Category Archives: Transport

Lost names – “White Gates”

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The localities we live in all have names. As new suburbs are built new names arrive, but we are usually unaware of those that have disappeared from our city. “White Gates” for example, formerly described three different locations in Newcastle, each associated with a railway.

  1. In 1857 the Governor General opened the Hunter River Railway, which ran from Newcastle to East Maitland. Two miles from Newcastle station the line crossed the Maitland road, and with the erection of a barrier there, by 1864 the location was known as the “White Gates”. It did not last long, for with increasing rail traffic due to coal cartage, in 1876 the government constructed an overhead road bridge, and the name disappeared.
  2. In 1863 the Waratah Coal Company opened a branch line from the Great Northern Railway to their coal workings near Braye Park.  In 1871 Lambton and Waratah councils were deciding what should be the principal road between their municipalities. One option was where Kahibah and Bindera Roads currently run, and the spot where this route went over the colliery railway was referred to as the “White Gates” crossing. The colliery closed in 1876, passenger trains ceased in 1887, and with the railway no longer in use the name disappeared.
  3. In 1861 the Wallsend Coal Company opened a rail line to their colliery. In 1875 the newspaper reported an accident on the Wallsend line “near the White Gates, about 300 yards from the Co?operative junction.” In 1887 the Newcastle to Wallsend tramway opened, and by 1903 there was a White Gates tram stop where Douglas St crossed the rail and tram lines. In 1944 the Housing Commission resumed 35 acres of land south of the tram stop and built 150 homes for the “White Gates” estate. This eventually morphed into just “Whitegates”, a title that has all but disappeared, with only a public reserve and adjacent apartment block bearing that name today.
Whitegates Reserve in Wallsend, a remnant marker of one of three locations in Newcastle formerly known as “White Gates”. OpenStreetMap.
Map from a 1939 real estate poster, showing the White Gates tram stop at Douglas St, Wallsend. National Library of Australia.

The article above was first published in the February 2025 edition of The Local.

Additional Information

There were three locations in Newcastle that at various times had the name “White Gates”, each being a place where a road crossed a rail line.

Location Years mentioned in Trove Notes
Newcastle West/Wickham 1864 to 1876 Rail line opened 1857.
Overhead road bridge constructed 1876.
Lambton/Waratah 1871 to 1880 Rail line opened 1863.
Colliery closed 1876.
Passenger train service ceased 1887.
Wallsend 1875 to 1995 Rail line operated 1861 to 1953.
Tram line operated 1887 to 1949.
The three locations in Newcastle that at various times had the name “White Gates”. Wallsend still has an open space named “Whitegates Reserve”.

1. Newcastle West/Wickham

The location of the “White Gates” crossing at Wickham/Newcastle West, where a bridge now takes Maitland Rd over the rail line.
Article Date Event DateNotes
31 Mar 1857
30 Mar 1857		Opening of the Hunter River Railway between Newcastle and East Maitland.
9 Aug 1864"The double line of rail has already been completed between the Wallsend and Waratah junctions … The work of laying the remaining portion is progressing as rapidly as circumstances will permit, and the operation has proceeded as far as to the east side of the white gate, better known as the Maitland road crossing, near Newcastle."
17 Jun 1868"Our readers will recollect, that a few months since, a number of allotments of Crown land lying near the Great Northern Railway line, between Mr. McPhail's house at Honeysuckle Point and the White Gates, on the Maitland road, were sold by auction, at the Court-house, and purchased by various persons living in and near Newcastle. On the plan of this land, as exhibited at the sale, there appeared a railway crossing, which the purchasers expected would be given, especially as access to the ground could hardly be had in any other way than by this crossing."
24 Jun 1868"White Gates" mentioned as one of the points on the boundary of a proposed municipal district to the west of Newcastle, incorporating the colliery townships.
20 Oct 1870"On Friday, a very large iguana, measuring near upon four feet, was killed by Mr C H Hannell in his garden near the White Gates, at the Railway Crossing."
27 Jan 1872For sale: "SIX BEAUTIFUL BUILDING ALLOTMENTS situated in front of the Wesleyan Burial Ground, near the White Gates, Maitland-road."
29 Jun 1872"A new railway platform has been opened at Hamilton, a short distance beyond the "white gates", and about two miles from the Newcastle terminus."
20 Jun 1874"We understand that, in reply to an application from the Wickham Council, some time since, the Government have declined to construct the crossing at the White Gates in a line with the main Maitland road. It is their intention to erect a high level bridge over the railway, as the future shunting of carriages and the weighing of coal will retard the passenger traffic too much; it is also their intention to bring in the new line of rails from the dyke at Bullock Island, and connect them with the main line on the Newcastle side of the White Gates."
4 Jan 1876"The junction of the Bullock Island Railway with the Great Northern Railway is at a place known as the White Gates, a mile and half or two miles from Newcastle ... At the junction of this extension with the main line there has hitherto been a crossing-place through railway gates, but as the traffic on this part of the railway will before long be very great, an overline bridge has been built for the traffic across the railway, and the gates will be closed. The bridge is constructed of brick and iron, there being something like a quarter of a million bricks, and forty tons of iron in it. The iron girders were made by P. N. Russell and Co. About twenty thousand cubic yards of earthwork taken from the sandhills at Newcastle have been used in the construction of the bridge and its approaches, and the work will be completed, it is believed, in about a fortnight."

2. Lambton

The location of the “White Gates” crossing in Lambton, at the intersection of Griffiths Rd and Kahibah Rd
1873 Waratah Coal Company map, showing where the Lambton to Waratah road crossed the colliery railway. National Library of Australia.
Newcastle Parish map, with location of Betty Bunn’s crossing marked in blue, and the White Gates crossing marked in red. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.
Article Date Event DateNotes
26 Sep 1863Waratah Coal Company railway to be opened “next week”.
18 May 1871At the Waratah Council meeting, a motion "for the repairing of the road between the Railway Station and Lambton. Alderman Kerr wanted to know where this road was, and was informed that it crossed the Waratah Company's line at the White Gates, near the small coal heap."
23 Sep 1871Mention of White Gates at a Lambton Council meeting. This reference is significant because it clearly establishes that the white gates were NOT at Betty Bunn's crossing (bottom end of Acacia St today), but lower down the rail line. "In reference to the line of road to be surveyed and proclaimed between Lambton and the Waratah railway station, stating that the conference had met, when two lines were proposed, one crossing the Waratah Coal Company's railway where it meets the boundary of the two municipalities at the place known as Betty Bunn's crossing ; the other at the company's white gates, or lower crossing, the latter being adopted by the conference."
26 Sep 1871Lambton Council meeting refers to a "sketch of a main road through the municipality, commencing at the crossing-place on the Waratah Coal Co.'s railway at the white gates at the east of the old tunnels."
20 Jan 1872
16 Jan 1872		Public meeting regarding upcoming Lambton council election … "Then they had had trouble about which should be the road from Waratah to Lambton, and a conference, at which most of the principal persons differed in opinion ; he himself was confident that the lower road, or that by the White Gates crossing was by far the best for both townships, as it could be made more cheaply, and would be a better road. They had adopted the top road, and it was not likely that Waratah would do their part of it for a long time to come. If they did make a bridge over Betty Bunn's Creek, it would not be used much."
27 Jan 1872
23 Jan 1872		Accident on the rail line near the White Gates … "His father's residence is close to the White Gate, or lower crossing of the Waratah and Lambton road, at the lower end of Griffiths' Flat, and when the train was a little beyond this, and approaching the other, or Bunn's crossing …"
6 Jul 1872In a discussion at Lambton Council about a possible change in municipal boundaries … "Lambton should get the piece of railroad from the New Tunnels to the Junction at the White Gate Crossing."
7 Aug 1873The White Gates is mentioned in the satirical poem "Lambton Bleatings".
30 Jan 1875"The crossing place at the creek near the Waratah Company's white gates crossing has also been made much better by the erection of a bridge."
15 May 1876"I beg to call the attention of our Council to the dangerous state of the bridge across the creek on Griffith's Flat, below the White Gates Crossing."
17 May 1877Suggested site of a new cemetery near the white gates … "After a careful examination of the ground it was resolved to recommend to the Government the advisability of granting that portion running parallel with the Waratah Company's railway, commencing at the white gates, and running twenty chains down the line with a width of six chains."
16 Aug 1878
12 Aug 1878		"On Monday last, a child belonging to Mr. Richard Hughes, gate keeper at the White Gate Crossing on the Waratah Company's railway, had a most miraculous escape from death."
19 Mar 1880Last mention in Trove of White Gates in Lambton - at a Lambton Council meeting "Alderman BEVERIDGE called attention to the state of the road from the white gates crossing."

