South Australian Railways
|
|
| Industry | Railway operator |
|---|---|
| Successor | Australian National |
| Founded | 1854 |
| Defunct | 28 February 1978 |
| Headquarters | Adelaide |
|
Area served
|
South Australia |
| Parent | Government of South Australia |
South Australian Railways was the statutory corporation through which the Government of South Australia built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 until March 1978, when its non-urban railways were incorporated into the Australian National, and its Adelaide urban lines were transferred to the State Transport Authority.
South Australia is one of the few places in Australia, if not the world that has all three major rail gauges, in addition to other uncommon gauges.
The first railway in South Australia was laid in 1854 between Goolwa and Port Elliot to allow for goods to be transferred between paddle steamers on the Murray River and seagoing vessels. The next railway was laid from the harbour at Port Adelaide to the colony, and was laid with Irish gauge 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) track. This line was opened in 1856. Later on, branch lines in the state's north in the mining towns of Kapunda and Burra were linked through to the Adelaide metropolitan system. From here, a south main line extended to meet the horse tramway from Victor Harbor to Strathalbyn, and towards the South Australia/Victoria Border.
With the metropolitan systems being broad gauge, the mid north and south east of the state were originally laid with 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) narrow gauge track. These systems were closely based on British practice, as was the broad gauge system prior to 1926. Locomotives and rolling stock were bought from the United Kingdom and United States, from builders such as Beyer, Peacock and Company, Dübs and Company, their successors, the North British Locomotive Company, and Baldwin Locomotive Works. Nine broad gauge tank locomotives plus the frame of a tenth were bought second-hand from the Canterbury Provincial Railways in New Zealand when it converted to narrow gauge.
...
Wikipedia