Towards Yass Town station - beyond the gates then around to the left.
Extract from NSWRail.net
"The Yass line was built to link the town of Yass with the nearby Main South line. This short branch was built when it was decided that the Main South line would not run through Yass. The line is less than 5km long and was operated as a tramway. Because of this, there were a number of locations in town where passengers could be picked up or dropped off. Near the end of the line, it ran down the centre of Dutton Street, and consequently drivers had to maintain a careful watch.
"The line is no longer in use, however the station in the town is now the Yass Railway Museum. They have plans to use a section of the branch line for tourism."
The last train ran on 26 October 1988
For a short history of the Yass Tramway follow this link: www.yasstribune.com.au/news/local/news/general/a-short-hi...
Tags: Yass Yass Tramway NSWGR NSW Railways New South Wales
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On the abandoned Yass branch, New South Wales Railways
Extract from NSWRail.net
"The Yass line was built to link the town of Yass with the nearby Main South line. This short branch was built when it was decided that the Main South line would not run through Yass. The line is less than 5km long and was operated as a tramway. Because of this, there were a number of locations in town where passengers could be picked up or dropped off. Near the end of the line, it ran down the centre of Dutton Street, and consequently drivers had to maintain a careful watch.
"The line is no longer in use, however the station in the town is now the Yass Railway Museum. They have plans to use a section of the branch line for tourism."
The last train ran on 26 October 1988
Tags: Yass Railway bridge NSWGR NSW Railways New South Wales
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The Yass Town railway truss is highly significant because it was the major component of infrastructure on the historic (infamous) Yass Tramway. It is a highly visible and imposing structure and it set the course for the adoption of American bridge technology in lieu of the previous dominance of British bridges so favoured by John Whitton. Despite being abandoned, it still retains its original fabric. It is a landmark structure in the history of railway bridges in New South Wales.
Historical Notes: When the extension of the Main South Railway from Goulburn to Cootamundra was being planned in 1870 it was intended to take the line into Yass Town. However, following a site visit by Engineer-in-Chief John Whitton who recognised the route would involve more than one crossing of the Yass River by expensive iron bridges, the line was shifted 5 kms (3 miles) north which required no crossings of the river but bypassed the town. Despite the vehement protests of the townsfolk, the Departmental route was adopted and the line was completed to Bowning (north west of Yass) in July 1876 with a station about 3 km (2 miles) north of Yass Town.
So, although the Yass residents could not have the main line through their town, they persistently petitioned successive governments to have a branch line and were eventually successful. In 1889 the Minister for Public Works authorised construction of a lightweight railway or tramway from the renamed main line station, Yass Junction to the town. It could have stopped at the Yass River with passengers and goods transhipped the short distance into town via the existing iron lattice road bridge. But no, the tramway had to go into the town, so a large (200 feet) span steel truss was built over the river.
The bridge represented a gross over capitalisation of a line that would prove to be operationally expensive and never showed a profit. Contractors Kerr & Cronin completed the line in July 1891 for £13,156 and McMasters’ bridge cost £5,412 in an all up cost of £27,318. So the bridge represented 20% of the final cost, just to satisfy town ego and have a grand opening ceremony in the town by the Governor, Earl of Jersey, on 20th April 1892.
Despite the Railway’s displeasure with the line, the bridge was in fact a technical milestone. Prior to this, the dominant main line metal bridge was the heavy wrought iron lattice truss, fully imported from England. But on the eve of John Whitton’s retirement, the winds of change were blowing. The technical and economic merits of American bridges was widely recognised and independent groups of engineers in the Railway Construction Branch under Henry Deane, the Existing Lines Branch under George Cowdery and those in the Tramway Branch were designing and planning to construct large American steel trusses and Yass got the first.
Physical Description: A single span, lightweight steel Pratt truss of 61m (200ft) span on brick piers with timber beam approaches.
Source: NSW Office of Environment & Heritage, Heritage Branch Website online database at www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_01_2.cfm?itemid=5012296.
Photos: Yass Rail Bridge – views by John Immig 2005
Tags: Pratt Truss Yass Historic Bridge NSWGR New South Wales Railways Tramway
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An historic and picturesque town situated some four hours drive south of Sydney. The town has a great number of lovely buildings, an abandoned railway line and a great railway museum. And great places to eat!
Tags: Historic Town Yass New South Wales Australia
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The site of the former railway goods yards, engine facilities,engine shed, and turntable.
More information can be found here:
railway.yass.com.au/index.htm
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