Bowmans railway station explained

Bowmans
Address:Balaklava Road, Bowmans, South Australia
Coordinates:-34.1597°N 138.2618°W
Distance:112 kilometres from Adelaide
Line:Balaklava-Moonta line
Structure:Ground
Platform:1
Tracks:1
Opened:1870
Closed:1968
Operator:Australian National
Status:Closed, mostly demolished

Bowmans railway station was located at the junction of the Balaklava-Moonta railway line and the Adelaide-Port Augusta railway line in the town of Bowmans, South Australia.

History

An isolated horse-drawn and gravity operated tramway was built to deliver grain from the plains east of Port Wakefield in the areas of Balaklava, Halbury and Hoyle's Plains (now Hoyleton) to that port.[1] [2] The line was converted into a steam railway and extended to Kadina and Wallaroo in 1878. Bowmans railway station was opened in 1870. It was named after E. and C. Bowman who were well known pastoralists and led the estate along which the railway passed.[3] [4] It became a junction with the opening of a new railway line from Salisbury to Snowtown and Redhill. That line was later extended from there to Port Pirie in 1936.

The Port Pirie line was constructed as broad gauge and the Moonta line was constructed as narrow gauge. This problem was solved when the Moonta line was converted to broad gauge on 1 August 1927.[5] [6]

Transfer to Australian National, closure and demolition

The station closed to regular passenger use in 1968.[7] In 1978, the station and all associated infrastructure was included in the transfer of South Australian Railways to Australian National. The Port Pirie line was converted from broad gauge to standard gauge in 1982.[8] The broad gauge line through Bowmans closed on 4 April 1984 with the refreshment rooms, most of the station infrastructure and railway line being removed not long after. [9]

Present day

Only the disused railway platform remains as any evidence of a passenger rail service.[10] The alignment of the southern entrance to the station was converted into a spur to service theBowmans Rail intermodal terminal.[11]

Notes and References

  1. News: PORT WAKEFIELD RAILWAY. . . XII . 3385 . South Australia . 21 August 1869 . 24 September 2018 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  2. News: THE PORT WAKEFIELD AND HOYLE'S PLAINS TRAMWAY, AND THE DISTRICT THROUGH WHICH IT PASSES. . . VI . 1,808 . South Australia . 27 November 1869 . 24 September 2018 . 2 (SECOND EDITION) . National Library of Australia.
  3. Names of South Australian Railway Stations with meanings and derivations
  4. Bowmans town a link to 1840s start of pastoral family's properties push to top of Spencer Gulf in South Australia
  5. Redhill Railway Opening 15 August 1925
  6. Callaghan. WH. Horse and Steam, Wheat and Copper. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin. 2002. January;February, 2002. 9–27;46–63.
  7. Railways and Colonisation in South Australia
  8. http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2004C06358 Rail Agreement (Adelaide to Crystal Brook Railway) Act 1980
  9. Book: Quinlan . Howard . Australian Railway Routes 1854 - 2000 . Newland . John . 2000 . Australian Railway Historical Society . 0 909650 49 7 . Redfern . 56–58.
  10. Bowmans.Port Wakefield. All that is left of the large railway station and refreshment rooms at Bowmans
  11. Bowmans Rail

    References

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