Open Sundays/Public Holidays 10.00 am to 3.00 pm
Blyth's Railway
First Railway North*
*Hoyleton railway station opened on 21 August 1869. Services commenced on 11th January 1870 (by lessee Paul Badcock).
The Burra Railway Station opened on August 29, 1870. It was part of the Northern Extension Railway, which connected the copper mining town of Burra to Port Adelaide.
Evening Journal (Adelaide, SA), Saturday 29 June 1872, page 2
PORT WAKEFIELD RAILWAY EXTENSION
MEETING AT BLYTH PLAINS.
The Clare Press reports that a meeting, convened by the District Chairman of Blyth Plains, was held on Wednesday evening at Mr. Lawson's house, White Well, to discuss certain topics and memorialize the Government.
Mr. J. C. Potts moved—" That it is advisable, on account of the bad state of the roads on the plains from Hoyleton northwards, that the Port Wakefield Tramway should be extended as far as the Broughton (River), to meet the requirements of the Redhill and Gulnare Areas, as well as the intermediate districts."
He thought it was reasonable that so large a tract of country, one which had been productive of much wealth to the Government, should have facilities for taking produce to market.
At present the Port Wakefield line just penetrated the border of the wheat-growing country (to Hoyleton). If it was brought up (through) the Blyth and Alma Plains to Magpie Creek it would go through the centre of the largest wheat-growing districts, and not only benefit the farmers, but handsomely pay.
Mr. M. McMahon heartily seconded. The resolution was carried unanimously.
Proposed by Mr. Semmens, seconded by Mr. Potts, and adopted—" That a Committee, consisting of Messrs. McNamara, J.P., J. C. Potts, Semmens, R. Roberts, M. Healy, A. Smith, P. Bell, and Holmes, obtain signatures to a memorial embodying the resolutions, and that Sir G. S. Kingston, M.P., and Mr. Bright, M.P. (the re-elected members for Stanley), be asked to present it."
Below: Hoyleton Goods Shed built 1870 by S. Saunders, Contractor
The Hoyleton Tramway
Originally opened as a horse drawn and gravity operated tramway from Hoyleton through Balaklava to Port Wakefield in 1870, the narrow gauge line was soon upgraded to steam engines in 1876 and extended to Blyth.
Port Wakefield was the third busiest port in South Australia after Port Adelaide and Port Augusta in the 1880s.
It was a busy place – connected by rail to Moonta (Spencer Gulf mines) and to Adelaide.
Above: This similar horse tramway line linked Mundoora and Port Broughton (on the Spencer Gulf), only 10 miles apart, and relied on horse power up and gravity down. It was officially opened in 1876, seven years after the Hoyleton tramway line, and when it converted to steam engines.
The function of the railway was the transport of wheat and barley from farmland to the Port Broughton jetty and so to the waiting ketches.
The ketches then took the grain out to the windjammers anchored in the gulf.
Passengers travelled in a carriage affectionately known by locals as The Pie Cart, which seated twelve passengers, four to a seat.
Hoyleton railway station opened on 21 August 1869 when an isolated horse-drawn tramway was built to deliver grain from the plains east of Port Wakefield (on Gulf St. Vincent) in the areas of Balaklava, Halbury and Hoyle's Plains (now Hoyleton) to that port.
The railway facilities at Hoyleton consisted of a ticket office, platforms for loading and unloading freight and passengers and a goods shed.
The goods shed was constructed by S. Saunders from Port Wakefield.
This solid building protected all goods required within a large area, and initially served the community as a meeting place, entertainment area, House of Worship and Sunday School.
Below: Map of Port Broughton Horse Tramway 1891
from outdoorstype.com.au
Hoyleton railway station opened on 21 August 1869.
Services commenced on 11th January 1870.
"Recently sold, the last few years have seen the old girl undergo a facelift that has breathed new life into this iconic building.
Established in 1871, this grand old stone building has many stories to tell."
Steaming to Blyth
The first trial of steam power was made between Hoyleton and Balaklava on 8th March 1876, the same year that saw the extension of the line to Blyth.
Water for the train engines was stored in a new large railway dam at Blyth.​
The earliest part of the narrow gauge line opened from Balaklava to Blyth on 14 March 1876 as part of the Port Wakefield line. This enabled Clare farmers to cart their wheat to Blyth's Plains, instead of carting further to Hoyleton.
