Sunday, Oct 19, 2014 at 20:53
Explorer - When W.A.'s narrow gauge rail network was upgraded North and South of Kalgoorlie around 1971 and 1972, the standard gauge only followed the old narrow gauge alignment roughly - and in many
places the line was straightened in a major fashion, and many old sidings and sections were bypassed.
This was done to allow for higher train speeds and to reduce the total distances overall.
The old W.A. narrow gauge network lines were called "the thousand pound railways".
That's because any successful railway extension construction tender before WW1 had to meet a guideline that the rail line installation cost was not to exceed approximately 1000 pounds a mile! ($2000 per 1.609km).
As a result, minimal work was carried out by way of earthworks, bridges and culverts on these railways - the railway construction companies preferring to follow features with the narrow gauge alignment, that minimised their construction costs.
The brother and I purchased all the buildings at the siding of Pioneer, South of Higginsville in 1972, after the new standard gauge alignment bypassed Pioneer - for $200!
We got 4 timber-frame, 3-room fettlers cottages, and a large cookhouse in the deal.
We jacked up the cottages, loaded them onto one of Little's low-deck low-loaders (Little's were contractors in Kambalda), and transported all 4 of them to our gold
mine at Higginsville for our personal use.
We dismantled the cookhouse (it was unable to be transported, and a large part of it was open-sided), and we used the timber for a wide range of other constructions.
Cheers, Ron.
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