SAR Gladstone-Wilmington

Line History:

Opened:  1884-1915
Closed:  1990
Length:  88km

Built as a narrow gauge (3'6" - 1067mm) line from Gladstone to Laura in 1884, it was extended to Booleroo Centre in 1910 and to Wilmington in 1915. There were proposals to extend the line to Port Augusta or to Quorn.

The line was single track with passing loops at most locations along the line. There were no signals on the line with Train Order Working in operation.

The line became isolated from the rest of the narrow gauge network when the Port Pirie-Broken Hill Line was converted to standard gauge (4'8.5" - 1435mm) during 1969-1970. All passenger services on the line were then permanently cancelled.

The 1964 working timetable had 6 scheduled freight services each week - 3 of which ran "when required". A late night passenger service to Wilmington ran 6 days each week, returning early the next morning. By the 1982 working timetable this had been reduced to just a single freight service to Wilmington each week.

The line was closed in 1990 and the track has since been removed. The section from Wilmington to Melrose is now a cycling and walking "rail trail".