Zig Zag Railway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Zig Zag Railway
BB18¼ 1072 City of Lithgow at Top Points
Locale	Lithgow, New South Wales
Terminus	Clarence, Bottom Points
Commercial operations
Name	New South Wales Government Railways Main Western
Built by	Patrick Higgins (contractor for NSWGR)
Original gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Operated by	Zig Zag Railway Cooperative
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
Preserved era	18 October 1975 – present
Preservation history
1975	Bottom Points to Top Points section opened 18 October
1987	Top Points to Mt Sinai section opened 4 April
1988	Mt Sinai to Clarence section opened 29 October
2012	Operation suspended
2013	Badly damaged by bushfires
2016	Limited train movements resume (trackwork)
2019	Badly damaged by bushfires
2020	Limited movements recommence (Work trains)
2023	Operations resume
Website
www.zigzagrailway.au

The Zig Zag Railway is a special old railway line in New South Wales, Australia. It's near a town called Lithgow. This railway is run by volunteers who love trains. It opened in October 1975.

The railway uses an old track that was part of the main train line from 1869 to 1910. This track climbs up the side of the Blue Mountains. It uses a clever design called a railway zig zag to go up and down steep hills.

The heritage railway had to stop running in 2012 because of safety rules. It was going to open again in 2013. But then, big 2013 NSW bushfires badly damaged the railway. Heavy rain also caused more problems.

Repairs started in 2016. The railway hoped to open again in 2019. But more bushfires hit and damaged it again. The COVID-19 pandemic also caused delays. Finally, the trains started running again on May 27, 2023.

History of the Zig Zag Railway

Building the Original Line

An old picture of the Zig Zag Railway line. You can see the Top Road and viaduct number 1. The Middle Road and viaducts 2 & 3 are also visible. The Bottom Road was part of the Main Western line on the right.

A similar view over 100 years later, before the 2013 bushfires.

The Lithgow Zig Zag was built as part of the main train line to the west. It opened on October 19, 1869. The main line needed to climb a very steep part of the Blue Mountains. It had to go up about 168 meters (550 feet).

Engineers decided to use two "zig zags" to help trains climb. A zig zag means the train goes forward, then stops, reverses backwards, then stops, and goes forward again. This helps trains get up very steep hills. The line had very steep sections, like a slope of 1 in 42. It also had tunnels and bridges called viaducts.

The steep hills and having to reverse trains caused problems. Trains sometimes ran away at the reversing points. To fix this, a new, straighter path was built. This new path included a long tunnel. This new route, called the Ten Tunnels Deviation, opened in October 1910. The old zig zag section was then closed.

Bringing the Railway Back to Life

Top Points station in July 2006

In 1967, a group of train fans wanted to save old steam trains. They chose the Lithgow Zig Zag as a good place for a heritage railway. It was easy for people from Sydney to visit. It also had beautiful views, plenty of water, and coal.

In 1972, the Zig Zag Railway Co-operative Limited was formed. At first, it was hard to get old trains from New South Wales. So, the railway track was changed to a narrower size. This allowed them to get locomotives and carriages from other states like Queensland.

The new track was finished in 1975. On August 29, 1975, the first train ran from Bottom Points to Top Points. Regular services began on October 18, 1975. This was 106 years after the original line opened.

More sections of the line opened later. In 1987, the line opened to Mt Sinai Halt. In 1988, it reached Clarence. There are plans to extend the line even further.

Challenges and Reopening

Safety and Damage

In 2011, a small accident happened between a maintenance vehicle and a rail motor. Two people were hurt. This led to a review of safety.

From March 2012, only railcars could run. Then, in June 2012, all services had to stop. The railway needed to fix several safety issues. The plan was to reopen in October 2013.

Bushfires and Storms

In October 2013, big bushfires caused huge damage to the railway. Ten passenger carriages and four sleeping carriages were destroyed. The workshop at Bottom Points was also badly damaged. Spare parts, offices, and machines were lost. Electrical equipment for signals and the radio system were ruined. Many new wooden railway sleepers were burned. Even one locomotive, 1047, was damaged.

After the fires, heavy rain caused more problems. An embankment near Clarence tunnel collapsed. The platform at Top Points and the track at Bottom Points were also damaged. It was thought it would take a year to recover.