​
Blyth station (built 1878) was a fine stone gable ended station building and was named after Sir Arthur Blyth who was one time a minister of the Crown and Agent-General, and was Premier of South Australia three times, albeit for short periods of time.
The first Blyth Station Master (and Post and Telegraph Officer) was Mr. Lyford.
Construction of an engine shed and train turntable began in 1877.
There was a daily steam engine service to Port Wakefield (except on Sundays) with the train leaving Blyth at 7:15 am and arriving at Port Wakefield at 10:45 am.
The return service left Port Wakefield at 2:30 pm, with intermediate stops at Saints, Balaklava, and Hoyleton.
Above: Carting Deland flour to the goods train at Blyth Railway Station - the large shed was used to store flour (1910)
The Blyth Hotel also opened in 1876, the year the train service commenced, the school opened in 1878, and a Wesleyan Church also opened in 1878.
In the early years the town had a flour mill as the town was on the Blyth Plains which were known for their wheat growing. It was run by the Deland family but it was demolished many years ago.
Blyth was for many years a railhead and at its peak boasted a flourmill, butter factory (1890s), hospital, agricultural and machinery firms.
Blyth's farming community spans the plains between the Clare Hills in the east and the Barunga Ranges in the west.
The Blyth station was only closed in 1978, after 100 years, while the train service to Blyth ran until 1982.
Below: Panorama of Blyth Railway Station C 1960
Blyth to Gladstone
In the early 1890s, work commenced on the extension of the railway line from Blyth to Gladstone, with a branch line to Snowtown (via Brinkworth).
These lines were opened for traffic on 2nd July 1894.
Above: The Last Steam Train to Blyth1974-75
Rail to Brinkworth
In 1879 Farmer George Brinkworth acquired the property then known as Magpie Creek, which proved to be, on completion of the Blyth and Gladstone railway, the site fixed for the railway junction from Wallaroo and the town of Brinkworth.
By 1892 the land where Brinkworth now stands was owned by Peter Brinkworth, the son of George Brinkworth the original landowner from 1866. The district was known as Magpie Creek.
Peter Brinkworth subdivided part of his father’s farm in 1892 to create a private town which would sit at the junction of the two newly announced government railway lines from Wallaroo and Blyth. He called his town Brinkworth rather than Magpie Creek.
​
When the first train arrived from Adelaide, Brinkworth was described as a tent village with no buildings. But soon it had a large wooden railway station with luggage rooms, waiting rooms, porter’s rooms, residences for the station master and foreman and porters etc.
A railway refreshment room was set up in Brinkworth in 1895 and operated until 1941 servicing both Gladstone and Moonta trains.
​
George Brinkworth married Wilhelmina Fredericka Louisa Belling in 1875,
​George died on 30 April 1883 and is buried in the North Road Cemetery, Nailsworth, South Australia.
His wife, W.F. Louisa, passed away on 21 July 1919 and is buried at the Brinkworth Cemetery.
Read more:
The Plasterer Who Became a Respected Farmer: Joseph Brinkworth & Isabella Annie Clode
Erected in 1894, the timber Railway Station at Brinkworth in the mid north of South Australia, north-west of Clare. The town was named after an early landowner George Brinkworth and was settled in 1860 with the town being laid out in 1892. The railway went through Brinkworth to Gladstone with junction lines to Snowtown, Kadina and Wallaroo
Southern Cross (Adelaide, SA) Fri 19 Nov 1909 Page 18
... Snowtown passed, splendid crops are again met with until getting well out on the Condowie Plain, where they are somewhat light and patchy. Nearing Brinkworth they improve very much. Some are well worth 25 bushels—on, belonging to Mr. Verran, brother to "our John", of Moonta, is, I think, the best and most even crop I have ever seen; good judges value it at 35 bushels.
Guard Templer, who has conducted our train, calls out, "Brinkworth"!
We are out on the platform, and in the midst of a busy scene.
Four engines are panting up and down, trucks loaded with all kinds of goods attached.
-
One has 14 harvesters and two twine-binders, all new, and all destined for owners in this district:
-
Other trains are for Broken Hill, Wallaroo, or Balaklava, for this junction serves all the narrow-gauge lines,
-
and when the line from Balaklava to the city or port is accomplished, Brinkworth will be a very important town.
The town is on private property, and is spoiled by the railway yard taking up all one side of the street for a quarter of a mile of its length.