3. Wallsend

The location of the “White Gates” crossing in Wallsend. The shared pedestrian and cycling path follows the route of the former Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company railway.
1927 Wallsend map showing “White Gates” marked near the west end of Wilkinson Ave. State Library of NSW.
Map of the tramways of Newcastle in 1938, showing White Gates to the east of the Co-Operative Junction. Sydney Tramways Museum.
A street directory map (date unknown) shows the location of the “White Gate” tram stop.
Hexham Parish map showing 35 acres of land resumed by Housing Commission for the Whitegates housing estate. Historical Land Records Viewer.
Whitegates Reserve in Wallsend is one of the few reminders of the original name of this housing estate. SIX Maps
An apartment block in Wallsend adjacent to Whitegates Reserve also bears the name “Whitegates”.
Article Date Event DateNotes
19 Jan 1861Report on the completion of the Wallsend Coal Company railway.
3 Apr 1875
31 Mar 1875		First mention of White Gates at Wallsend. "On Wednesday afternoon last one of the most painful and lamentable accidents that it has ever been our lot to witness occurred on the Wallsend line, near the White Gates, about 300 yards from the Co-operative junction."
2 Jun 1875"For Sale, A LEASEHOLD OF FIVE ACRES OF LAND, on which is built a Substantial House, with a Large Garden, well trenched, and planted with Fruit Trees and Grape Vines; also, Good Tank of Water, and the whole securely fenced in. The above is situated at Blue Gum Flat, near the White Gates. For particulars apply to JOHN EVANS."
24 Sep 1896Deputation to Railway Commissioners call for a tram stopping place “at the white gates”.
27 Aug 1903Wallsend Council meeting … "Improvements at the road leading towards the White Gate tram stopping place were recommended."
14 May 1908Wallsend Council meeting referred to "the necessity of a waiting shed being erected at the white gates on the tramline."
23 Jul 1908Wallsend Council meeting motion to "urge the necessity of having the white gates fixed as a regular stopping place for the trams."
25 May 1917"The clerk also reported that Mr. Munro, of the Tramway Department, proposed altering the name of the stopping place known as the White Gates. The report was adopted, and it was decided that the name "White Gates" remain as previously."
25 Mar 1925"The duplication of the [tram] line has now reached as far as the White Gates."
23 Dec 1925"Along the portion of the line between the stop known as the White Gates and the stopping place for Wallsend Hospital, a difficulty presented itself to the authorities. There the tram line ran parallel with, and in close proximity to, the Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company's railway, which was higher than the tram line."
12 Dec 1936"From Wallsend-Borehole collieries loading yards, the train had passed the White Gates level crossing and was ascending the long rise which continues above the Heaton-Birmingham Gardens crossing, when a number of trucks with the brake-van stopped and then began to run back down the grade."
22 Jan 1940
20 Jan 1940		"The station officer of Wallsend branch of Newcastle Ambulance (Mr. W. Lowe) found Darrell Davis, 25, of Douglass street, White Gates, Wallsend, in a state of collape in the cutting of the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company's branch railway, above the Heaton-Birmingham Gardens' level crossing on Saturday."
12 Nov 1941Passing of the Housing Bill that established the NSW Housing Commission.
5 May 1944Acquisition by Housing Commission of 35 acres of land at Wallsend for the Whitegates estate.
8 Jul 1944"Men have been putting in allotment pegs, and I understand bricks and timber have been ordered," said Ald. McGrath, referring to a start on the Housing Commission's homes at Wallsend, on an area adjacent to Birmingham Gardens. He added that the Government had gazetted the taking over of the land. On the suggestion of Ald. McGrath, it was decided to send another letter to the council asking that a tramway shelter shed be provided at White Gates.
22 Jul 1946
21 Jul 1946		Formation of the White Gates Welfare Association.
28 Nov 1947
19 Dec 1947

The Minister for Housing (Mr. Evatt) would unveil a commemorative stone at the Housing Commission's project at Wallsend on Friday, December 19, at 2 p.m., Whitegates Welfare Association was advised. Replying to a Ministerial inquiry on the origin of the name "Whitegates," the Secretary (Mr. G. Kendon) said he had been told that the area was once an orchard, entry to which was through a set of white gates. The area was generally known at Whitegates, and that name had been accepted by the association.

Note: I am somewhat sceptical of the explanation for the origin of the name offered here. The name had been in use for at least 72 years by this time, and the orchard explanation had not been documented previously. In contrast, all the early references to White Gates are in connection with the railway or tramway, so it is much more likely the gates are related to a crossing of a railway rather than an entrance to an orchard.

19 Dec 1947"A residential area of 147 homes and a shop with a house attached, Whitegates was established by the Housing Commission. It will be officially named to-day by the Minister for Housing (Mr. Evatt), who will unveil a tablet commemorating the completion of the project."
20 Dec 1947
19 Dec 1947		"The Lord Mayor (Ald. Quinlan) read out framed letters announcing the approval of Greater Newcastle Council and the Postmaster-General's Department of the designation "Whitegates," and presented them to the Secretary of Whitegates Welfare Association (Mr. G. Kendon)."
25 Jan 1995The last mention in Trove of Whitegates, named as a polling place by the NSW Electoral Commisioner. The polling place was probably the former St James church hall on the corner of Abbott/Douglas, Wallsend, which has been a pre-school since 1978. This site was used for polling in 2007 and 2010, but named as "Wallsend East".

This page is part of the collection of Newcastle’s Obsolete Place Names.

Then and Now Tram

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This is a series of ‘then and now’ photographs of trams and tramways that I published in 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic had just started, I was working from home instead of in an office, and the state government was mandating various restrictions of movement. However leaving home for exercise was always allowed, so each of these tram-related photographs I took involved a walk or a bike ride to get to the destination.

Kotara Railway Station

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In 1924 the Scottish Australian Mining Company, owners of the Lambton colliery, made plans to subdivide several hundred acres of their land to form a new suburb.  To make the estate appealing to potential purchasers, the company constructed a new station on the Great Northern Railway that ran through the middle of their development.

Both the suburb and the station were originally intended to be named “Exton”. However, the Railway Commissioners, concerned that the name was too similar to other existing stations, chose instead the name “Kotara”, the Awabakal word for a hunting club. To avoid confusion, the developers then agreed to rename their subdivision to match the station.

For the first sale of land, held on site on Saturday 17 January 1925, the agents Creer and Berkeley produced a 40-page booklet with panoramic photos, glowing prose for the suburb, and praise for the new station.

“In order that every facility might be afforded to the residents of Kotara, a modern Railway Island Platform, 520ft in length, has been constructed in the Heart of the Suburb, and a regular service is maintained between Newcastle, the other Suburbs, and the Lake.”