Repairs continued for years. The railway hoped to reopen in late 2019. But in December 2019, the Gospers Mountain bushfire hit again. Station buildings and most trains survived. But the toilet block, storage areas, and communication systems were destroyed. About 1500 more sleepers were lost. This pushed the reopening back even further.

Recent Years and Grand Reopening

In July 2020, a diesel locomotive, 1004, traveled the whole line. This was the first time since 2012. Work trains had only used part of the line before.

More storms hit the railway in 2020 and 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic also slowed down repairs. Workers and volunteers could not always come to the site.

Finally, the Zig Zag Railway reopened on May 27, 2023. It celebrated its Grand Reopening and 154th Anniversary on October 21, 2023. There were steam train rides, local performances, and market stalls.

What the Railway Used to Offer

Before services stopped in 2012, the Zig Zag Railway was special. It was the only heritage railway in New South Wales that ran almost every day. On most weekdays and Sundays, railmotors were used. On Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, a steam train would run.

The railway also had special events. These included "Day Out with Thomas" and a "Wizards Express" event. During school holidays, steam trains ran every day. Passengers could start their journey at Bottom Points or Clarence.

Locomotives and Carriages

The Zig Zag Railway has many different trains. Most of its locomotives and carriages come from Queensland Railways. Some also come from South Australia and Tasmania.

The collection includes rail motors and passenger carriages. There are also diesel locomotives. Many freight cars are used for special demonstration trains. They are also used for fighting fires and repairing the tracks.

Steam Locomotives

Number & Name	Image	Description	Status	Livery	Notes
218A The Yank		QR 2-8-2 AC16	Operational	Green (Previously Black & Silver)	Running since May 2021.
934		QR 4-8-0 Class C17	Under overhaul	Red	Needs a full overhaul.
966 City of Rockhampton		QR 4-8-0 Class C17	Stored	Black	Kept at Clarence.
1046		QR 4-6-4T DD17	Out of service	Blue	Parts are stored around the railway.
1047		QR 4-6-4T DD17	Stored, awaiting restoration	Green (Previously Blue)	Damaged by the 2013 fires.
1049 Stormin' Normin		QR 4-6-4T DD17	Stored, awaiting overhaul	Blue	Needs a major boiler overhaul.
1072 City of Lithgow		QR 4-6-2 BB18¼	Stored, awaiting overhaul	Black (Previously Dark Green)	Needs a mechanical overhaul.
402		SAR 4‑8‑2+2‑8‑4 Garratt 400 class	Stored	Green	Kept at Bottom Points.

Diesel Locomotives

Number & Name	Image	Description	Status	Notes
1003		Emu Bay Railway 10 class	Stored, awaiting restoration	Kept at Bottom Points for restoration.
1004 Emu Bay		Emu Bay Railway 10 Class	Operational	Used for work trains.
6		Mines engine	Scrapped	Removed in 2013.

Railmotors

Number	Image	Description	Status	Notes
2006, 2011, 2051		QR 2000 class rail motor	Stored, awaiting restoration	Kept at Bottom Points for restoration.
2020		QR 2000 class rail motor	Stored, awaiting restoration	Kept at Top Points for restoration.
2055		QR 2000 class rail motor	Stored	Kept at Clarence.
2008		QR 2000 class rail motor	Stored	Burned in the October 2013 bushfire.
2016		QR 2000 class rail motor	Scrapped	Burned in the October 2013 bushfire.

Passenger Carriages

In the 1970s, four old sleeping cars were used at Bottom Points. They provided places for volunteers to sleep and eat. Sadly, these were all destroyed by the 2013 fires.

The railway bought five carriages from South Australia in 1972. These were used when services first started. Later, 15 more carriages were bought from Queensland in 1986.

Freight and Work Vehicles

The Zig Zag Railway has many different freight and work vehicles. These include fuel and water tank cars. There are also wagons for carrying goods and flat wagons. These vehicles help with fire fighting and track repairs. They come from different parts of Australia.

Film Appearances

In 2003, the railway was used in the Hollywood movie Stealth. The area looked like mountains in North Korea. The locomotives were even painted with Korean writing for the film.