SA : 1843 - 1904
Saturday 5 January 1901, page 36
IRON MINES & RAILWAYS.
It is understood, writes our Port Pirie correspondent, that work in connection with the Iron Knob Railway will be started forthwith, This will mean employment for many men for some time. There is still a considerable shortage of labour at the smelting works, and on the wharfs most of the vessels have to work shorthanded.
(Adelaide, SA : 1867 - 1922),
Thursday 22 August 1901, page 2
THE IRON KNOB RAILWAY
Our Port Pirie correspondent writes under date, August l9:—"The lron Knob railway is so far completed that a train can be run right through from Hummocky Point, and it is expected that a start will be made carrying ironstone flux before the end of the present month. The jetty at Hummocky Point, which will he 1,260 feet long, is being rapidly pushed on."
(SA : 1843 - 1904),
Saturday 30 November 1901, page 31
THE IRON KNOB RAILWAY
The Commissioner of Public Works, Hon. H. W. Foster, who, with the directors ot the Broken Hill Proprietary Company and some legislators, has been inspecting the Iron Knob railway, returned to Adelaide on Saturday morning. Mr. Foster states that the party left Adelaide on Thursday afternoon, and reached Port Pirie at 5 o'clock on Friday morning. They immediately went on board the tug company's steamer Adelaide, reached Hummocky Hill at 8.30, and inspected the jetty, ore bins, manager's residence, and other improvements at that end of the new works.
The jetty is a most substantial structure, having 85 bays, with two piles of Western Australian jarrah to each bay, measuring over 40 to 60 feet in length as it proceeds out to deeper water. In all it is 1,560 feet long. It was put up under the supervision of the company's officers at a cost of £7,600.
The party then inspected the railway. This is 35 miles long, of 3 ft. 6 in. gauge, and has jarrah sleepers from Western Australia, and 40 lb. rails. It was laid down by the company under the direction of the general manager, Mr. Delprat, and the more direct supervision of Mr. Worsley, the engineer, and Mr. Warren, the transport officer. It took about seven months to construct, and the general character and the stability of the line astonish visitors.
The road is a fairly easy one, as the company has had to make only two cuttings, and those not long. It is through tight, rocky country. The tramway, including seven miles of ballasting, the remainder being unballasted, cost within £1,500 a mile. It is the intention of the company to have the whole length ballasted later When everything is complete the entire cost will be within £1,600 a mile.
The visitors were drawn over the line in two ordinary trucks, fitted with seats and awnings, and the engine had to take two very heavily laden trucks. The speed was about 20 miles an hour, and the riding was as easy as an ordinary railway.
The condition of the country was generally favourable to cheap construction, as ballast was to be found all the way along. The principal difficulty is the entire absence of water, which now has to be brought from Port Pirie for steam purposes. The cartage of flux is in full swing.
The directors were exceedingly kind in their attention to the party, who reached Port Pirie at 8.30 p.m., and after dinner left by special goods train for Adelaide.