In 1925 there were twelve train services each day, but as the platform was unstaffed, travellers faced the inconvenience of having to alight at the next station on the line to purchase tickets.

A century later, Kotara station is largely unchanged. There are now 25 train services each weekday, but a very low patronage of 90 passengers a day. This may change if the state government delivers on their recently announced “Transported Oriented Development Program”, which aims to streamline the development of mid-rise housing (up to 6 storeys) within 400 metres of selected railway stations, including Kotara.

In examining the birth of Kotara 100 years ago, it is interesting to note how the development of housing and the provision of public transport occurred together. Now that’s a practice from the past I’d love to see followed in the future.

The newly constructed Kotara railway station in late 1924. From the 40 page promotional booklet produced for the initial land sale on 17 January 1925. National Library of Australia, Call Number mc N 1870 MCL HIST 553
Kotara railway station, 2024.

The article above was first published in the October 2024 edition of The Local.

Additional Information

Kotara Railway Station

For the current day passenger numbers at Kotara Station, I used the Train and Metro Station Monthly Usage numbers from the NSW government Open Data website. This showed that entries and exits totalled 2747 for the month of July 2024. This equates to an average of 89 trips per day, to or from the station.

Kotara Estate

As early as July 1922 there were reports that the Scottish Australian Mining Company planned to subdivide their land adjoining the Tickhole Tunnel of the Great Northern Railway. By October 1923, plans had been drawn up for the subdivision. In 1924 the Kotara Railway Station was constructed, and the streets of the new subdivision prepared, in readiness for the initial big land sale to take place on Saturday 17 January 1925.

Advertisement for sale of Kotara subdivision. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 3 January 1925.

The plans have been prepared for the Scottish-Australian Mining Company of a subdivision of about 200 blocks of land contiguous to the railway line on both sides. For many years eyes have been cast on this area, which lies between the Adamstown railway station and the Tickhole tunnel, and is within easy distance of the city. The design of the big subdivision conforms with the new ideas planning for model suburbs, and provision has been made for park areas, children’s playgrounds, street gardens, plantations, and other recreative utilities. The company has entered into an agreement with the Railway Commissioners for the erection of a railway platform to serve the area.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 17 October 1923.
Kotara Subdivision Plan, Saturday 17 January, 1925. Newcastle University, Living Histories.

Although the initial reports of the auction on 17 January 1925 stated that “160 lots were disposed of in about two hours”, the land wasn’t formally sold at this time, it was just people signing up with intention to purchase. At that time New Lambton Council (the municipality in which the land was located) still hadn’t formally approved the subdivision, being in dispute with the developer about various matters including access to Charlestown Road, and the width of the main streets in the subdivision. After resolving matters, New Lambton council finally approved the subdivision in May 1925. The deposited plan DP13333 for the subdivision was lodged with the Department of Lands on 27 August 1925.

DP13333 lodged on 27 August 1925

Transfers of title arising from land sales in the subdivision subsequently appear in Volume-Folios 905-119, 3878-122, 4350-65, and 5604-172. The first transfer recorded is for Lot 97 Sec A to Leslie Arthur Fitness on 15 September 1925, and the final transfer was for Lot 51 Section B to Thomas Egginton on 21 October 1953.

Despite the January 1925 article reporting that 160 lots had been sold, actual sales and transfers of title occurred over a very long period of time. Examination of the land title records shows that it took until 1944 before 160th lot sold. How much of this delay was due to slowness in purchasers finalising their transaction, and much due to purchases foregoing/forfeiting their lot due to economic pressures is uncertain.

Cumulative sales of lots in subdivision DP1333.
A 1938 aerial photograph of Kotara shows that only 36 dwellings had been constructed in the Kotara Estate subdivision (DP13333) in the thirteen years after the initial land sale in 1925. Newcastle University, Living Histories.
A 1944 aerial photograph shows considerable building work in the previous 8 years, with 67 dwellings now erected in the Kotara Estate subdivision (DP13333). NSW Historical Aerial Imagery

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
26 Jul 1922"At the present time the Scottish-Australian Company and the Kinnaird Land Syndicate are about to subdivide their estates adjoining the Tickhole Tunnel, and property running between New Lambton and Tickhole Tunnel and Charlestown. This property is most ideal for suburban residences, being four miles from the Broadmendow station, and served by two railways, the Sydney line and the Waratah coal line. At the present time it is anticipated that the Scottish-Australian Company will build a railway station on their land between Adamstown and the Charlestown Tunnel and then subdivide."
17 Oct 1923"The plans have been prepared for the Scottish-Australian Mining Company of a subdivision of about 200 blocks of land contiguous to the railway line on both sides … The company has entered into an agreement with the Railway Commissioners for the erection of a railway platform."
3 Oct 1924"It is authoritatively stated that the name of the station in connection with the new subdivision at present known as Exton has been altered to Kotara. This has been brought about by the suggestion of the Lands Department and the Railway Commissioners. The vendors of the estate, the Scottish-Australian Mining Company, Limited, having undertaken the cost of the construction of a new station, desired to have it named Exton in keeping with the township, but the departments pointed out the similarity to the name of other stations and the possibility of confusion arising. They suggested a native name, and with a view of obtaining something appropriate the agents. Messrs. Creer and Berkeley, enlisted the services of Mr. J. J. Moloney, who submitted a long list of local aboriginal names, from which Kotara was finally chosen. The construction work of the railway platform will be finished in a few weeks, and its train service will be of considerable advantage to all those people living on the northern side of Cardiff, at Charlestown, and the south-western side of New Lambton or Orchardtown, as it is more familiarly known."
9 Oct 1924
8 Oct 1924		New Lambton Council meeeting … "Correspondence was received from S.A.M. Company, stating that as the Railway Commissioners had decided to call the railway station situated near Cardiff tunnel, in their subdivision, Katara (sic), they had renamed the subdivision Katara in lieu of Exton. The Mayor said that the Railway Commissioners had acted discourteously in not conferring with the council re the naming of the station."
10 Nov 1924"The new railway station at Kotara, on the Newcastle to Sydney line, has been completed by a Scottish-Australian mining company. The cost was borne solely by the company which, however, may be compensated after three years by the Commissioners if traffic justifies it. The new station is situated between Adamstown and the Cardiff tunnel, and will serve a fairly large population. The necessary overhead bridges have been erected, and the platform is of island design."
19 Nov 1924"The new railway station at Kotara is already being availed of, as certain trains from Toronto are stopping there."
16 Jan 1925
17 Jan 1925		"Kotara, the newly subdivided suburb of Newcastle, has been the object of considerable interest for some time past amongst land speculators and investors generally. The sale of the land will be conducted to-morrow (Saturday), by Messrs. Creer and Berkeley. Easy terms of payment have been arranged, and the sale should be a big success."
20 Jan 1925
17 Jan 1925		"One of the most successful land subdivision sales held in this district was that of Kotara, conducted by Messrs. Creer and Berkeley, on Saturday afternoon last. The result evidences the importance of transit. The vendors, the Scottish-Australian Mining Company, Limited, realising this, undertook the responsibility of having a railway station erected in the centre of the estate. This convenience, a run of only 19 minutes from the central station, Newcastle, with a service of some 12 trains a day, each way, was no doubt a great factor in attracting upwards of 600 people to the sale, when 160 lots were disposed of in about two hours."
30 Jan 1925
29 Jan 1925		"A well-attended meeting of purchasers of land at Kotara was held last night at the rooms of Messrs. Creer and Berkeley, when a progress committee was formed. The meeting prepared a lengthy agenda of work and improvements to be effected, and the association will particularly watch the parks, railway facilities, supply of water, gas and electric light, and generally assist home builders to embrace modern ideas in keeping with a district so full of residential possibilities."
10 Feb 1925"New Lambton Council is not satisfied with the plans for the subdivision of portion of the Scottish-Australian Mining Company's Estate at Kotara … The plans did not provide for any outlet to Charlestown-road … the council would insist on the main road being 22 feet wide, instead of 16 feet."
8 May 1925"The Kotara Estate subdivision has at last received the legal approval of New Lambton Council. For a considerable time the finalising has been held up, although the greater part of the subdivision has been sold."
22 May 1925"As [Kotara] is gradually growing in importance, and trains are being stopped to pick up and set down passengers, the regulations that tickets must be got at Adamstown is becoming more and more irksome. The other morning half a dozen persons, who got into the train at Kotara, had to alight at Adamstown to get their tickets en route to Newcastle. The train, in consequence, was delayed for about two minutes."
29 May 1925"The monthly meeting of the Kotara Progress Association was held last night … the vendors of the estate, the Scottish-Australian Mining Company, Limited, set aside large areas for park and recreation purposes, and it is the planting and improvement of these reserves that is engaging attention."
30 Sep 1925"One of the biggest residential estate developments in the Newcastle district was inaugurated at the beginning of this year, when the Kotara subdivision was made available. It comprises several hundred acres, lying between Adamstown railway station and Tickhole tunnel, five miles from Newcastle. The first sale in the estate was conducted on January 17 by Messrs. Creer and Berkeley acting for the Scottish-Australian Mining Company. There were 191 allotments offered and over 160 were sold on the day. The success of the sale was largely due to the enterprise of the vendors. About three miles of streets had been made, and a railway island platform 520 feet in length constructed in the centre of the new suburb. With the object of assisting in the development of the suburb, purchasers of blocks formed a progress association, which now has a membership of between 70 and 80."

