Belmont Railway Line - Passenger Services Begin

Passenger Services Begin

With the re-opening of the Colliery at Dudley in 1896, the Redhead Coal Company approached the Railway Commissioners with a request that a passenger service be operated on the line between Adamstown and Dudley for the convenience of employees at both the Burwood and Dudley Collieries. The Commissioners agreed, and in January 1897 a through twice daily train service was commenced between Newcastle and Dudley, calling at Hamilton, Adamstown, Kahibah, and Burwood Colliery en route. For the convenience of employees and others who used this train service, small raised platforms were erected at Kahibah, Burwood and Dudley, and all trains stopped regularly at these places to pick up and set down passengers. The Kahibah platform was situated 2 miles (3.2 km), 11 chains from Adamstown, Burwood platform (which served the Burwood Colliery and later as a transfer station to persons travelling to and from the Redhead line) was 5 miles (8.0 km), 2 chains from Adamstown, and Dudley was about ¼ of a mile short of the colliery. Dudley platform was opened on 14 January 1900, all the other platforms were opened with the commencement of the passenger service. The trains left Newcastle daily (Sundays excepted) at 5.55 a.m., and 1.55 p.m., returning from Dudley on the same days at 3.20, and 11.20 p.m., the time of journey between Newcastle and Dudley being 40 minutes. These trains were worked usually by an "E17" class engine hauling either six or eight 4-wheel and 6-wheel old time carriages, and a brake-van.