Hamley Bridge, 1880
Hamley Bridge is a South Australian town located at the junction of the Gilbert and Light rivers, as well as the site of a railway bridge and rail junction.
In 1880, a junction at Balaklava on the narrow gauge Port Wakefield railway line, created the southern Balaklava railway line through Owen, to meet the broad gauge line to Adelaide at Hamley Bridge.
This was built in narrow gauge (3 ft 6 in,1067 mm, to save money), so Hamley Bridge was a break of gauge station rather than a junction.
Goods from Blyth to Adelaide had to be transferred to the Southern Line at Balaklava, shipped on the narrow gauge to Hamley Bridge, then transferred to the broad gauge line to Adelaide (triple handling!!).
​
Below: Passengers transferring between narrow and broad gauge trains at Hamley Bridge Station (1910)
Which train is larger and faster?
The Barwell Bull Railcars
Barwell Bull In Blyth - first Diesel RailCar To Blyth Town
In November 1922 SA Premier Sir Henry Barwell appointed a new Chief Railways Commissioner, American William Webb, to rehabilitate the SA Railways over a term of 5 years.
Webb introduced the Type 55 Rail car in 1924, nicknamed the "Barwell Bull", built by the Brill Company. Originally with a petrol engine, they were later converted to run on diesel.
Steam train passenger services were the most uneconomical possible.
News (Adelaide, SA), Wednesday 4 January 1928, page 2
Blyth Rail Smash
(From "The News" Special Reporter) - A graphic story of the railway crossing smash one mile from Blyth on December 28 was told at the Inquest today by Andrew J. Congee, railway porter, of Balaklava.
As a result of the accident Messrs. George W. R. Lee and Norman H. Doolette were killed and Mr. A. L. McEwin subsequently died of injuries, while Mr. F. Bourne is still in hospital In a serious condition. In returning a finding of accidental death in the case of Mr. Lee, Mr. A. T. Wiltshire (coroner) said that no blame was attachable to the driver of the rail car with which the motor car had collided.
When 93 miles from Adelaide, and approaching Blyth, he noticed a motor car on the road on the west side of the line, travelling in the same direction. The railcar was then travelling at a speed of about 40 miles an hour.
"We overtook and passed the motor car, the occupants waving a greeting, to which I responded," continued the witness. There was another car running about 200 or 300 yards in front of that one, and we were gradually gaining on it. The driver of the railcar sounded his whistle at the warning board 300 or 400 yards from the crossing.
"The driver was watching the road and sounded one long blast a little further on. As the motor car was turning the corner to the crossing it appeared to ease down to a speed of about 10 or 12 miles an hour." Witness said he thought the car was pulling up to let the railcar pass.
It appeared then to witness that the driver of the motor car ran right into the line in front of the railcar. The hood of the motor car was up and witness could clearly see occupants of the car. He could not say if it had side curtains or not. The motor car did not speed up again when crossinig the line. The driver of the railcar applied the emergency brake as he approached the crossing.
​​
Travelled 50 Yards.
Next thing witness heard and saw was a crash. The rail motor struck the car and then travelled about 50 yards. Witness then went back and rendered what aid he could. The day was very clear, with the wind blowing straight toward them. The driver of the rail car had a clear view of the crossing.
Before the rail motor hit the motor car another car had crossed the line. William Richard Lee, railway employee living at Hamley Bridge, said he was a passenger on the rail motor. He described how the driver of the rail motor gave the regulation signal - one long, one short, and one long blast on the whistle.
About 100 yards from the crossing the driver of the rail car again gave a lone blast of the whistle. Then the rail car struck the motor, and pulled up 100 yards further on.
Dr. W. H. Collins, of Blyth, stated that he received a call to the crossing at five minutes past one on the afternoon of the tragedy. He drove past and saw the bodies of four men scattered along the line. Among them was that of the late Mr. Lee. He was then alive, but was severely injured, and died 10 minutes after admission to hospital.
Heard Warning Signals
Mrs Mildred S McEwin (daughter-in-law of deceased McEwin) stated that she was at home on the day of the tragedy. Her home is situated three and a half miles north-east of Blyth, on the east side of the railway line.
She heard two warning sounds similar to the noise made by the horn of the rail motors, with which she was familiar.
James S. McEwin, farmer, and husband of the previous witness, said he saw his father injured. His father was driving the motor car which was wrecked, and witness was driving another motor car; containing four Sturt bowlers, just behind.
