Unanderra–Moss Vale railway line

km from Central Dates refer to opening and closure South Coast line to Coniston 88.27 Unanderra South Coast line to Kembla Grange Maldon–Dombarton line to Maldon 108.13 Summit Tank 118.99 Mount Murray 1932-1995 122.19 Ocean View 1936-1968 126.69 Ranelagh House 128.30 Robertson 134.88 Burrawang 1932-1975 140.36 Calwalla 1932-1976 Main Southern line to Burradoo 145.71 Moss Vale Main Southern line to Exeter

Unanderra-Moss Vale line at Sheepwash Road

Memorial to workers on the Unanderra-Moss Vale railway (1927-32) in Robertson, New South Wales

The Unanderra - Moss Vale railway line is a cross country railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The line branches from the Illawarra (South Coast) railway line at the town of Unanderra and winds west over the Illawarra escarpment to the Southern Highlands town of Moss Vale. The line is one of the most scenic in New South Wales, and for the first 20 km after leaving Unanderra has an almost continuous grade 1 in 30 providing spectacular view over the Illawarra coastline.

Course

The length of the line is 57 kilometres, and is double track from from Unanderra to Dombarton. The line is single track thereafter with several crossing loops. The double track section was built as part of the now abandoned Maldon to Dombarton railway line, and unfinished staunchions line this section as part of the proposed electrification.

The line connects the following current and former passenger stations:

• Unanderra - junction with Illawarra line.
• Dombarton - end of double line (formerly the site of an unusual crossing arrangement)
• Summit Tank (platform only) (crossing loop)
• Mount Murray (closed) (crossing loop reopened 1980s)
• Ranelagh House (platform only)
• Robertson (platform) (crossing loop)
• Burrawang (closed 1975)
• Calwalla (closed 1976) (crossing loop reopened 1980s)
• Moss Vale - junction with main south line.

History

The line was first proposed in the 1880s by residents of Moss Vale and local industry keen for a connection to the port at Port Kembla. Construction began on 26 June 1925, and was completed on 20 August 1932.

The line initially carried mainly limestone from the Marulan Quarry to Port Kembla Steelworks, but also vegetables from Robertson to Sydney and later, coal. Daily steam-hauled passenger trains operated from 1932, which were later replaced by diesel hauled trains, then railmotors. A weekend excursion train operated as late as the early 1990s, prior to its replacement by the privately operated Cockatoo Run steam hauled weekend tourist train which operates to the present day. Limestone freight continues to be hauled, and the line remains a valuable freight link to the Wollongong area and a useful bypass line when engineering works close the Main South Line.

Services

CityRail road coach service is now provided in lieu of the former rail service. The service stops at Wollongong, Dapto and Albion Park railway stations; bus stops on Hoddle Street in both Burrawang and Robertson; then at Bowral, Moss Vale, Exeter and Bundanoon railway stations.

Maldon-Dombarton Line

State Rail began construction of a line connecting Maldon, on the Southern Highlands line near Picton, with Dombarton near Port Kembla. The project would have created the longest tunnel in Australia: the 4-km Avon Tunnel. Part of the incomplete tunnel, as well approaches to a bridge over the Cordeaux River, are visible today.. The Port Kembla Port Corporation is currently trying to get funding to complete the line to facilitate the transport of coal and other export materials to the port at Port Kembla.

Deviation

A section of the line was deviated in the 1960s to avoid the site of a new lake built for water supply and power generation purposes.