Lambton passenger train service

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When Lambton Colliery began in 1863 a railway was built to haul coal to the harbour. Roads into Newcastle were in a very poor state and a trip to town was a major undertaking. An appealing alternative was to travel by train.  For a few years the colliery allowed passengers in the guards’ van of their coal trains at a cost of 6 shillings per trip. Tiring of this arrangement, they doubled the price in 1866, then ceased the service in 1867.

In 1874 residents agitated for the return of a passenger train. Thomas Croudace, the manager of the Lambton colliery, gave permission for a trial run and on Saturday evening of 28 February 1874 more than 500 residents travelled from Lambton into Newcastle. Despite this success Croudace withdrew permission for subsequent services, leading to great confusion two Saturdays later when several hundred residents turned up to catch a train that never arrived.

With no co-operation from Lambton colliery, residents approached the Waratah colliery for permission to carry passengers on their rail line. The directors having granted the request, the first train ran on Monday 25 May 1874 for the public holiday celebrating Queen Victoria’s birthday. A regular service then commenced on 30 May 1874, operating on Saturdays only with pick-up and set-down at “Betty Bunn’s crossing”, where the Lambton-Waratah road crossed the railway.

In August 1874 a fatal accident on the line put a halt to the passenger service. A sordid rumour began circulating that several storekeepers on the inquest jury had been unfairly critical of the rail authority’s safety procedures, with a view to having the train cancelled. Local traders opposed a service they saw taking shoppers and their money into the city and away from their own businesses. The passenger service eventually resumed in January 1875, but reduced to alternate Saturdays only. It operated for another 12 years, ceasing in 1887 when the tramline from Newcastle to Lambton opened.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners Advocate, 19 Aug 1887, advising discontinuance of passenger train services to Waratah Tunnels near Lambton.
The location of “Betty Bunn’s Crossing”, at the intersection of Griffiths Rd and Acacia Ave, where the passenger train to Newcastle operated on the Waratah Tunnels rail line.

The article above was first published in the March 2024 edition of The Local.

Additional Information

Some of the content of this article was re-used from my November 2020 article “A Picnic Homecoming”, on the Lambton Public School outing to Toronto by train.

The colliery railway lines used for passenger services at Lambton: Lambton colliery (red), Waratah colliery (green). Parrott’s 1893 map, National Library of Australia.

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
18 Mar 1874
12 Mar 1874		"A very large public meeting was held at Stokers' Hall Lambton, on Thursday evening last, to consider the best steps to secure a Saturday night train, and also a daily train to and from Newcastle and Lambton. The manager of the Lambton pit had allowed the train to run once on Saturday night, and then withdrew it ; the object of the meeting was to devise a method of ensuring a train regularly. The Mavor of Lambton presided. It was ascertained that the Government were quite willing, and resolutions were passed, empowering the formation of a committee to wait upon the manager of the Waratah Coal Company, requesting him to allow passenger carriages to be placed on their line on the occasions above named."
18 Mar 1874"Great disappointment was felt at the non-arrival of the passenger train last Saturday evening. There were about 200 or 300 passengers waiting, who had to return to their homes annoyed. The blame is attributed to Mr. Croudace, for, I believe if he would consent to the train's running, the Government would; and, the advantage the inhabitants would derive would be very great."
31 Mar 1874"The subcommittee appointed to conduct the application to the Waratah Coal Company, for a passenger train to be laid on, have received a reply from the directors, expressing their willingness to grant the request … The sub-committee accordingly waited upon Mr. Higgs, the traffic manager, to gain the required Government permission, and that gentleman has informed them that there were some arrangements pending respecting a train to be laid on by the Lambton Company, which had not yet been decided upon."
23 May 1874"I have been instructed to inform you that the directors of the Waratah Coal Company have no objection to the Government running, for the convenience of the inhabitants of the district, on Saturday nights and holidays passenger trains on the Waratah Coal Company's private line of railway, from the junction with Great Northern Railway to the Company's new tunnel, at the same rate as it is done on the Wallsend Coal Company's line, provided arrangements are made so as not to interfere with the Waratah Company's coal traffic, and that the Government construct at its own cost all sidings, platforms, landing places, &c., which may be required for passenger traffic."

The following Monday, being a public holiday for Queen Victoria's birthday, "arrangements were made for the train to leave Bunn's crossing on Monday, 25th May at half-past 10 o'clock a.m."
27 May 1874
25 May 1874		First passenger train on the Waratah Company railway.
"The Railway Auditors laid on a train from Bunn's Crossing, on the Waratah Company's line, on Queen's Birthday, which was moderately patronised."

In the same week that passenger trains start running to Lambton on the Waratah Company line, promises are being made to run passenger trains on the Lambton colliery line … "The following arrangement was made, between Mr. Croudace, on behalf of the Lambton Company, and the Minister, viz., that [Government] trains should be run ... that the Company give their line free and keep it clear of their own traffic ... The Government to take all other responsibility … this arrangement to come in force immediately after the holidays."
In spite of this arrangement being made, nothing came of it.
30 May 1874"Although the Minister for Works promised that a passenger train should be run to this town on the first Saturday after the holidays, no communication whatever has been received by the Traffic Manager on the subject. The arrangement made between the Minister for Works and Mr. Croudace was that four trains should be run, commencing on the first Saturday after Queen's Birthday."
2 Jun 1874
30 May 1874		"On Saturday, the first evening train for passengers ran from the Waratah Co.'s Tunnels to Newcastle, for the accommodation of a large population in that neighbourhood. The number of passengers by whom it was availed of, amply testified the necessity for the convenience. We take it for granted that the train will be continued, as otherwise the people of Grovestown and Lambton would have to give up all idea of getting into Newcastle during the winter evenings, either by way of the Broad Meadow or Waratah, the former being a sheet of water, and the latter a perfect slough of mud."
4 Aug 1874
1 Aug 1874		Fatal accident on the Waratah Company railway, when the Saturday evening passenger train strikes Andrew Tunney, who while drunk was riding his horse along the railway.
11 Aug 1874After the death of Andrew Tunney on the railway line, the passenger service to Lambton is halted. A conspiracy theory arises that storekeepers on the inquest jury had a vested interest in stopping the passenger service in order to keep business in the town.
30 Jan 1875Resumption of passenger train service to Lambton (Waratah Tunnels). The service to run on alternate Saturdays only.
19 Aug 1887
13 Aug 1887		Last passenger train on the Waratah Tunnels railway. An advertisement on the following Friday announces the discontinuance of the service.