A strong south-westerly wind was blowing, accompanied by heavy dust, and owing to these conditions, the witness, who was 140 yds. behind his father, thought an accident might occur.
In the opinion of witness the cause of the accident was the heavy wind carrying away the sound of the horn of the rail car, and the dust obscuring the vision of the occupants of the motor car.
Arthur Edward Johns, railcar driver, of Black Forest; said he was the driver of railcar No. 38. He sounded the horn twice before the crash and after passing the warning board. The motor cars on the road were making dust, but his view of crossing and the car was in no way obscured. He was travelling at approximately 45 miles an hour, and after applying the emergency brake came to a standstill in 50 or 60 yards.
His airbrake was working perfectly. He had driven rail motors on other lines for some time, and was an experienced engine-driver with 29 years service.
The coroner returned' a finding of accidental death. At the same time he added that motorists should take far more care at railway crossings. Mr. Stein said that no one regretted the accident more than the Railways Department, and, particularly the crew of the vehicles concerned.
History's Timeline
Historic Timeline for Blyth Railway:
-
​1896 - After the line to Gladstone was built, Blyth was no longer the railway terminus, the engine shed was removed and re-erected at Kadina.
-
1908 - Cattle and sheep yards were erected by the station.
-
11 March 1909 - The handcuffed prisoner Ryan being escorted from Adelaide to the Gladstone Court escaped through the window of the toilet, even though the train was travelling at 20 m.p.h. He rolled over 2 or 3 times, then got up and walked away from the train.
-
25 April 1912 - The Railways Commissioner, with Chief Engineer, Deputy Chief Engineer and other staff, arrive at Blyth in a special train to make an inspection of the station for a lamp to be erected at the station entrance.
-
2 November 1913 - The Port Pirie Express train now runs three times per week.
-
14 January 1916 - The Blyth railway station was authorized to be connected to public telephone.
-
Clare Railway line opens 4 July 1918​
-
-
1 August 1927 - Narrow Gauge lines (3! 6") were converted to broad gauge (5! 3") - last narrow gauge train, first broad gauge train.
-
28 March 1928 - Train Orders now working between Hamley Bridge and Gladstone.​
-
3 September 1928 - The Shell Company siding was opened (rise of petrol engine transport)
-
27 February 1939 - the livestock siding was connected to the main line.
-
23 March 1954 - A special train carried children from Brinkworth Area School to Wayville Showgrounds and back.
-
1957-1958 - Bulk wheat handling introduced, replacing bagged wheat.
-
1974-1975 - Steam Trains replaced by Diesel Trains.
GLADSTONE RAILWAY STATION SOUTH AUST. 1932
Train heading south for Blyth and Balaclava
Note The dual narrow gauge and wide gauge rail lines
.jpg)
Above: Last Steam Train to Blyth 1974-1975
First East-West Express diesel-hauled train at Adelaide, 12 September 1951
-
12 August 1978 - Blyth Station was closed for the receipt and delivery of goods.
-
1 November 1979 - Blyth becomes an unattended station.
-
6 November 1982 - Gladstone to Adelaide, via Blyth, Bluebird railcar service ceased.
-
1990 - rail freight ceased completely.
-
1990 - The warning bells and level crossing lights were removed from the main road crossing.
-
1991-1992 - The dismantling and removal of railway track and other components, sundry steel work and bridges was accomplished.
-
1998 - The goods crane at Blyth was relocated to the Port Dock Railway Station Museum (National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide) for restoration and display.
-
1 August 2010 - National Tree Day - twenty five residents planted 2,500 tree seedlings on the barren railway corridor north of Blyth. A short time later another 500 seedlings were planted.
-
2025 - The Blyth Railway Station survives, but in poor condition.
With Thanks to Ian Roberts and the Blyth Progress Association
References:
-
Blyth, A Silo of Stories 1860 - 1990, Winifred N. Johnson, 1991 Blyth Progress Association, Blyth S.A.
-
Break of Gauge, A Social History, John Wilson, SAR Lines 2024, Banksia Park S.A.
-
Stations Remembered, Blyth to Brinkworth, Steve McNicol 2021, Railmac, Elizabeth S.A.
-
Stations Remembered, Halbury, Hoyleton & Kybunga, Steve McNicol 2021, Railmac, Elizabeth S.A.
-
W.A. Webb, South Australian Railways Commissioner 1922-1930, R.I Jennings, 1973, Nesfield Press, North Plympton S.A.