Re: Darwin port to be expanded

["< Tell >" <telljb@netozemail.com.au>]

True there are remnants along the Stuart Highway, but
the original ANR survey almost twenty years ago, made
no provision for pass trains and no intention of
following the old narrow gauge into the Darwin yards.
Passenger trains have been mentioned over the years,
but I have heard nothing from the Government or the
consortium on a passenger spur into Darwin.

I would imagine the cost of standard gauge work to get
as far as the old 2 & 1/2 mile workshops at Parap would
be prohibitive just for a weekly passenger train,
beyond that point, no way.

The last time I viewed the site of the original Darwin
Yards at the bottom of McMinn Street in the City there
was no doubt in my mind that trains would ever run down
there again.

----Tell


> Jackson Harding <jaxsonjo@camtech.net.au> wrote:
> 
> Are you sure?, when I was in Darwin on my way to Timor in February I had
> a bit of a wander and a lot of the right of way is still there.  Indeed
> I had a brief look for the spot where the photos you sent me were taken
> was, however I'd spent some time in the mess that day prior to being
> rationed to my "TCPMPD" and my search was by no means thorough. 
> Certainly between Palmerston and the entrance to the RAAF base in
> Winellee there are remnants of earthworks and some bridges still intact,
> although almost certainly not serviceable.  A lot of it has been
> converted to walking trail and the like, NT politicians have never been
> adverse to putting development ahead of public amenities, so that could
> possibly be undone without too much trouble.  From outside the RAAF base
> up to Bagot Rd the road bed, including rail is still in place.  From
> Bagot Rd on to the old workshops at Stuart Park the earthworks are still
> in place and the right of way mostly still visible.  From there to the
> Daly St bridge I'm not too sure about, I didn't get a good look in
> there, the bridge itself is intact and the right of way clearly visible,
> then from the Daly St bridge to the old yards near the wharf I also
> didn't get a look at.  The yards themselves are well and truly gone, and
> there is a significant amount of apartment building etc etc along the
> back of McMinn St which probably precludes getting the line right into
> the Darwin CBD.  Certainly a line to near the old workshops would be
> feasible, and a line into Winellee may help generate some traffic since
> that's where almost all Darwin's industry is.  A passenger terminal in
> or around Stuart Park is then a possibility.
> 
> Given the NT Government's penchant for grand structures in Darwin to
> immortalise their magnificent rule be prepared also for the "Shane
> Stone" or the "Paul Everingham Bridge" across the harbour into Darwin
> directly from East Arm tucked up under the wharf precinct. :-)
> 
> Jackson