The Northampton railway line, also referred to as the Geraldton to Ajana railway line, ran from Geraldton through Northampton and on to Ajana in Western Australia. It operated between 1879 and 1957. It was the first government railway constructed in Western Australia.[1][2][3]
Opening
The Geraldton and Northampton Railway Act 1873, assented to on 22 November 1873, authorised the construction of a railway line from Geraldton and Northampton.[4]
Construction of the Geraldton railway station commenced in June 1878; the foundation stone was laid by Eliza, wife of Maitland Brown, on 21 August 1878, and it was completed in February 1879, the first railway station in the colony.[5][6]
The line opened to Northampton on 26 July 1879.[7] The Geraldton to Northampton section was 33 miles 25 chains (53.6 km) in length; the Northampton to Ajana section was 33 miles 5 chains (53.2 km),[8] and was a later extension.[9] The line closed on 29 April 1957.[10]
The line's extension from Northampton the Ajana was authorised through the Northampton-Ajana Railway Act 1911, assented to on 16 February 1911.[11]
Locomotives
The line, as an isolated line, was constructed by two 2-6-0 Kitson locomotives. Originally classed as E1 and E2 they were later classified as M class. They were constructed in 1875, and were in service on the line until 1893. Also between 1879 and 1885 two Fairlie locomotives worked on the line.[12]
Northampton railway station
Northampton had two railway stations, the first (named Gwalla) lasted between 26 July 1879 until January 1884. The second (named Mary Street) was opened in 1913 and closed when the railway closed in 1957.[13]
In 2005 an old railway wagon was identified as being possibly the first item of rolling stock built for use on the line.[17]
Closure
In 1954, the state government of Western Australia had compiled a list of loss-making railway operations, of which the Geraldton to Wokerina and on to Ajana and Yuna lines were part, having had a total expenditure of two to four times their earnings in the financial year to June 1953. The Geraldton to Wokerina line was the least loss-making of the three lines terminating at Wokerina, having £A 13,612 expenditure versus earnings of £A 6,734. Wokerina to Ajana was the most costly of the three lines, having an expenditure of £A 62,161 versus earnings of £A 14,371.[18]
The Railways (Cue-Big Bell and other Railways) Discontinuance Act 1960, which officially closed the Geraldton to Ajana line, was assented to on 12 December 1960. This act affected a number of Western Australian railways, officially closing 13 railway lines in the state.[20]
^Rogers, Philippa; Australian Railway Historical Society. Western Australian Division (2007), The first government railway 1879-1957 : Geraldton to Northampton and onwards, Australian Railway Historical Society, W.A. Division, ISBN978-0-9803922-1-0
^Joyce, John (editor) (1979) Western Australia's first government railway, 1879-1957 compiled from the researches of Adrian Gunzburg [et al.].Bayswater, W.A. Australian Railway Historical Society, W.A. Division
^Geraldton – Northampton Government Railway, 1879-1957. Northampton news, July 2004, p.13.
^See Rogers regarding contemporary accounts of the Fairlie locomotives' unsuitability for the line. See also Gunzburg for more details regarding the fates of the locomotives – Gunzburg, Adrian; Australian Railway Historical Society. Western Australian Division (1984), A history of W.A.G.R. steam locomotives, Australian Railway Historical Society, Western Australian Division, ISBN978-0-9599690-3-0
^Austin, Jeff (2011), Station Masters of Western Australia, Australian Railway Historical Society – WA Division Inc, ISBN978-0-9803922-4-1
^opened between Geraldton and Bluff Point – 26 July 1879 – page 68 WN75Quinlan, Howard; Newland, John R; Australian Railway Historical Society. New South Wales Division (2000), Australian railway routes 1854 to 2000, Australian Railway Historical Society – New South Wales Division, ISBN978-0-909650-49-0
^Warner, Gary. (2005) Piece of history.
(Car No. AW323 discovered at Northampton – thought to be the first railway wagon built in Western Australia).Geraldton guardian, 14 Feb. 2005, p.3
^Quinlan, Howard; Newland, John R; New South Wales Division of the Australian Railway Historical Society (2000), Australian railway routes 1854 to 2000 (1st ed.), Australian Railway Historical Society – New South Wales Division, p. 69, ISBN978-0-909650-49-0