Pokolbin’s Lost Airstrip

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Mike Scanlon had an interesting history article in the Newcastle Herald this weekend (22 October 2022), on the mystery of the forgotten World War 2 runway at Pokolbin. In 1942 the RAAF built an air station at Pokolbin. The north-south runway was located where the current Cessnock airport is now. But there was also second runway located towards the south-west.

In the article Mike mentions that this old east-west runway can still be seen in Google’s satellite views. Using the historical imagery feature in Google Earth Pro and winding back to 2007, indeed shows a faint yet quite distinct outline of the old runway lying beneath fields and vineyards.

The faint outline of the old east-west runway of the Pokolbin RAAF base can be seen in this Google Earth satellite image from 2007. The current Cessnock airport runway can be seen in the top right of the image. (Click on the photo to enlarge)

Adamstown Railway Station and Crossing

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There are a number of quintessential activities to do in Newcastle – walk Nobby’s breakwall, swim in the Bogey Hole, picnic at Blackbutt Reserve. But one of the most enduring of Novocastrian pastimes has to be complaining about the Adamstown rail crossing. “The delay to the traffic on the Adamstown and New Lambton road is most annoying.” This quote from the Newcastle Herald, is not from the recent past, but from August 1898!

The Newcastle to Gosford rail line opened in 1887, with passengers bound for Sydney needing to travel 14 miles on a steamer from Gosford to the south bank of the Hawkesbury River to continue their rail journey. Initially Adamstown had only a platform and a paltry office described as “large enough only for a dog kennel”. After vigorous campaigning by Adamstown residents, new station buildings were erected in 1891 including ladies and gentlemen’s waiting rooms, and a ticket and parcels office.

By 1891 the rail line at Adamstown had become exceedingly busy. The tracks had been duplicated from Hamilton to Teralba, and just south of the station was the junction of two private branch lines, to the New Lambton C Pit and Redhead Colliery. A number of near accidents at the level crossing north of the station led to the introduction in 1892 of a signal interlocking system, which ensured that trains could not pass until the gates were closed.

The gates and signals were manually operated, and while improving safety, they did not ease traffic congestion. In 1939 the manually operated swing gates were replaced with power operated boom gates, but complaints about traffic delays were ever recurring, as were suggested solutions. A reporter for the Newcastle Herald stated: “Probably, the day is not far distant when an overhead bridge will have to be erected.” Sadly, this nugget of wishful thinking was written 112 years ago in 1910. It seems the chances of this idea being realised now, are as forlorn as back then.

Adamstown Railway Station 1898. Photo by Ralph Snowball. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.
Adamstown Railway Station 2022.

The article above was first published in the April 2022 edition of The Local.

Additional Information

A useful reference source when preparing this article was “Adamstown Station. Something of a Chronology” by Ed Tonks, and available on the Australian Railway History Society of NSW website.

First official train crossing the first Hawkesbury River rail bridge at its opening on 1 May1889. Image from the ARHS Collection courtesy of University of Newcastle, Living Histories..
Advertisement for the official opening of the Hawkesbury River rail bridge. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 1 May 1889.
Portion of a Hunter Water Map from 1909, showing thorough details of Adamstown railway crossing and station. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.
Advertising poster from 1908, for freehold suburban land near Adamstown Station. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 32300023896240
Adamstown Rail Crossing, July 1977. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 104 009528

Adamstown stationmaster’s house

One little sidetrack in researching this article was finding the location of the Adamstown stationmaster’s house. In January 1901 the newspaper reported …

During the past eleven and a half years Mr. W. Hall has been the officer in charge of the Adamstown railway station. Mr. Hall recently made application for a change, and his request has been acceded to. In about a week’s time he will take his departure from Adamstown and take charge of Guildford station, on the Southern line.

Newcastle Morning Herald and miners Advocate, 2 January 1901.

This would imply that W Hall had been appointed stationmaster around July 1888. Given that this is only a year after the rail line opened, and that Adamstown station began as only a platform beside the tracks, it is probable that W Hall was the first stationmaster appointed at Adamstown.

A newspaper article from 1898, reporting on a dispute as to whether the stationmaster’s house was liable for council rates, noted that …

The building is situated in Victoria-street on the Waratah Company’s subdivision, and is about 100 yards from the railway.

Newcastle Morning Herald and miners Advocate, 28 AUgust 1898.

Records from Historical Land Records Viewer, show in Vol-Fol 1066-135 that the Railway Commissioners of NSW purchased lots 1 and 2 of Sec H of DP2347 in August 1893.

Note that the map showing the location of the lots, only has streets labelled with numbers as per the in the DP2347 subdivision map. 2nd Street on this map was an extension of Victoria St and became known by that name, but 6th St persists to this day. A 1944 aerial photograph shows that the stationmaster’s house was situated at 151 Victoria St. The Railway Commissioners sold the house and property into private hands in May 1956.

Adamstown Stationmaster’s House, 1944 aerial photograph.

