Lithgow Zig Zag facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Great Zig Zag |
|
|---|---|
| Lithgow Zig Zag | |
Top, middle, and bottom parts of the Zig Zag railway
|
|
| Locale | Western Blue Mountains, New South Wales |
| Coordinates | 33°28′33″S 150°11′52″E / 33.475882°S 150.197875°E |
| Commercial operations | |
| Name | NSW Government Railways Great Western Railway |
| Built by | Patrick Higgins (contractor for NSWGR) |
| Original gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Preserved operations | |
| Operated by | Zig Zag Railway Cooperative (established 1972) as Zig Zag Railway |
| Stations | Clarence, Mt Sinai Halt, No1 Viaduct, Top Points, Cockerton, Bottom Points |
| Length | 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) |
| Preserved gauge | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | 18 October 1869 |
| Closed | 16 October 1910 (bypassed by the Ten Tunnels Deviation) |
| Official name: Great Zig Zag Railway and Reserves; Zig Zag Railway | |
| Type: | State heritage (complex / group) |
| Criteria: | a., c., d., e. |
| Designated: | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference #: | 542 |
| Type: | Railway |
| Category: | Transport - Rail |
| Builders: | Patrick Higgins (contractor) |
The Lithgow Zig Zag is a very old and special railway line near Lithgow in Australia. It's called a "zig zag" because it uses a clever track design to climb or descend very steep hills. This railway was built between 1863 and 1869. It helped trains get over the western side of the Blue Mountains. It was a huge engineering challenge for its time!
This historic railway operated from 1869 until 1910. It was designed by John Whitton and built by Patrick Higgins. Today, part of this line is used by the Zig Zag Railway, which is a fun tourist train.
Contents
Building the Zig Zag Railway
Why a Zig Zag was Needed
The main engineer for New South Wales Government Railways, John Whitton, first wanted to build a really long tunnel. This tunnel would have been about 2-mile (3.2 km) long. However, building such a huge tunnel was too expensive for the government back then.
So, Whitton chose the "zig zag" idea instead. This plan still needed some short tunnels and bridges. The zig zag design was chosen because it was the best way to get trains down the steep mountainside into the Lithgow Valley.
How the Zig Zag was Built
The Lithgow Zig Zag railway was built between 1866 and 1869. It needed a lot of heavy construction work. This included:
- Four large rock cuttings (where rock was dug out to make way for the tracks).
- Three beautiful stone bridges called viaducts. These had 30-foot (9.1 m) semi-circular arches.
- One short tunnel. Two other planned tunnels were opened up during construction because of leaks.
The railway line dropped 101 feet (31 m) between the reversing points on the middle section. The entire route had a steep slope of 1 in 42, which is about 2.38%.
John Whitton was a brilliant engineer. He is known as one of the greatest railway civil engineers in the first 100 years of railway building worldwide. His work crossing the Great Divide was amazing for its time.
The contract to build the Great Zig Zag was given to Mr. Patrick Higgins in May 1866. His job included building seven stone viaducts and three tunnels. He also had to dig out a lot of earth and rock.
How the Railway Operated
Opening and Early Days
On October 19, 1869, the first official train traveled across the Lithgow Zig Zag. This completed the railway route over the Blue Mountains. This event was celebrated around the world as an amazing engineering feat. Many people from other countries came to see it.
Between 1869 and 1910, the railway was very important for the growth of western New South Wales. It helped transport goods and people.
Why the Zig Zag Closed
Over time, more and more trains used the line. The zig zag became a slow and inefficient part of the railway system. It caused delays because trains had to stop and reverse direction.
There were also some accidents. In 1901, a train went through the buffer stops at the top and almost fell into the valley. To make things better, parts of the zig zag were improved. However, accidents still happened. In 1908, a goods train became a runaway and crashed into a rock cutting.
Eventually, a new, straighter railway line was built. This new line, called the Ten Tunnels Deviation, opened on October 16, 1910. It had two tracks and went through ten tunnels. The Lithgow Zig Zag was then closed for regular train traffic. The Ten Tunnels Deviation is still used today as the main railway line to western New South Wales.
The Zig Zag Today
A Tourist Attraction
After it closed, the Lithgow Zig Zag was not used for many years. But in 1972, a group of people formed a cooperative. They wanted to bring the old railway line back to life as a tourist attraction.
In 1975, the line reopened as the Zig Zag Railway. It started running tourist trains between Top and Bottom Points. Later, the line was extended to Mt Sinai halt in 1987 and then to Clarence in 1988.
What You Can See
The Great Zig Zag Railway has three main parts:
- The "top road"
- The "middle road"
- The "bottom road"
On the "top road," you can see the first viaduct. The "top points" are where the "top road" and "middle road" meet. On the "middle road," there are two viaducts and a tunnel. The "bottom wing" is at the end of the "middle road." The railway line was built on ledges carved into the mountainside.
The Great Zig Zag Railway is recognized as a National Engineering Landmark. It is a great example of early Australian engineering.
Heritage Importance
The Great Zig Zag Railway is very important to the history of New South Wales. When it was finished, it helped the economy of western New South Wales grow a lot. It was considered the greatest civil engineering project in Australia at that time. People from all over the world saw it as an amazing engineering wonder.
The railway shows how hard it was to cross the Blue Mountains. It also shows the clever ways engineers found to build railways when money was limited. The area around the railway is also very beautiful. It offers great views of the rugged sandstone valleys and cliffs.
