Goulburn Crookwell Railway

Running Railway

The first passenger trains were special excursions for the Crookwell Show on the 18th, 19th and 20th March, 1902.

Finally on 22nd April 1902 the line was handed over to the Railway Commissioners, and public services began with the first train arriving about 11am that day.

On 23rd February 1926 the Taralga branch line from Roslyn was opened and closed on 1st May, 1957, and the line was removed by 1959.

Proposed extensions over the years included in 1911 a possible extension from Crookwell to Bowning and on to Galong. In 1913 an extension from Crookwell to Cowra was proposed. Neither proposal came to fruition.

Cattle and sheep were the main source of traffic; however super-phosphate became the main source in later years.

During the war years Australian Iron and Steel opened an Iron-Ore mine at Back Creek near Crookwell, and a siding was constructed in association with the project. This resulted in two ore trains daily running to Port Kembla, probably the heaviest and most active traffic the line ever experienced. After the war this operation ceased.

A railmotor service ran in addition to the normal mixed loco hauled service, in the more prosperous days of the line, i.e. 1926-1944.

Following the passage of a steam hauled tour special in September 1985 the line fell into disuse.

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