Lapstone Zig Zag Railway.
When it was opened in 1867, the Zig Zag was the first rail route to ascend Lapstone Hill and it allowed railway access to the Blue Mountains communities as far as Wentworth Falls.
Lapstone Zig Zag was a major engineering feat and included the huge Knapsack Viaduct. It was the first Zig Zag built in Australia.
The line was constructed in 3 sections, a top road, a middle road and a bottom road. Trains using the Zig Zag had to be short enough to fit between the points and the dead-end tracks. Trains always reversed up or down the middle road.
Most of the rail-bed is still intact and it is quite an easy walk. The remains of Lucasville Station (1878) on the top road can still be seen. There are excellent views of Knapsack Viaduct from the Siding lookout near the top road dead end.
Walking tracks are well sign posted.
Information from L http://www.dingogap.net.au/navigation/development/lapstonezigzag.html
Lapstone Hill was the first major obstacle to be overcome in the construction of the railway over the Blue Mountains. As in the case of the road, various routes have been adopted over the years.
British engineer John Whitton wanted to tunnel through the hill. A tight budget prevented this, so a Zig Zag railway was constructed. Gradients ranged from 1 in 30 to 1 in 33.
The Zig Zag was bypassed in 1892, when the Old Glenbrook Tunnel was opened. The tunnel cost £37,000 and used an ogee curve with a radius of 12 chains. The grade of 1:33 caused many problems with lack of traction on the wet tracks.
The present route, through Glenbrook Gorge, opened in 1912 and was completed with double tracks in 1913. The new tunnel has a grade of 1:60 and is 14 chains in length. Its radius is also 14 chains. (1 chain is the length of a cricket pitch).
The first route involved the building of the impressive sandstone viaduct over Knapsack Gully. The viaduct was the largest in Australia, being 388 feet long and 120 ft high with 5 spans of 55 ft and 2 of 20 ft.
Construction commenced in 1863. The line was opened to Weatherboard (now Wentworth Falls) on July 13, 1867.
A second, more spectacular Zig Zag was constructed on the western escarpment. Known as the Lithgow Zig Zag, it is now in use as a tourist railway. (Hopefully to be re-opened shortly after a hiatus).
Originally built to carry a single railway track, Knapsack bridge was fitted in 1926 with a new concrete deck, enabling it to carry two lanes of road traffic. It formed part of the Great Western Highway until being by-passed in the mid 1990's. Today it is used only by pedestrians, bicycles, emergency vehicles and the Olympic Torch Relay.
Beyond the Zig Zag the line followed what is now the highway, from a point just beyond Knapsack Street near the entrance to RAAF Home Command. Glenbrook railway station was in the park roughly opposite the Tourist Information Centre. The line continued along today's highway, swinging off to the north near Grahame Street (formerly Wascoe Siding) Blaxland.
Knapsack Viaduct is signposted from the motorway (Emu Plains exit). From the car-park near the junction of the old highway and historic Mitchell's Pass, a footpath follows the old railway and highway route to the viaduct. From here, a path descends below the stone arches then ascends to Elizabeth Lookout. Alternately, follow the stairs up to the old Zig Zag railway formation at Top Points and Lucasville Platform. From here, follow the Zig Zag's upper road to Knapsack Street, or the middle road down to Knapsack Quarry and the tunnel under the highway. Continue south to Skarratt Park and the Bottom Points location. It is possible to walk along this path and view the rail-bed which leads to the Old Glenbrook Tunnel.
Alternatively, the walking tracks may be accessed from the end of Knapsack Street in Glenbrook where the rail line crossed the old Cox's Road.
Adapted from: http://infobluemountains.net.au/rail/lower/lapstone.htm
Walks in the Blue Mountains are conducted regularly by the Glenbrook and District Historical Society:
http://www.heritageaustralia.com.au/search.php?state=NSW®ion=2&view=382
When it was opened in 1867, the Zig Zag was the first rail route to ascend Lapstone Hill and it allowed railway access to the Blue Mountains communities as far as Wentworth Falls.
