Meeandah railway station

Meeandah
Meeandah station in 2007
General information
LocationKingsford Smith Drive, Pinkenba
Coordinates27°25′47″S 153°06′30″E / 27.4297°S 153.1083°E / -27.4297; 153.1083
Owned byQueensland Rail
Line(s)
  Pinkenba Line
Platforms1 side platform
ConnectionsBus
Other information
Fare zone2
History
Opened1914
Closed27 September 1993
Services
Preceding station Queensland Rail Queensland Rail Following station
Bunour
towards Roma Street
 Pinkenba Line Pinkenba
Terminus

Meeandah railway station is an abandoned station on the Pinkenba railway line in the suburb of Pinkenba, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is 8.7 kilometres (5.4 mi) from the Brisbane central business district and 13.4 kilometres (8.3 mi) from Central station by rail. It closed as a staffed station in 1930, reopened as an unattended gate in 1931, and was finally closed on 27 September 1993.

The name Meeandah comes from the English word "meander", after the twisting and turning route of the nearby Brisbane River.[1]

History

The line to Pinkenba opened on 1 April 1897. During World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945), troop camps were located in the area because of deep berthing available to ships at Pinkenba on the mouth of the Brisbane River. Passenger ships of the Orient Steam Navigation Company—later P&O—used the Pinkenba wharf, and special trains ran from Brisbane.[2]

The station mistress was withdrawn and the station closed in 1930, as an economic measure brought on by the Great Depression. Following protests to Railways Commissioner Davidson by local residents and workers, the station was reopened in 1931 as an unattended gate.

The HMS Nabreekie Mobile Naval Air Base and a large army camp defence storage and warehouse facility were located near Meeandah railway station during World War II; the army camp remains today as the Damascus Barracks.[3]

In 1988, part of the Pinkenba line was electrified, but only as far as Eagle Farm station. Diesel-hauled passenger services, using stainless steel carriages, operated an infrequent passenger service to Pinkenba, including Meeandah. All passenger services on the line were suspended on 27 September 1993 by the Goss Labor government, as part of its rationalisation of the state rail network, involving the closure or suspension of services of unprofitable and underutilised rail lines.

Current status

All that remains of Meeandah railway station today is its original low-level platform.

Replacement bus service

The bus stop for the replacement Translink bus service (303) is immediately beside the former Meeandah station, in Kingsford Smith Drive.

  • The station in 1899
    The station in 1899
  • Sign advising that buses will replace trains
    Sign advising that buses will replace trains

See also

References

  1. ^ Potter, Ron. "Place Names of South East Queensland". Piula Publications. Archived from the original on 30 May 2002. Retrieved 25 November 2007.
  2. ^ Hallam, Greg (2005). Brisbane's Biography (Steamtrain Sunday). QR Limited.
  3. ^ Dunn, Peter (9 June 2003). "Army Camp at Meeandah, Brisbane during WW2". Retrieved 25 November 2007.