RAILWAYS WITH ZIG ZAGS WORLDWIDE

AUSTRALIA

New South Wales - Great Zig Zag Railway, Lithgow. This 19th Century engineering masterpiece was built between 1866-1869 on the western side of the Blue Mountains, as part of the Great Western Railway, 140 km (100 miles) west of Sydney. This was the second of John Whitton's two Zig Zags, the first being the Lapstone Zig Zag - see below. The railway was built to give access to coal, iron ore, and oil shale deposits in the region, as well as agricultural products.In 1910 the zig zag part was superceded by a ten tunnel deviation. The rails were removed and the site abandoned as a railway. In 1975 the Zig Zag Railway re-opened as a tourist railway.

New South Wales - Lapstone Zig Zag , sometimes known as the Little Zig Zag, built on the eastern side of the Blue Mountains, as part of the Great Western Railway. Opened in 1867 it was the first of John Whitton's two Zig Zags. The earthworks were carried out by William Watkins, and the track laid by Larkin and Wakeford. It had a grade of 1 in 33, and short reversing stations which could not be lengthened because of the drop into the Knapsack Gully. These were replaced by a tunnel in 1892 with the same grade but it considerably speeded up travel times. Freight and passenger traffic increased greatly and much of the track through the Blue Mountains was duplicated. The single track tunnel became a bottleneck and was replaced by the Lapstone Gorge Deviation in 1913 with a grade of 1 in 60.
The site may be reached by a walking track at the end of a turn-off from the highway near the RAAF base. This takes walkers along Top Road to Top Points, and thence to Middle Road. Highway upgrading has obliterated the site of Bottom Points, but a set of stairs and a walk along the new highway takes you to the famous Knapsack Viaduct.

New South Wales - Thornleigh, near the Hawkesbury River. It was built in 1883-4 by Messrs. Amos & co, to access a sandstone quarry for ballast. It was a branch off the Main Northern Line. There were two reversing stations. The branch was closed before 1900.


New South Wales - Dombarton, between Unanderra and Summit Tank. Two reversing stations were built as part of a crossing loop, in 1943. It was discontinued in 1987.

Western Australia - Upper Darling Range Railway, Nr. Kalamunda A 3 reversing station Zig Zag between Ridge Hill and Gooseberry Hill on the 19 mile Midland - Karragullen line, via Kalamunda and Pickering Brook. Built by Edward Vivian Keane (1844-1905) in 1890 in 11 months in 3 feet 6 inch (1067mm) gauge using 45.25lb (21Kg) rail imported from Germany with a ruling gradient of 1 in 38 and a maximum grade of 1 in 27. It ascended 431 feet in less than 4 miles. The main function was to transport Jarrah timber although a passenger service was offered.
It was notable because being a 3 stage zig zag without run round facilities at the reversing stations, the train always reached the top (or bottom) of the zig zag with the engine at the wrong end of the train. This problem was overcome by a highly precarious gravity shunting process whereby the train was held on its brakes at a reversing station whilst the locomotive stood clear. The train was then rolled by gravity into the dead end and the locomotive then recoupled to it - at what was now the front of the train.
In 1903 the West Australian government exercised an option to buy the line from Midland to Pickering Brook and it became part of the WAGR. A 4th reversing station was added in 1907.
Following a national rail strike in July 1949 the line never reopened and the Upper Darling Range Railway Discontinuance Act No. 56 was passed 29 December 1950. Track was lifted by April 1952.
The trackbed is now a road, in the Gooseberry Hill National Park, 16km east of Perth. More information.

Western Australia - Mundaring Weir. 40km east of Perth. A zig zag railway was built to take the railway from Mundaring to the worksite in 1903. Mundaring Weir was a part of the project that carried water to Kalgoorlie 800km east of Perth.

Yarloop - Darling Range, Western Australia. 126km south of Perth. There was a zig zag on a Timber Railway formation with five reversing stations. It was built in 1904 by Millar's Timber Company from Yarloop (served by the Government Railway) to Nanga Junction. Each leg of the zig zag was about 3/4 mile. It is described by W.Bayley as 'very important and interesting'. It was closed in 1956.

Tasmania - Lake Margaret, Queenstown. A 2'0" gauge tramway was built for the Mt. Lyell Mining and Railway company. The last part of this line between Gozo and Davey's Hill was built as a two reversal zig zag, completed in 1912. Rail was replaced by road in 1938.

Tasmania - Lyell Comstock, Copper Mine. Another 2'0" gauge tramway was built for the same company, completed in 1913, to provide access to the Lyell Comstock copper mine. It branched off the Queenstown - Lake Margaret line near Valetta. The railway was closed about 1941.

Tasmania - Bush Mill Steam Railway and Settlement, Port Arthur. This historic narrow gauge (15") railway spirals down a hillside via a switchback and trestle bridge to the shores of Stingaree Bay. To negotiate the steep gradients and tight radius curves. One of the two locomotives is a half sized version of the first Garratt.

Victoria - Mildura. 5'3" gauge branch line, to take stock from boats on the Murray River to the main railway line. There were 2 reversing stations.

NEW ZEALAND

North Island - Driving Creek Railway. Built recently, 1975 - 1990 narrow gauge (15") railway at the northern end of the Coromandel peninsula on North Island. It climbs through rugged land to a fine lookout point. Originally built to carry raw materials from the hills to the potteries at the bottom it now carries more tourists. There are 4 major viaducts and 3 reversing points, 2 horseshoe spirals. Of the viaducts one is unique in being double decked.

Updated 25 November 2011