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Sat 24 Dec 1892 - Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1907)
Page 18 - The Lapstone Hill Deviation.
.-,-_-.
Tho Lapstone Hill Deviation.
A USEFUL WORK
. AND RAILWAY CONVENIENCE.
. PMNBITH, Monday.-The above work, which was
inspected by the Railway Commissioners to-day,
and opened for traffic, will be of much' economical
advantage to the Railway Department and con-
venience to railway passengers. Anyone who
has been in the habit of travelling over the
Blue Mountains will bo familiar with the
working of the trains over what has been known
as the Lapstone Zigzag. On reaching the lower
points the engine drew on to the extreme end of
I the lower wing, so as to clear the lower points,
and then the train had to be pushed up back-
wards (always an objectionable way of working to
railway men) on to the second, or middle, wing,
and then, after working back to clear the upper
points, the train was enabled to get a clear
run for Glenbrook. By the deviation just
completed this zigzag has been avoided, and
the train can now run direct from Emu
Plains to Glenbrook Station. The grade
on either line is about the same, but the great
advantage is that by the new route a saving of
time is made owing to the absence of the back-
ward working up the middle wing of the old
Zigzag. To the Railway Department more than
the saving of time and the omission of
objectionable working ÍB the advantage that
will be gained by the ability to take much
longer goods trains than could have been done
under the old working, the length of the wings
limiting the length of trainB, while tho new line
permits of loads being taken to the full working
power of the engines. The element pf safety also
is to be considered, as the new line will be worked I
with more efficiency and freedom than was pos-
sible previously. The deviation commences at a
point about 14 chains on the Sydney side of the
bottom joints, i.e., at 38 miles 12 chainB,
and terminates at the extreme end of
Glenbrook Station, the total length being
1 mile 33 chainB. The deviation commences by
leaving the existing line, on the eastern side and
running almost parallel to it. It there crosses
the old road at 38 miles 26 chains, arid curving to
the westward passes through heavy rock cut-
tings and thence into the tunnel, which is 31 £
chainB in length. On emerging from the tunnel
Knapsack Creek is crossed twice by timber
bridges of two spans of 24 feet each, and joins the
existing line, as already stated, at about five
chains on the Sydney side of Glenbrook Station.
The grade of deviation is 1 in 33 throughout,
the sharpest curve having a radius of 12 chains.
The permanent way consists of steel rails weigh-
ing 801b to the yard, and ironbark sleepers, laid
upon brokon sandstone and blue metal ballast.
The wholo work has. been carried out in a
thoroughly substantial manner. The coßtof the
work will be about ¿650,000.
It has been decided to give Mr. Thomas
Curran, M.P. for Sligo (Ireland), who was elected
while in Sydney, a fitting send off on December
29, on the occasion of his departure for England,
there to take his seat ia the House of Commons.