Adelaide River railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adelaide River
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| Coordinates | 13°14′37″S 131°06′45.85″E / 13.24361°S 131.1127361°E |
| Line(s) | North Australia Railway |
| Distance | 124 km (77 mi) |
| Platforms | 1 |
| Tracks | 3 |
| History | |
| Opened | 1889 |
| Closed | 1976 |
The Adelaide River railway station is an old train station in the Northern Territory, Australia. It's not used for trains anymore, but it's now a museum! It was once part of the North Australia Railway.
This station is about 124 kilometers (77 miles) away from Darwin. It was special because it was the only station on the line where you could buy food and drinks. Today, you can see an old train engine, called NSU 63, displayed at the station. It was moved there in 2003.
Contents
History of the Station
The North Australia Railway: 1889 to 1976
The station first opened in 1889. This happened after a bridge was built across the Adelaide River in December 1888. The station building had rooms for staff to live in. It also had a refreshment room where passengers could buy food and drinks.
Behind the building, there was a water tank. This tank held water for the steam trains that used the railway line. In 1911, the Australian Government took over running the Northern Territory. This meant the Commonwealth Railways took control of the train line and stations from the South Australian Railways.
Picnic Day Tradition
Starting in 1918, a special annual picnic was held at the station. The station would close for the day. This allowed railway workers to relax by the river. This tradition became a public holiday in the Northern Territory. It's called Picnic Day. It happens on the first Monday in August every year.
Even today, the Friends of the North Australia Railway group still holds picnics at the station. They do this to keep the tradition alive.
Station Improvements
The station got many upgrades in the 1920s and 1930s. A turning triangle was added for trains. This allowed locomotives to turn around. Facilities for loading livestock were also built. The station even offered post office, telephone, and banking services.
World War II and the Railway
During World War II, Adelaide River became an important military base. A large field hospital was set up near the station. A special train track, called a siding, was added for hospital trains.
A big depot was also built north of the river. Trains brought supplies from Darwin to military camps there. Another track was built to an armoury at Snake Creek.
Train traffic increased a lot during the war. By 1943, as many as 247 trains used the line each week. Adelaide River station handled most of this traffic. Sadly, on March 15, 1941, a Wirraway plane crashed near the station. Both crew members died.
Decline and Closure
After the war, fewer people used the North Australia Railway. In the 1940s, the station's refreshment room got a license to sell alcohol. But then, new diesel trains were introduced. These trains stopped for much shorter times. So, the license was moved to another place. By 1958, the train to Larrimah only stopped for ten minutes in the evening.
In 1967, the train yard around the station was changed. Many of the tracks added during the war were removed. The main tracks were improved. The loop siding was made longer. This was to help with heavy ore trains from Frances Creek. These ore trains were the only major traffic left on the line.
However, the ore mining project failed. Then, Cyclone Tracy caused damage in 1974. Because of this, the railway line was closed in 1976. The last passenger train stopped at the station on June 29, 1976.
Saving the Station
After the railway closed, the station was left empty. It started to fall apart. In 1985, the building was added to the Register of the National Estate. This was because of its important history in the Northern Territory. It played a big part in early settlement and wartime defense.
Restoration work on the station finished on July 16, 1988. After that, the building opened to the public as a museum.
The Friends of the North Australia Railway
In 2001, a group called the Friends of the North Australia Railway was formed. This group now runs the museum. It's known as the Adelaide River Railway Heritage Precinct. They work with the National Trust.
The group looks after the main station building. They also care for some old train cars, souvenirs, and other railway equipment. They hope to fix a section of track north of the station. Their goal is to run a tourist train to the Snake Creek armoury. However, not much progress has been made on this. This is partly because the Adelaide-Darwin Railway opened in 2004. This new railway uses a similar path through the town.
The new Adelaide to Darwin railway line uses a standard gauge (track width). It was built on top of one of the old tracks at Adelaide River. Two of the original narrow gauge tracks were saved. The museum now uses these for display.
In 2007, the railway station and bridge were listed on the Northern Territory Heritage Register.
Images for kids
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First run south of the new NDH2 Gloucester railcar at Adelaide River NT, July 1955
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Static-displayed diesel locomotive NSU63 beside the Stuart Highway at the Adelaide River Rail Heritage Precinct
