Bridgetown, 8th of March 2003
Built :1898 (Opened : 1st of December 1898)
Original Name : Bridgetown
Station History : In 1898 Bridgetown became the terminus on the Picton to Northcliffe line after this line was extended past Donnybrook,
at this point the line was half the way to Northcliffe and it was routed via the extensive Karri and Jarrah Forests of the south, this made
Bridgetown a very important location, as it was the railhead and headquarters for the timber operations in the south for many years.
Other towns along the line such as Kirup, Balingup and Greenbushes also revelled in the success of the timber industry at the turn of the
20th centuary. The line from Picton to Bridgetown, became very important as it was the main line, connecting to hundreds of kilometres of
private timber logging lines.
Today, Manjimup, which is the next town south of Bridgetown, on the Picton to Northcliffe line wears that title of Timber Industry hub, with a
Mill still in operation as well as one at Lambert (Between Manjimup and Pemberton), so the line still sees exports from Timber Industry railed
from the Mill to the Port at Bunbury.
Bridgetown Station today, is just a local art gallery, the goods shed is still around, along with the goods crane and some shack like buildings on the
southern end of the platform (pictured below).
Hotham Valley Tourist Railway still makes the occassional trip down to Bridgetown for the Blues Festival every year, however the only traffic on this
line is the woodchip trains. Maybe in the next 20 years, passenger services may return to Bridgetown and Manjimup as the WA Government is looking
at possible extentions of service with Australind Railcars beyond Bunbury.
Model Layout of Bridgetown Station Yard at it's height in the 1960's
(Layout was created by Peter Higgins and the Sn3 1/2 Group)
Bridgetown Station Yard, 26th of December 1999
Bridgetown
Station (left) and Station Goods Shed with Crane (right), 26th of
December 1999.
I have no idea what these building Bridgetown Station, Goods Shed, 8th of March 2003
were used for?, 8th of March 2003
Bridgetown Station, 8th of March 2003 The Front of the Bridgetown Station, 8th of March 2003
The
old Bridgetown Loco depot, depicted in this model layout, set in the
1960's
(Layout was created by Peter Higgins and the Sn3 1/2 Group)
(Layout was created by Peter Higgins and the Sn3 1/2 Group)
The
old Wooden Trestle Bridge across the Blackwood River, in Bridgetwon.
(Layout was created by Peter Higgins and the Sn3 1/2 Group)
(Layout was created by Peter Higgins and the Sn3 1/2 Group)
Bridgetown Station Yard, 8th of March 2003
Thanks to Geoff Bell and Murray Hartzer, for the use of their photos of Bridgetown Station and Bridgetown Model Layout.