Oberon-Tarana Branch Line

[faulcon1]

I recently visited Hazelgrove station site on this former branch line. This line is hard to take photos of because most of the line now runs through private properties. Unlike the UK where lines were taken up ours were left in situ to be reclaimed by nature.

 

Photo 1 shows an overview of the former Hazelgrove Station looking towards Carlwood and Tarana.

Photo 2 shows the disconnect loop.

Photo 3 shows a dismantled point frog.

Photo 4 shows the former station name board.

Photo 5 shows missing sleepers on the main branch line.

Photo 6 shows a possible mileage post.

Photo 7 shows the track work climbing towards Oberon away from Hazelgrove.

Photo 8 shows a small timber trestle bridge near to the Carlwood Station site. The far away view is due to the bridge now being on private land.

[faulcon1]

The other day I went back to the Tarana Oberon Line as I wasn't happy with the photo I took of the trestle bridge. My still photo camera doesn't have a telephoto lens. So I took a photo using the still camera in my in video camera which has a telephoto function. I took the photo from the same place (in the middle of a public road). Although a little blurred the trestle has remained standing even with no maintenance done to it.

 

The second and third photos were taken on the way home and one shows a four arch brick viaduct which once carried the single track original line between Tarana and Rydal. The present single track mainline is in the foreground between the fence and the embankment

 

 

The third photo shows the station at Rydal. It was double track through the station but due to declining rail traffic it was singled years ago. Believe it or not this is the main western line to Broken Hill. The Indian Pacific travels this line on it's way to Perth.

Edited June 9, 2016 by faulcon1

[faulcon1]

Looking through You Tube I found a rare trike ride between Carlwood and Hazelgrove. It was done way back in 2005 with a homemade trike using car wheels (without the tyres) for railway wheels. The footage must have been taken either on a phone or an old analog video camera. The footage is in 360p.

It starts at the trestle bridge (in the above photo) and goes onto Hazelgrove round very sharp curves and up steep 1 in 25 gradients. Farm animals now rule where once trains ran. But by doing so they've kept the undergrowth down. On reaching Hazelgrove there is footage of the return run back to Carlwood. 

 

 

Edited November 21, 2021 by faulcon1

[faulcon1]

There is another video of poor quality and silly effects of the same blokes doing a home made trike ride from Carlwood back towards the junction at Tarana.