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
10 Jul 1886
9 Jul 1886		"A meeting of the inhabitants of Adamstown was held last evening for the purpose of petitioning Government for a railway station at Adamstown."
8 Apr 1887
7 Apr 1887		Opening of the Hornsby to Hawkesbury River (Brooklyn) rail line.
13 Aug 1887Detailed description of the Hawkesury River to Newcastle rail line, to be opened soon. "Adamstown station is reached at 97 miles 75chains, where there is only a platform 264ft x 15." Interestingly, it appears that Broadmeadow station was originally called Lambton station.
16 Aug 1887
15 Aug 1887		Official opening of the Newcastle to Gosford railway.
18 Nov 1887"The Government road from Union-street to the railway platform is drawing towards completion …a siding is necessary at the platform, so that trucks containing goods for Adamstown can be shunted where carts can be taken conveniently to receive the goods."
16 Mar 1888
15 Mar 1888		At Adamstown Council meeting, a motion is passed regarding "the great need of a station at Adamstown platform on the Homebush and Waratah Railway" and "to ask for a funeral train."
13 Apr 1888
12 Apr 1888		Council's request for a funeral train for Adamstown has been refused. A petition to be raised.
2 Jul 1888"The traffic manager this morning granted the request made to him to run a funeral train from Adamstown on Sundays whenever required."
24 Apr 1889"The Railway Commissioners have prepared a new time-table for the Northern line, which will come into operation next month, when the Hawkbesbury bridge is open for passenger traffic. The journey to and from Sydney will be very much shortened ... doing the whole journey in 3 hours 20 minutes, saving no less than 2 hours 22 minutes."
2 May 1889
1 May 1889		Opening of Hawkesbury River rail bridge.
25 Jun 1889"About two hundred men from the unemployed in Sydney arrived yesterday to commence the earthworks required for the duplication of the railway line between Adamstown and Teralba."
3 Sep 1889"The Redhead Company are now constructing a branch railway line from Adamstown to their Burwood Extended mine."
8 Nov 1889"The firm [New Lambton Coal Company] have a branch line, one mile in length, connecting the colliery [C Pit] with the Sydney-Newcastle railway at Adamstown."
30 Jun 1890"The stationmaster's office is a place large enough only for a pigeon ducket or a dog kennel, and in such a place the whole of the work of the station has to be performed."
3 Jan 1891Tender accepted from J R Rodgers for erection of station buildings at Adamstown
12 Jan 1891
10 Jan 1891		There is a suggestion that Adamstown station is to be moved from its present location to closer to Broadmeadow. A public meeting is held to discuss the issue, with opinions sharply divided.
20 Jan 1891"It will be a consolation to those who are opposed to the removal of the railway station, to know that such is not to be carried into effect; and the station buildings are to be erected forthwith on the present site. The contractor is prepared to proceed with the work immediately, so the people can rest content that they will before long have the accommodation they have so long agitated for."
22 Apr 1891"Adamstown. The erection of the station buildings are progressing slowly. With the exception of the goods-shed, they are all that is required for the present. The goods-shed is very small, and not nearly so large as was promised."
19 Oct 1892"After a deal of writing on behalf of the council the railway authorities have commenced the work of interlocking the points and gates at the railway station: By the installation of the interlocking system the safety of the traffic will be improved considerably. Indeed, the system in vogue is dangerous in the extreme and daily accidents of a serious character have been narrowly averted."
19 Nov 1892
18 Nov 1892		"A new interlocking apparatus was opened at the Adamstown railway station yesterday. Since the opening of the double track to Teralba, the department have gradually introduced the interlocking system at the various stations. Adamstown is now an important junction, as the Redhead and New Lambton lines branch off the Government railways near the station. The new apparatus consists of a bunch of 29 levers, which work the various semaphores, the points, and the gates which guard the different crossings."
27 Jul 1897"With respect to vehicular traffic, on the Adamstown-New Lambton road there is a grievance, and one that is not likely to be remedied till a man is placed at that important junction to attend to the signals and crossing-gates, which work is ample for one person. The delay to the traffic on the Adamstown New Lambton road is frequently most annoying, and the testimonials the station officials are daily made the recipients of are anything but gratifying."
28 Aug 1897"At the railway station the gates are kept closed as much as possible to prevent any of the unlimited stray horses getting on the railway."
6 Aug 1898"There are great complaints at times of the great delay caused to traffic at the Adamstown railway crossing. The delay to the traffic on the Adamstown and New Lambton road is most annoying, and the verbal testimonials presented to the railway officials are anything but complimentary."
2 Jan 1901"During the past eleven and a half years Mr. W. Hall has been the officer in charge of the Adamstown railway station. In about a week's time he will take his departure from Adamstown and take charge of Guildford station, on the Southern line. He leaves Adamstown with the good wishes of all."
4 Oct 1910"A lot of shunting is done at the station, and trouble is caused by the delay to road traffic through this cause. Probably, the day is not far distant when an overhead bridge will have to be erected."
5 Jun 1929"When the Railway Commissioners visit Newcastle on June 23, strong argument will be put forward for the electrification of the railway from Sydney to Newcastle. It is stated by those urging the installation of the new system that the cost would not be very great."
3 Sep 1937"Extensive alterations are contemplated at Adamstown railway station. The improvements will include enlarged platforms, boom gates to replace the existing swing ones, a new signal box and an overhead bridge to connect the two platforms."
"Ald. Williams said that an overhead bridge should be constructed for pedestrians and vehicular traffic. With an overhead bridge for vehicular traffic delays at the gates would be obviated."
1 Mar 1938"I would desire to direct attention to the delay and inconvenience caused at the Adamstown gates. As one who would very much like to see an overhead bridge at this intersection, not only for business traffic but the public traffic also. There have been times when I have waited with traffic streamed along behind me for close on 20 minutes."
8 May 1939
7 May 1939		"A new railway signal box and power operated boom gates were opened yesterday at St. James-road, Adamstown, by the Railway Department. The old hand operated gates have been replaced by an electrically operated device."

A Picnic Homecoming

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This month’s photograph, taken at the border between Lambton and New Lambton looking along Howe Street invites the question “Why is a large group of well-dressed adults and children walking along the tram track towards Lambton?” The answer turns out to be related to transport, but not to trams.

When Lambton Colliery began in 1863 a railway was built to haul coal to the harbour. Roads into Newcastle were in a very poor state and a trip to town was a major undertaking. An appealing alternative was to travel by train.  For a few years the colliery allowed passengers in the guards’ van of their coal trains at a cost of 6 shillings per trip. Tiring of this arrangement, they doubled the price in 1866, then ceased the service in 1867.

Residents agitated for the return of a passenger train service, and in 1874 the Waratah Coal Company gave permission for the Government to run a passenger train to Lambton on the railway to their new coal workings. This train operated on Saturdays and public holidays only, with pick-up and set-down at Betty Bunn’s crossing, located at the bottom end of Acacia Avenue where it meets Griffiths Road. The service ceased in 1887 when the tramline through Lambton began operation.

Afterwards the Lambton Colliery railway was occasionally used to convey passengers to special events. One example was the Lambton Public School annual picnic day on Wednesday 25 February 1903. At 9am a train of seven cars left Lambton colliery with 500 children and 400 adults on board and headed for Toronto. On arrival there were refreshments, sports competitions, musical entertainments, and Ralph Snowball was on hand to take group photographs.

At day’s end the picnickers returned by train to Lambton and disembarked near the bridge over the tram line. In the fading light of a summer’s evening as they headed for their homes, Snowball took a final photograph, capturing one of the last occasions a passenger train arrived at Lambton.

Heading home after Lambton Public School Picnic in 1903. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.
Hobart Rd and Howe St in 2020.

The article above was first published in the November 2020 edition of The Local.

Additional Information

Photo date

In the article published in The Local, I stated without qualification that the Snowball photo was taken on 25 February 1903 on the occasion of the Lambton Public School Picnic. It is important to note that the photo has no direct attribution to this date and event, but this conclusion is based on indirect evidence. Behind this story was an interesting case of how to locate and date a photograph.

When the University of Newcastle Special Collections first uploaded Snowball’s photo to their Flickr site, somehow it was mistakenly captioned “View from a train, Singleton”. In 2013 both John Shoebridge and Robert Watson identified that the scene was Lambton, and not Singleton. Robert in particular confirmed the location as being Lambton by comparing a number of houses on the top of the hill with another old photo of Lambton.

Houses near Dent St on mis-captioned photo.
Houses near Dent St, Lambton.

In determining the date of the photo, back in 2014 Robert noted that there was an electric light pole, which meant the photo was taken in or after 1890, when Lambton first installed electric lighting.

Electric light pole on Howe St.

The tram line in the photo is only a single track, and as the duplication of this portion of the tram route was only opened in July 1911, this indicates that the photo is in the time range 1890 to 1911. Using this information, and noting a similarity with another photo of a dressed up crowd in Lambton Park, I made a guess back in 2014 that the photo might have been on the occasion of the celebrations to inaugurate the electric light scheme in September 1890. Not an unreasonable guess, but as it turns out, wrong.

The next step in unravelling the mystery came six years later, when Robert revisited the photo and made two key observations.

  1. The people in the photo are almost all women and children, with very few men.
  2. A couple of the children are waving flags.

I did a careful count of the people in the photo and found that adult women outnumbered the adult men, three to one. This would indicate that the event being captured took place on a weekday, when the majority of men would be at work. The large number of children would then suggest that this is a school event. This is supported by looking at one of the flags being held aloft, which appears to be the NSW State flag, suggesting that the event was connected with the Lambton Public School.

Child waving flag.
NSW State flag.

Prompted by Robert’s observations I then made a third key observation – that the crowd in the photo is not random or dispersing. With one lone exception there are no people in the side streets. Everyone is heading in the same direction. This would indicate that the people are moving as a group, having come from a particular point and heading towards a particular destination. This would be consistent with the idea that the group has just disembarked from a train on the colliery railway and are heading home to Lambton.

