Mount Barker railway station, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Mount Barker railway station is a preserved railway station in South Australia
on the Victor Harbor railway line, formerly operated by South Australian Railways
and it successor, Australian National. With only broad gauge
track running through the station, it has been disconnected from the Adelaide metropolitan network
since the standardisation of the Adelaide-Melbourne line in 1995. It is still used by Steamranger
, a non-for-profit organisation that runs heritage trains between Mount Barker and Victor Harbor.
to Victor Harbor, with stations at Mount Barker
, Strathalbyn, and Goolwa, was begun, and completed in 1884. The Mount Barker railway station was built out of Aldgate freestone
, and housed a stationmaster's quarters and a ticketing office. It was opened on 27 November 1883.
Regular services operated until passenger numbers declined in the late 20th century with the dominance of the motor car, and were terminated in April 1984. Community support saw the establishment of the non-for-profit organisation Steamranger
in 1989, which ran heritage trains from Adelaide
to Victor Harbor through the station. As part of Paul Keating
's 'One Nation
' public works programme in 1995, the main line between Adelaide to Melbourne
was standardised
, leaving Streamranger's depot in metropolitan Adelaide isolated and defunct. Mount Barker railway station became its new base, and all its locomotives and facilities were transferred there. As part of the move, the railway station itself, at the time derelict, was renovated by the District Council of Mount Barker
.
With the growth of Mount Barker as a city, public transport
services, provided by bus
, are being progressively upgraded, with a large 'Park 'n' Ride' facility scheduled for completion alongside the station in 2008.
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
on the Victor Harbor railway line, formerly operated by South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 to the incorporation of its non-urban railways into the Australian National Railways Commission in 1975, together with the former Commonwealth Railways and the former Tasmanian Government Railways...
and it successor, Australian National. With only broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
track running through the station, it has been disconnected from the Adelaide metropolitan network
Railways in Adelaide
The rail network in Adelaide, South Australia, consists of five lines and 81 stations, totalling 125.9 km. It is operated by Adelaide Metro, and is part of the city-wide Adelaide Metro]public transport system. Apart from the Glenelg Tram, Adelaide's railway system is serviced entirely by...
since the standardisation of the Adelaide-Melbourne line in 1995. It is still used by Steamranger
SteamRanger
SteamRanger is an historic train society in South Australia running trains on the Victor Harbor railway line. They are the only group regularly running broad gauge steam locomotives in South Australia...
, a non-for-profit organisation that runs heritage trains between Mount Barker and Victor Harbor.
History
The first railway link between two colonial capital cities, Adelaide and Melbourne, was completed in 1886. Three years earlier construction on a branch line from Mount Barker JunctionMount Barker Junction railway station, South Australia
Mount Barker Junction railway station is a railway station in South Australia located on the Melbourne-Adelaide railway, 50km by rail from Adelaide Railway Station. It is west of the junction of the Victor Harbor railway line...
to Victor Harbor, with stations at Mount Barker
Mount Barker
Mount Barker may refer to one of two towns in Australia:* Mount Barker, South Australia* Mount Barker, Western AustraliaMount Barker may also refer to one of the following:...
, Strathalbyn, and Goolwa, was begun, and completed in 1884. The Mount Barker railway station was built out of Aldgate freestone
Freestone
A freestone is a stone used in masonry for molding, tracery and other replication work required to be worked with the chisel. The freestone must be fine-grained, uniform and soft enough to be cut easily without shattering or splitting. Some sources say that the stone has no grain, but this is...
, and housed a stationmaster's quarters and a ticketing office. It was opened on 27 November 1883.
Regular services operated until passenger numbers declined in the late 20th century with the dominance of the motor car, and were terminated in April 1984. Community support saw the establishment of the non-for-profit organisation Steamranger
SteamRanger
SteamRanger is an historic train society in South Australia running trains on the Victor Harbor railway line. They are the only group regularly running broad gauge steam locomotives in South Australia...
in 1989, which ran heritage trains from Adelaide
Adelaide Railway Station
Adelaide Railway Station is the central terminus of the Adelaide Metro railway system. It is at on the north side of North Terrace, west of Parliament House. The Adelaide Casino is in part of the building that is no longer required for the station....
to Victor Harbor through the station. As part of Paul Keating
Paul Keating
Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election...
's 'One Nation
One Nation (Infrastructure)
One Nation was an Australian Government program of infrastructure development carried out under the Keating Government from 1991 to 1996. Much of the program was implemented as a means of stimulating the economy in the aftermath of the Early 1990s recession....
' public works programme in 1995, the main line between Adelaide to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
was standardised
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
, leaving Streamranger's depot in metropolitan Adelaide isolated and defunct. Mount Barker railway station became its new base, and all its locomotives and facilities were transferred there. As part of the move, the railway station itself, at the time derelict, was renovated by the District Council of Mount Barker
District Council of Mount Barker
The District Council of Mount Barker is a Local Government Area centred on the town of Mount Barker just outside of the Adelaide metropolitan area in South Australia.- Towns and localities :...
.
With the growth of Mount Barker as a city, public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
services, provided by bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
, are being progressively upgraded, with a large 'Park 'n' Ride' facility scheduled for completion alongside the station in 2008.