Lapstone Zig Zag was a major engineering feat and included the huge Knapsack Viaduct. It was the first Zig Zag built in Australia.
The line was constructed in 3 sections, a top road, a middle road and a bottom road. Trains using the Zig Zag had to be short enough to fit between the points and the dead-end tracks. Trains always reversed up or down the middle road.
Most of the rail-bed is still intact and it is quite an easy walk. The remains of Lucasville Station (1878) on the top road can still be seen. There are excellent views of Knapsack Viaduct from the Siding lookout near the top road dead end.
Walking tracks are well sign posted.
Information from L http://www.dingogap.net.au/navigation/development/lapstonezigzag.html
Lapstone Hill was the first major obstacle to be overcome in the construction of the railway over the Blue Mountains. As in the case of the road, various routes have been adopted over the years.
British engineer John Whitton wanted to tunnel through the hill. A tight budget prevented this, so a Zig Zag railway was constructed. Gradients ranged from 1 in 30 to 1 in 33.
The Zig Zag was bypassed in 1892, when the Old Glenbrook Tunnel was opened. The tunnel cost £37,000 and used an ogee curve with a radius of 12 chains. The grade of 1:33 caused many problems with lack of traction on the wet tracks.
The present route, through Glenbrook Gorge, opened in 1912 and was completed with double tracks in 1913. The new tunnel has a grade of 1:60 and is 14 chains in length. Its radius is also 14 chains. (1 chain is the length of a cricket pitch).
The first route involved the building of the impressive sandstone viaduct over Knapsack Gully. The viaduct was the largest in Australia, being 388 feet long and 120 ft high with 5 spans of 55 ft and 2 of 20 ft.
Construction commenced in 1863. The line was opened to Weatherboard (now Wentworth Falls) on July 13, 1867.
A second, more spectacular Zig Zag was constructed on the western escarpment. Known as the Lithgow Zig Zag, it is now in use as a tourist railway. (Hopefully to be re-opened shortly after a hiatus).
Originally built to carry a single railway track, Knapsack bridge was fitted in 1926 with a new concrete deck, enabling it to carry two lanes of road traffic. It formed part of the Great Western Highway until being by-passed in the mid 1990's. Today it is used only by pedestrians, bicycles, emergency vehicles and the Olympic Torch Relay.
Beyond the Zig Zag the line followed what is now the highway, from a point just beyond Knapsack Street near the entrance to RAAF Home Command. Glenbrook railway station was in the park roughly opposite the Tourist Information Centre. The line continued along today's highway, swinging off to the north near Grahame Street (formerly Wascoe Siding) Blaxland.
Knapsack Viaduct is signposted from the motorway (Emu Plains exit). From the car-park near the junction of the old highway and historic Mitchell's Pass, a footpath follows the old railway and highway route to the viaduct. From here, a path descends below the stone arches then ascends to Elizabeth Lookout. Alternately, follow the stairs up to the old Zig Zag railway formation at Top Points and Lucasville Platform. From here, follow the Zig Zag's upper road to Knapsack Street, or the middle road down to Knapsack Quarry and the tunnel under the highway. Continue south to Skarratt Park and the Bottom Points location. It is possible to walk along this path and view the rail-bed which leads to the Old Glenbrook Tunnel.
Alternatively, the walking tracks may be accessed from the end of Knapsack Street in Glenbrook where the rail line crossed the old Cox's Road.
Adapted from: http://infobluemountains.net.au/rail/lower/lapstone.htm
Walks in the Blue Mountains are conducted regularly by the Glenbrook and District Historical Society:
http://www.heritageaustralia.com.au/search.php?state=NSW®ion=2&view=382
-Ti.jpg "Doug Knowles, with whom I had been friends in the early 1960s and who I met again recently, led a group with the Glenbrook Historical Society over the old Zig Zag railway which ascended the eastern escarpment of the Blue Mountains.")
Additional buttress support on the eastern side.
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Additional buttress support on the eastern side.
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