Passenger Services To Belmont
As early as 1905, agitation had been started by the local residents to have the Burwood Extended tram service extended to Belmont and Lake Macquarie. The Minister for Works, at the time, had a survey made for a tramline to be built from Burwood Extended Colliery to Belmont.
It was decided by the Government to take over the line from Dudley Junction to Burwood Expended, and run a tram service to Belmont for tourists etc. A deputation from Dudley met the minister, asking that Dudley be not left out of the scheme, and that the tramline should be run through that town. However, on account of difficulties among the local residents themselves, and their not being able to come to some decision, the whole matter was shelved.
In 1914, a fresh agitation was started by the local residents to have a tramway or railway to Belmont, and under the Transfer Act passed in 1905, authority was given to the New Redhead Estate and Coal Company to extend its line from Burwood Extended Colliery to Belmont, a distance of three miles (5 km). Work was carried on during 1915 and 1916 and was completed by October of the latter year. Small platforms were erected at Whitebridge, 5 miles 50 chains from Adamstown, at Redhead, 6 miles (9.7 km) from Adamstown; at Jewells Swamp, 7 miles 55 chains from Adamstown and at Belmont, 9 miles (14 km), 36 chains from Adamstown. Work on station buildings, etc., having been completed, the railway extension was opened to traffic to Belmont on 23 December 1916.
With the opening of the Belmont extension, a six times daily train service was run on Weekdays, with an extra train on Saturdays and four trains on Sundays.
Kahibah had its name changed to Kenibea on 1 June 1915, and back to Kahibah on 6 April 1925. Lambton B Colliery was renamed Lambton Colliery on 1 February 1924. Burwood Extended was renamed Redhead Colliery in 1920. Jewells Swamp was renames Jewells on 4 November 1925, and transferred to the new site on 5 December 1925. Belmont Colliery siding was opened in 1926 and North Wallarah Colliery siding, also at Belmont, was opened in February 1941. Bramble siding on the Dudley line was opened on 15 March 1929 and closed on 7 July 1909.
During the period 1900-1910, when the Scottish Australian Mining Company was operating a passenger service between Dudley Junction and Burwood Extended Colliery, its engine and cars travelled 102,660 miles (165,220 km) and carried 1,601,650 passengers.
Read more about this topic: Belmont Railway Line
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