Railways and Tramways of Australia

Sparks to the Central Coast

 

Electrification of the railway line to Gosford was officially opened on 23 January 1960.

 

Electrification reached Hornsby in 1929 as part of the electrification of Sydney’s major suburban railways. In 1958 electrification opened from Hornsby to Cowan, and was then extended to Hawkesbury River in 1959, enabling electric locomotives to assist trains climbing the steeply graded Cowan Bank.

 

For the opening of the electrification to Gosford, an official train formed by interurban Set U6 conveyed Premier Robert Heffron, Minister for Transport Ambrose Enticknap, Commissioner for Railways Neal McCusker, and other special guests. The train made a short stop at Woy Woy, where a ribbon was cut by the Premier. It then continued to Gosford, and the Premier unveiled a bronze plaque on a sandstone monument.

 

The Australian Railway Historical Society operated a special train that attracted considerable attention upon arrival at Gosford. It was hauled by Nineteenth Century 4-4-0 steam locomotives 1243 and 1210.

 

The afternoon Newcastle Express (commonly known as the Newcastle Flyer) became the first train where the motive power was changed from steam to electric at Gosford. C38 Class locomotive 3813 brought the train into Gosford from Newcastle. 4609 then hauled the train to Sydney.

 

Electrification of the Central Coast Line enabled extensive use to be made of electric locomotives on freight and passenger services. From 1960 trains were typically hauled by electric locomotives between Sydney and Gosford. Interurban trains, which had already been in use on the Blue Mountains Line, now also began to operate to Gosford. Electrification was extended from Gosford to Wyong in 1982 and then from Wyong to Newcastle in 1984.

 

1960 was a watershed year as the Central Coast celebrated its new electric trains.

 

Bibliography

‘Big district celebrations mark northern line electrification opening ceremonies’, Railway Transportation, vol. 9, no. 2, May 1960, pp 19, 21.

R Howarth, ‘50 years of Gosford electrification’, Australian Railway History, no. 867, January 2010, pp 31–37.

HJ Wright, ‘The Gosford electrification’, Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, no. 271, May 1960, pp 71–73.