Leighton Marshalling Yard
 The former control tower | |
 | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Location | North Fremantle, Western Australia |
| Characteristics | |
| Owner | Westrail |
| Operator | Westrail |
| Type | Freight |
| History | |
| Opened | 1961 |
| Closed | 1998 |
Leighton Marshalling Yard was a railway yard in North Fremantle, Western Australia adjacent to the Eastern Railway.
History
[edit]As part of plans to expand Fremantle Harbour, in 1954 the Government of Western Australia announced plans to build a new marshalling yard to replace a yard at Fremantle North Wharf.[1][2] It opened in 1961 with a freight classification yard and terminal, two classification yards and 60 lever signal box.[3][4] In 1966, a hump yard was completed when the yard was converted to dual gauge as part of the conversion of the line from Kalgoorlie.[5] In 1967 lighting towers were installed.[6]
In 1986, the American Broadcasting Company installed receiving and transmitting equipment to the top of the lighting towers for its 1987 America's Cup coverage.[7] With altered traffic arrangements having resulted in dwindling traffic, work began in September 1988 to reduce the size of the yard.[8]
After the transfer of CBH Group's grain handling facility to Forrestfield in 1998, the yard was closed and the 17 hectare site was rezoned for urban redevelopment.[9][10] In May 1999, a Multiplex led consortium was selected to redevelop the site with four hectares to be for housing and 13 hectares as a coastal reserve.[11][12]
References
[edit]- ^ Government Plans Big Rail Yards The West Australian 11 October 1954 page 10
- ^ Marshalling Yard at Leighton Railway Gazette 23 August 1959 page 73
- ^ World Market International Railway Journal June 1961 page 9
- ^ New Interchange Facility for Seaport Terminal Railway Transportation January 1962 pages 30/31
- ^ Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 342 April 1966 page 7
- ^ Floodlights Ensure Continuous Operations at Freight Terminal Railway Transportation September 1967 pages 40-42
- ^ Lights, camera, action from Leighton towers The Monthly Notice (Westrail) October 1986 page 5
- ^ Leighton - Cottesloe Goods Line Removed The Westland issue 46 October 1988 page 10
- ^ Opening of $100M CBH Metro Grain Centre at Forrestfield Minister for Transport 6 March 1998
- ^ Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 729 July 1998 page 277
- ^ Consortioum selected to redevelop Leighton railway marshalling yards Minister for Transport 13 May 1999
- ^ Perth - Rail Fares Up, Leighton Yard Redevelopment Railway Digest July 1999 page 19
External links
[edit]
Media related to Leighton Yard at Wikimedia Commons