’t ever remember a waiting room with a working fireplace. I wonder who got the job of sorting the fireplace for cold passengers?

It’s a shame it had to cease (especially before I moved to the area). What a great view to mark the end of the line.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Toronto Branch Railway Line is a closed railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The line opened in 1891 ( as a Private Tourist Tramway, Government Railways acquired in 1910) and branched off the Main Northern line at Fassifern station, crossing over a single lane tunnel on Fassifern Road, and following the shore of Fennell Bay to Blackalls Park. The Toronto end of the line is located close to the shore of Toronto Bay.

Horse-drawn carriages were first to run along the branch line. A variety of steam engines also ran along the line during its operation, including a Coffee Pot engine, and the Prince of Wales travelled to Toronto by train on 24 June 1920.

Passenger services operated over the line, generally as a shuttle service between Fassifern and Toronto, but through services to Newcastle also operated. Services in 1989 were operated by 620/720 class diesel railcars, and operated as frequently as every 20 minutes. The line was not included in the Wyong- Newcastle electrification project completed in 1984, which probably sealed its fate, as it was controversially closed March 11, 1990 despite local opposition, with a privately operated bus service replacing the train. Following closure, a cycleway called the Toronto Greenway was constructed along the line. Most of the cycleway was constructed alongside the railway line in case the line is ever to be reopened.While the line has not been reopened to this day, a bus service has been made which drives from Fassifern station to Toronto, stopping at Blackalls Park.

The line and station is still largely intact. The station building is an example of heritage re-use, now in use by the Lake Macquarie and District Historical Society.

Update: On 23/6/2015 I took three more photos. Two images relate to track and spike detail; the other shows that the signals shack, alas, is no more.

Just click on any pic for quick presentation of enlarged images that are easy on the eye.

Word for today:    History – Toronto Railway Station

[ Toronto Hotel, 1887, above and behind the station; probably next port of call for many train travellers. Perhaps a stagger back down the steps to the station]

More to come;     same blog time, same blog channel