(Millicent, SA : 1906 - 1954)

Tuesday 21 June 1949, page 3

BROAD GAUGE RAILWAY

The broadening of the South Eastern rail gauge should reach Naracoorte by the end of December of this year, according to the Railways Minister (Mr McIntosh), who estimates that alterations to the Naracoorte yard will cost in the vicinity of £100,000.

So far only about 30 miles of the 143 miles of track to be converted has been laid, but with 400 men working on the job, the labor position has been largely overcome. These men include many displaced persons who have been brought to Australia in the free and assisted migration scheme.

The cost of widening the gauge to South-Eastern towns as far as Millicent is estimated to be close on £2,000,000, and should be carried out at the rate of approximately three miles a month.

Earthworks and bridges have been completed for 40 miles. The planning of yards in places as big as Naracoorte was a major job, and turntables, platforms, round-houses, and other facilities required here would cost almost £100,000 when completed.

It was intended to lay a third line from Wolseley to Naracoorte to save extra transhipping costs here. This would enable narrow gauge trains to continue using the track from Wolseley to serve stations further south than Naracoorte, which will have a broad gauge service early in the new year.

The new lines comprise 80 lb. rails welded into 240 lengths in Adelaide. They were carried on special trucks, and at Wolseley a platform has been built between two sets of lines, so that these long rails can be easily slid from broad to narrow gauge trucks.

When the rails were being unloaded they were tied at one end to a strong point, and the train moved slowly forward, so that the rails came off with a minimum of effort. Twelve work trains were required to supply material for each mile of track put down.