Given that the crowd is well dressed I made a guess that the event was connected with a picnic, and along with the three key observations already noted, I searched in Trove in the known date range for the keywords “Lambton train school picnic”, which immediately revealed a very likely candidate for the occasion – the Lambton Public School picnic on 25 February 1903.

One final and compelling confirmation of this dating, came from Newcastle Library’s Online Collection. Knowing that the collection had quite a number of Ralph Snowball picnic photos, I searched the collection and found a photo that Ralph had taken at the school picnic at Toronto on that day. It is quite probable that Snowball travelled with the school group in the chartered train, and took a photograph of the disembarked passengers from the train carriage up on the embankment before the rail line traversed the bridges over Hobart Rd and Howe St.

Group photo from Lambton Public School picnic at Toronto, 25 February 1903. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 001 002292.

There is one other documented occasion, on 23 November 1900, when Lambton Public School travelled by train to a picnic at Toronto. It may be that Snowball’s photo was from this earlier picnic, but given Snowball’s picnic photo from 1903 I think it much more likely that it is of the February 1903 picnic.

The Waratah Company Rail LINE Passenger Service

Passenger train services to and from Lambton on the Waratah Coal Company’s railway commenced on Monday 25 May 1874, with a special train on the Queen’s birthday public holiday.  Regular weekly Saturday evening services then commenced the following Saturday 30 May 1874. By March 1875, falling patronage meant that services were reduced to alternate Saturdays. The last passenger train on the line ran on Saturday 19 August 1887.

Passenger pick-up and set-down was at a location known as “Betty Bunn’s Crossing”, which was the point where the road between Lambton and Waratah crossed the coal company’s railway.

1906 map showing the Waratah and Lambton coal company railways, annotated with passenger service embarkation locations. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.

I have never seen an old map with Betty Bunn’s Crossing marked on it, but all the evidence of many newspaper articles points to it being the crossing of the Waratah coal rail line with the Lambton to Waratah road. Another reasonably clear indication of the location is the death notice for Thomas George Griffith who died “at Betty Bunn’s Crossing” in 1918.  The 1906 map shows his property adjacent to the crossing.

Death notice for Thomas George Griffith, of Betty Bunn’s Crossing, Lambton. 16 May 1918
Property location of T. G. Griffith, Lambton
Notice in Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners Advocate, 19 Aug 1887, advising of discontinuance of passenger train services to Waratah Tunnels near Lambton.
Railway Timetables printed on 19 Aug 1887 and 20 Aug 1887, showing the dropping of the fortnightly Waratah Tunnels service.

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
12 Dec 1862
9 Dec 1862		Passing of "Morehead and Young Railway Act" to enable the construction of the Lambton Colliery railway.
25 Aug 1863By August 1863 the Lambton colliery railway was almost completed : "… the Waratah and Lambton Collieries, whose branch lines are already formed, only requiring some further slight addition being made to their permanent ways."
6 Oct 1866"A meeting of miners was held at Pit Town, for the purpose of expressing the disapprobation of themselves and the inhabitants of Lambton and Pit Town generally, at the recent raising of the passenger's fares on the Lambton railway from 6d. to 11d. The meeting resolved that a deputation of four wait upon Mr. Croudace, the colliery manager, and ask him to represent to the Government the following requests, namely: 1. That the fares be lowered to 6d ; 2. That return tickets be issued on the railway ; 3. That a carriage in lieu of the present break van be substituted for passengers."
3 Sep 1867"Within the past few days a memorial has been taken round the city, to which the names of a large number of the inhabitants have been attached, for presentation to the Minister for Works, with reference to having a regular passenger train to run between this city and the various coal mines, on a Saturday, for the convenience of the people residing in those localities who are desirous of visiting Newcastle."
13 Nov 1869Call for a passenger train on the Lambton railway … "Why not, in order to give the enterprise a fair chance, have a thorough special train for Saturday afternoons, to leave Old Lambton (which would suit the requirements of the neighbourhood of Dark Creek and New Lambton, too) say, at, from four to half-past four o'clock."

The letter writer also notes the bad state of the roads … "Lambtonians have to wend their way betimes up to their knees in mud through a nasty road, extending over a distance of from two to five miles, to reach the Government six o'clock train at Waratah, which is by no means a pleasant undertaking, particularly after a hard day's work, and which few, from mere choice, care about tackling, I can tell you. "
9 Dec 1871
5 Sep 1871		Public meeting “to establish a goods and passenger traffic on the Lambton Colliery railway.”
16 Mar 1872In regard to "a petition from the inhabitants of Lambton, praying that a goods and passenger train may be run to Newcastle" the Commissoner of Railways writes that "by a special arrangement with Messrs. Morehead and Young, a passenger train used to run to Lambton, but in January, '67, they asked to be relieved ; this was consented to, and the traffic then ceased. I cannot, therefore, reintroduce the practice without, the consent of Messrs. Morehead and Young."
19 Aug 1873
16 Aug 1873		It appears that there are occasional passenger services on the Lambton line on pay Saturday's … "This being pay-night, the principal street in the city was more thronged than we have seen it for a considerable time past. The various trains from Wallsend and Lambton brought in a large number of passengers, and these added much to fill our main street."
7 Feb 1874"Here is the case of the people living at Lambton and New Lambton ; and so far as railway communication is concerned, they are completely isolated, although when the pits are at work they have from four to five trains per day running to each of the collieries; but being private ones, and the proprietors refusing to allow passenger traffic on them."
21 Feb 1874
28 Feb 1874		A one-off experiment of a passenger service to be tried. "The committee appointed to agitate for a train to run between Newcastle and Lambton have at last succeeded, after great exertions and through strenuous efforts … A special passenger train will run from Newcastle to Old Lambton Crossing on Saturday night, the 28th February, 1874. The train will leave Lambton for Newcastle on or about 5 o'clock p.m., and returning from Newcastle to Lambton on or about 11 p.m. The fares will be 9d. for the return ticket and sixpence for the single fare."
6 Mar 1874
28 Feb 1874		"A Saturday night train commenced to run from Lambton to Newcastle on the 28th ultimo, and over 500 return tickets were taken, besides single ones; the brass band accompanied the excursionists, amounting in number to about 900. "
7 Mar 1874
28 Feb 1874		"Saturday last was a new era in Lambtonian history. The passenger train, as announced, arrived here about 4 p.m. with fourteen carriages and the van, and long before the appointed time for starting almost every available seat was occupied. We have heard that there were more than 500 tickets sold. If this train is to be permanent, as we hope it will, there will have to be some other arrangement for giving out the tickets, for it will never do for people to have to climb up into the guard's van, as was the case on Saturday."

