Re: Bethungra Spiral

["Christopher J. Steele" <dck@cea.com.au>]

Thanks to all those respondents to my four questions on the Bethungra
Spiral - especially Krel.

                                                    Cheers,
                                                                Christopher
Steele


Krel <krel4203@netconnect.com.au> wrote in message
37cdb57b.4857294@news.netconnect.com.au">news:37cdb57b.4857294@news.netconnect.com.au...
> 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
>
>
> VGR website http://www.castlemaine.net.au/~vgr/
>
> Waxy Wary Zany Zebu