Re: Bethungra Spiral

[krel4203@netconnect.com.au (Krel )]

On Wed, 1 Sep 1999 22:11:49 +1000, "Christopher J. Steele"
<dck@cea.com.au> wrote:

>I have recently been in the area of the Bethungra spiral, but have a number
>of questions regarding its history:
>
>1.  On what date was the original railway at the site of the Bethungra
>spiral open?  Was the original railway in fact just a straight track and not
>a spiral at all?  Is this now the current 'down' track?
>
15/4/1878. Curved but not a spiral. Yes, it is now the down line.

>3.  On what date was the Bethungra spiral (the present 'up' track) opened?
>
15/7/1946.

>4.  Was the Bethungra spiral part of the duplication of the railway north of
>Junee?
>
Yes. It was the last link. Cootamundra - Tanyinna duplicated 8/3/1942.
Bethungra - Illabo 16/8/1942. Illabo - Junee 18/10/1942.

>5.  Were the present small tunnels at the site of the Bethungra spiral all
>the tunnels at the site?  Or was there originally one, single longer tunnel
>which has been opened up?  It seems strange that all that earth has been
>excavated out between two tunnels so close together.
>
No, always two tunnels but cuttings opened out in mid 1990's.

>Any other comments/info on the history of this site would be greatly
>appreciated.

Up line is I mile 61 chains longer than down line. No 1 tunnel is 222
ft long; No 2 tunnel is 245 ft long. 
Difference in rail levels at
No 1 tunnel and original line (now down) - 47 ft.
No 2 tunnel and line above - 85 ft.

Nearby is the Frampton deviation which is alos interesting but is
often overlooked (it doesn't have a spiral). The single line was
opened in 154/1878 and deviated to lessen grade on 3/4/1898. It was
duplicated on 8/3/1942 with the lower section of the new down main
using the old, original formation. the upper section was duplicated by
reverting the up main to its original location and laying the down
main alongside. 

Cheers

Krel


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