"This train is a fine thing for the business people in Newcastle, but quite the reverse for our town's business folk, who are considerably down in the mouth about so much ready money going out of their hands … the next step ought to be to agitate for a goods train to be run here."
14 Mar 1874
12 Mar 1874		Newcastle Chronicle's report of a public meeting to discuss getting a passenger train service to Lambton. An allegation is made that business people agitated against aregular train service as it would hurt their trade.
Mr W Goodhew “observed that the Lambton line was a good and convenient one no doubt, but when they were allowed the use of it on one night, and deprived of it the next what dependence could be placed on it. He moved that application be made to the directors of the Waratah Coal Company for permission to run the train on their line of railway to the new tunnel, to Betty Bunn's crossing.”
14 Mar 1874
12 Mar 1874		The Newcastle Morning Herald's report of the public meeting regarding a passenger train service to Lambton. The report notes that "Mr. Croudace, the Manager, has granted permission for a passenger train to be run from here to Newcastle on the demonstration day and also for a Saturday night's train for four Saturdays ; and if it proves payable, the train will run regularly." Despite this promising sign, a regular train service on the Lambton line never eventuated.
18 Mar 1874"Great disappointment was felt at the non-arrival of the passenger train last Saturday evening. There were about 200 or 300 passengers waiting, who had to return to their homes annoyed. The blame is attributed to Mr. Croudace, for, I believe if he would consent to the train's running, the Government would; and, the advantage the inhabitants would derive would be very great."
31 Mar 1874"The subcommittee appointed to conduct the application to the Waratah Coal Company, for a passenger train to be laid on, have received a reply from the directors, expressing their willingness to grant the request … The sub-committee accordingly waited upon Mr. Higgs, the traffic manager, to gain the required Government permission, and that gentleman has informed them that there were some arrangements pending respecting a train to be laid on by the Lambton Company, which had not yet been decided upon."
4 Apr 1874"A meeting of parties interested in the Lambton train movement was held at the Lambton crossing, Mr. T. Hardy in the chair, when it was determined to send a deputation to the Minister for Works, to impress upon him the necessity of running a passenger train to this town at once."
23 May 1874"I have been instructed to inform you that the directors of the Waratah Coal Company have no objection to the Government running, for the convenience of the inhabitants of the district, on Saturday nights and holidays passenger trains on the Waratah Coal Company's private line of railway, from the junction with Great Northern Railway to the Company's new tunnel, at the same rate as it is done on the Wallsend Coal Company's line, provided arrangements are made so as not to interfere with the Waratah Company's coal traffic, and that the Government construct at its own cost all sidings, platforms, landing places, &c., which may be required for passenger traffic."

The following Monday, being a public holiday for Queen Victoria's birthday, "arrangements were made for the train to leave Bunn's crossing on Monday, 25th May at half-past 10 o'clock a.m."
27 May 1874
25 May 1874		First passenger train on the Waratah Company railway.
"The Railway Auditors laid on a train from Bunn's Crossing, on the Waratah Company's line, on Queen's Birthday, which was moderately patronised."

In the same week that passenger trains start running to Lambton on the Waratah Company line, promises are being made to run passenger trains on the Lambton colliery line … "The following arrangement was made, between Mr. Croudace, on behalf of the Lambton Company, and the Minister, viz., that [Government] trains should be run ... that the Company give their line free and keep it clear of their own traffic ... The Government to take all other responsibility … this arrangement to come in force immediately after the holidays."
In spite of this arrangement being made, nothing came of it.
30 May 1874"Although the Minister for Works promised that a passenger train should be run to this town on the first Saturday after the holidays, no communication whatever has been received by the Traffic Manager on the subject. The arrangement made between the Minister for Works and Mr. Croudace was that four trains should be run, commencing on the first Saturday after Queen's Birthday."
2 Jun 1874
30 May 1874		"On Saturday, the first evening train for passengers ran from the Waratah Co.'s Tunnels to Newcastle, for the accommodation of a large population in that neighbourhood. The number of passengers by whom it was availed of, amply testified the necessity for the convenience. We take it for granted that the train will be continued, as otherwise the people of Grovestown and Lambton would have to give up all idea of getting into Newcastle during the winter evenings, either by way of the Broad Meadow or Waratah, the former being a sheet of water, and the latter a perfect slough of mud."
18 Jun 1874"Nothing further has transpired here with reference to the granting of a passenger train [on the Lambton line], and many are now of opinion that it will not be allowed, as the one from the Waratah Tunnels is so central."
4 Aug 1874
1 Aug 1874		Fatal accident on the Waratah Company railway, when the Saturday evening passenger train strikes Andrew Tunney, who while drunk was riding his horse along the railway.
11 Aug 1874After the death of Andrew Tunney on the railway line, the passenger service to Lambton is halted. A conspiracy theory arises that storekeepers on the inquest jury had a vested interest in stopping the passenger service in order to keep business in the town.
17 Mar 1875"I believe that it is also intended to make another effort towards getting a passenger train on the Lambton line, and with some chance of success. Mr. Croudace has been heard to express his willingness to allow it, and no doubt the Government will have seen by this time the fallacy of running the train to the Waratah New Tunnels. As a proof that they have seen their mistake the train is now only run on alternate Saturdays, and then with very few passengers, the majority of the people preferring to walk to Waratah station or down the line to Hamilton rather than go to the new tunnels, which is very little nearer."
22 Sep 1875
18 Sep 1875		A public meeting to petition the Governemnt "asking them to construct a branch line of railway from the Great Northern, through Lambton, and thence to Wallsend."
"It was one of the anomalies of the coal-mining district of Newcastle that a line of railway came into the centre of each township, and yet the residents could not travel on these lines at all, or they did so as a favour, granted by the coal companies, which they could withdraw at any time."

The movement pushing for this railway never gained momentum. Instead, in the next decade the push was for a tram line rather than a train line to Wallsend.
28 Apr 1876The possibility of running a special passenger train on Lambton line to take patrons to see a performance of “Little Nell” at the Victoria Theatre is discussed. "I am sure that Mr. Croudace would allow a train to run on his railway for this purpose. He has obliged Mr. Bennett in this way before and would do so again."
4 Jan 1877
1 Jan 1877		A rather tongue-in-cheek one sentence report of a minor incident on the Waratah Tunnels line … "The gates on the Waratah Railway were closed when the Passenger train was coming up from Newcastle on New Year's night, but the engine opened them without a key."
27 Feb 1877"The alteration in time of the Pay-Saturdays' passenger train to the Waratah Company's Tunnel, from 2 o'clock p.m. to 11 o'clock a m., does not meet with the approbation of the public. The housewives especially are dissatisfied with the alteration, as 11 o'clock is too soon for them to leave home, having their domestic duties to attend to."
6 Apr 1880
3 Apr 1880		"On Saturday evening Gordon's 'bus was capsized near Bunn's crossing, when coming from the 10 o'clock train. "
29 Jun 1883"At the last Municipal Council meeting Alderman Thornton very properly drew attention to the want of accommodation, in the shape of a platform, at the Waratah Company's tunnel, for the use of passengers travelling from there to Newcastle on pay Saturdays."
2 May 1885Grievance from a Lambton miner's wife regarding the general uncleanliness of the Waratah tunnel train.
19 Aug 1887
13 Aug 1887		Last passenger train on the Waratah Tunnels railway. An advertisement on the following Friday announces the discontinuance of the service.
23 Nov 1900
21 Nov 1900		Lambton Public School picnic to Toronto. "About 9 a.m. upwards of 600 children, all nicely dressed in holiday attire, with their flags and banners, presented themselves at the school grounds, and formed a spectacle well worth witnessing. A procession was then formed, and the little ones marched along Elder-street and through the park to the Lambton Colliery railway, where, thanks to the kindness of Mr. T. Croudace in granting the use of the line, a train of seven cars awaited them."
5 Feb 1903Planning meeting for the Lambton Public School picnic. "It was decided to hold the picnic at Toronto, entraining the children at the Lambton Colliery railway, as in the previous year, if Mr. Croudace and Mr. Kitching will permit the train to run on the colliery line."
(The reference to a picnic train "in the previous year" is a little puzzling, as I can find no record of that event. It may be that it is a time-inaccurate reference to the picnic in November 1900, two years previously.)
21 Feb 1903"The annual picnic of the Lambton Public School will be held on Wednesday, the 25th instant. The train will leave Lambton Colliery at 9 a.m., calling at all stations on the way to Toronto. There has been an energetic committee at work for some months, preparing for the event, and it is hoped that the parents will show their appreciation of the good work done by attending in large numbers on that day."
27 Feb 1903
25 Feb 1903		"The annual picnic of the local Public School, took place at Toronto on Wednesday, and was largely attended by the parents and the general public. A train of seven cars left the Lambton Colliery railway at 9 a.m., containing about 500 children and 400 adults … The return journey was made in time to allow the little ones to get home before dark."