Botany Line

I grew up around Botany, and managed to get some official photos last week while inspecting wagons. Here are a few photos from the Gelco end of Botany.

The location of the Ampol turnout, and gates just before Ocean St. The turnout is now removed, and the track has been removed on the branch with buildings now over the old formation. As a kid, I was lucky enought to get a cab rid in a 48 from Ocean St, to the Ampol depot and back.

View of Kelloggs and the turnout off 1 Road.

Frame for Kelloggs and the derails

Derails. No3 siding spurs off to the right and into the shed with the roller door. No1 siding continues left.

No1 siding, with a turnout to the right for No2 siding. No2 siding goes off to an undercover area, where it splits into a second siding. No2 siding was used for bottom dischage.

Probably rail related. Was this used to shunt wagons in the sidings using a tractor?

No1 siding continuing up a steep grade. The main line is on the left

The dead end for No1 road. It previously terminated inside the building, behind the roller door.

Kelloggs has not seen a delivery by rail for some years now. The last wagons to deliver rice or grain were the Freight Australia VHLY wagons which were loaded in the Riverina of NSW. Here is VHLY 296 on the empty Bomen Oil train at Illabo in April 2006, being routed to Botany.

The track was in such poor condition at Kelloggs that they needed to push the loaded wagons up the siding using a rake of around 20 empty container flats, so the locos did not traverse the track.

Prior to VHLY wagons being used, Frieghtcorp delivered rice in NGRX hoppers, often with Sunrice logos on the side.

Enjoy.