Peterborough yard with standard gauge under construction looking towards the east
First earthworks for the standard gauge between Cutana and Mingary, 1964
Peterborough yard 1964 at the commencement of work on the standard gauge line
Adzing machine at Ucolta, 1964
Narrow gauge track at McDonald’s Hill with standardisation earthworks underway to the right, c. 1965
Earthworks for the standard gauge line at Thackaringa, c. 1965
Unloading the first standard gauge ballast train at Mingary, c. 1965
Unloading the first standard gauge ballast train at Mingary, c. 1965. Jack Hogg.
Matissa, the first standard gauge track building machine, 1965.
253 mile narrow gauge peg on the Cockburn line, 1965. Narrow gauge 830 Class locomotive 856 (left), standard gauge 500 Class locomotive 500 (centre) and Matissa track preparation machine to the right.
Standard gauge line under construction at Hillgrange, 1966
Settling the standard gauge track between Olary and Mannahill, 1966
Thackaringa ballast pits for standardisation, 1966
Thackaringa ballast pits for standardisation, 1966
Unloading standard gauge rails at McDonald’s Hill near Olary, 1966
Unloading standard gauge rails at McDonald’s Hill near Olary, 1966
Standard gauge sleeper adzing machine at Olary for new standard gauge line, 1966
Construction of the standard gauge Wawirra Bridge, 1966
Standard gauge line under construction near McDonald’s Hill, 1966
Standard gauge line under construction near McDonald’s Hill, 1966
Standard gauge line under construction near McDonald’s Hill, 1966
Standard gauge line under construction near McDonald’s Hill, 1966
Standard gauge track to the left, narrow gauge track to right in the McDonald’s Hill area, 1966
Construction of the standard gauge Wawirra Bridge, 1966
Jack Rankin on the standard gauge ballast regulator, 1966
First curve at McDonald’s Hill from the station to Olary, 1966
Looking back towards McDonald’s Hill with standard gauge earthworks to left, 1966
Beginning earthworks for standard gauge line near McDonald’s Hill, 1966
Original narrow gauge line in centre and earthworks for standard gauge at McDonald’s Hill, 1966
Standard gauge relay gang at the Olary end of McDonald’s Hill, 1966
Peterborough loco with standard gauge under construction, c. 1966
Peterborough yard in the early days of standardisation, taken from the light tower at the east end and looking east, 1967
Constructing the standard gauge line east of the Peterborough loco depot, 1967
Peterborough railway yard taken from the light tower at the east end, looking west, 1967. Very early days of standardisation.
West End of Peterborough yard constructing the new standard gauge line, 1967
West End of Peterborough yard constructing the new standard gauge line, 1967
Arrival of the first standard gauge ballast train into the Peterborough yard and station, 1967
Arrival of the first standard gauge ballast train into the Peterborough yard and station, 1967
Arrival of the first standard gauge ballast train into the Peterborough yard and station, 1967. Laying the track.
Arrival of the first standard gauge ballast train into the Peterborough yard and station, 1967. Laying the track.
Nackara ballast pits for rail standardisation, 1967
Nackara ballast pits for rail standardisation, 1967. 600 Class locomotives 601 and 600.
600 Class locomotive on the top of the Pine Creek culvert at Hillgrange, 1967
Standard gauge line under construction at Cockburn, c. 1967
Standard gauge line under construction at Cockburn, c. 1967
Standard gauge line under construction at Thackaringa, 1967
New standard gauge track at Hillgrange, 1967. Culvert pipe for Pine Creek.
Standardisation ballast bin at Gladstone, 1968.
Standard gauge sleepers on layby siding at Cutana in preparation for standardisation, 1968
Hauling a load of rails in preparation of standard gauge, 1968
Building Kanandah standard gauge siding at Broken Hill, c. 1968
Building Kanandah standard gauge siding at Broken Hill, c. 1968
Building Kanandah standard gauge siding at Broken Hill, c. 1968
Track being built for the standard gauge line to South Broken Hill, c. 1968
Jim Longhurst’s standardisation gang in the Mannanarie station yard, c. 1969
Laying the new standard gauge line between Cockburn and Thackaringa, 1969. Max Twigden to the right.
New standard gauge line prior to ballasting, 1969. Thackaringa ballast siding.
600 Class locomotive 601 in the early days of standardisation, c. 1969
Earthworks on the Cockburn line for the new standard gauge line, 1969
Earthworks for the new standard gauge line, 1969
Broken Hill plaque commemorating the construction of the standard gauge line through to WA, 1969
Official opening of the standard gauge line in Peterborough, 1970. The official proceedings were disrupted by a union dispute and so the ceremony was held adjacent to the side fence of the Federal Hotel back yard.
Official opening of the standard gauge line in Peterborough, 1970. The official proceedings were disrupted by a union dispute and so the ceremony was held adjacent to the side fence of the Federal Hotel back yard.
Plaque in Silver Street Peterborough commemorating the opening of the standard gauge line, 1970
Laying the standard gauge track at the Peterborough Loco Depot 1970. Note that the gantry had been demolished by that time.
600 Class locomotive 604 and 830 Class locomotive 847 hauling the Indian Pacific through Peterborough, 1970. New standard gauge lines for the loco depot are under construction in the foreground.
Signal equipment and cable for standard gauge at Peterborough, 1970
Signal equipment and cable for standard gauge at Peterborough, 1970
Signal equipment and cable for standard gauge at Peterborough, 1970
Signal equipment and cable for standard gauge at Peterborough, 1970
Construction of the Cockburn Barrier Highway overpass for standardisation, 1971
Old Cockburn Barrier Highway railway crossing, replaced by overpass a short distance away, 1971
Bridge construction on the Cockburn standard gauge railway line, 1973
Earthworks associated with the standardisation of the railway between Pirie and Broken Hill, 1973
Plassermatic track machine at Peterborough Loco, 1973
Matissa standard gauge track preparation machine at Ucolta, 1973. Peterborough engineman C Strawbridge to left.
Bridge construction on the Cockburn standard gauge railway line, 1973
Gladstone ballast works for laying standard gauge line, 1974
Gladstone ballast works for laying standard gauge line, 1974. Taken from the top of the ballast bin.
Gladstone ballast bin for laying standard gauge line, 1974
The new standard gauge line to Cockburn with the old narrow gauge line to the left, 1974
Contact
This site is run by Lionel's son Jeff. Feel free to make contact through the adjacent form if you would like further information or requests for copies of photos.