Narrandera railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Narrandera
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Station front in November 2009
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| Location | Newell Highway, Narrandera | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 34°44′26″S 146°33′28″E / 34.7406°S 146.5579°E | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | Transport Asset Holding Entity | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operated by | NSW TrainLink | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line(s) | Hay Tocumwal |
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| Distance | 583.48 kilometres from Central | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Structure type | Ground | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parking | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disabled access | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Station code | NRA | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 28 February 1881 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Narrandera railway station is a historic train station in Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the Hay railway line and used to be a major junction for the Tocumwal railway line. The station was built in 1880 and opened on 28 February 1881. It is considered very important to the state's history and is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register.
Station History
Building the Railway Line
The Narrandera station is part of the Hay branch line. This line opened from Junee to Narrandera in 1881. A builder named Charles Hardy completed the station building for its opening.
In the 1870s, the government wanted to connect major towns by rail. This was to make sure that goods, especially wool, from areas like the Riverina would go to Sydney. Before the railway, much of the wool went to Melbourne by riverboats. Building the line to Narrandera helped Sydney get more of this trade.
Many towns wanted their own railway lines. This led to a period called "railway mania" between 1877 and 1887. During this time, the railway network in New South Wales grew very quickly. Narrandera was one of the towns that benefited greatly from this railway boom.
Impact on Narrandera
The railway's arrival helped Narrandera grow and become more successful. It also meant that riverboats became less important for trade in southern New South Wales. The railway made it easier and faster to move goods to and from Sydney.
In 1884, a large two-story house was built for the Station Master. This showed how important Narrandera was as a key station in the railway network. On 16 September 1884, Narrandera became a junction station. This happened when the Tocumwal line opened to Jerilderie.
Changes Over Time
Over the years, many changes were made to the station. These included adding a name board for the junction in 1891. A special office was built for the Traffic sub-inspector. A large turntable for trains was added in 1910. In 1912, the ladies' waiting room became a refreshment room.
At first, the main goods moved by train were wool and sheep. Later, in the early 1900s, wheat became a very important freight item. The station building was made bigger in 1912 and again in 1917. This was when the Railway Refreshment rooms opened.
From 1910 to 1950, special trains carried people for fun events. These included football games, swimming carnivals, and Easter sports. People also used trains for weekly shopping trips.
The station was busiest in the 1940s and 1950s. A new building for railway staff was built in 1941. The platform was also made longer in 1942.
By the 1970s and 1980s, train services in the area started to slow down. The Tocumwal line closed in December 1988. Today, Narrandera station no longer has staff working there. It is mainly served by road coaches that connect to trains at Junee. There is also a train service once a week.
The old Station Master's house was sold in 1988. It is now a private home.
Train Services
Narrandera has a train service twice a week. This is the NSW TrainLink Xplorer train. It travels between Griffith and Sydney. This train separates from the Canberra services at Goulburn.
NSW TrainLink also runs a road coach service. This coach goes from Wagga Wagga to Griffith, stopping at Narrandera.
| Platform | Line | Stopping pattern | Notes |
| 1 |
Southern Region
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Services to Griffith & Goulburn |
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Station Features
The Narrandera station has several interesting features. These include the main station building, a signal box, and other railway structures.
Station Building
The main station building was finished in 1881. It is a single-story building made of painted brick. It has decorative stone-like blocks around the windows and doors. Both the entrance porch and the platform verandah have wooden posts. These posts have fancy iron lace brackets.
The roof is made of corrugated iron and has a classic pointed shape. It has decorative timberwork and round vents. The station building also has four chimneys with decorative tops. The platform itself is made of stone, with some parts later extended with brick.
Other Structures
- Signal Box (1925): This is a small concrete building with wooden windows. It has a pointed roof made of corrugated metal.
- Railway Barracks: A building where railway staff could stay.
- Engine Shed: A place to store and maintain train engines.
- Turntable (1910): A large rotating platform used to turn train engines around.
- Cranes and Weighbridges: There is a 5-ton crane and two weighbridges (20-ton and 35-ton). These were used for lifting and weighing goods.
- Water Tank: Used to supply water, likely for steam trains.
The station building is still in very good condition. It looks much like it did when it was first built.
Why Narrandera Station is Important
Narrandera Railway Precinct is very important to the history of New South Wales. It shows how the government worked to connect farming areas to cities in the late 1800s.
Historical Importance
The station played a big role in ending the riverboat trade. It helped make sure that wool from the Riverina area went to Sydney. This was instead of going to Melbourne, which was a big competition at the time. The railway helped Narrandera become a much more successful town. It improved transport, communication, and trade in the area. Narrandera was also important because it was a junction for the line to Jerilderie and Tocumwal.
Connection to Key People
The Narrandera Railway Precinct is linked to John Whitton. He was the chief engineer for the New South Wales Government Railways. He signed the original plans for the station building in 1881. The street where the station is located, Whitton Street, is named after him. This shows how important he was in the 1880s.
Design and Appearance
The Narrandera station building is a great example of a "second-class" station from the late Victorian era. It is a large and attractive building. It has a big awning over the platform and nice decorations. These include fancy wooden boards, pointed ornaments, and hanging decorations.
Community Connection
The station is also important to the local community. It has provided jobs and helped with trade for a long time. It is a special part of the town's history and helps people feel connected to their past.
Unique Features
The stone platform face at Narrandera is quite rare. Only a few other stations in New South Wales have one.
Typical Railway Features
The Narrandera railway precinct shows many common features of railway sites from the 1800s and early 1900s. It has a signal box, staff barracks, an engine shed, a crane, a turntable, and weighbridges. These items together show how railways operated back then.
