The First Route was opened on 11 March 1884. The route ascended the escarpment around Greenmount Hill passing through Boya, Darlington, Glen Forrest, Mundaring and Sawyers Valley before turning north to White's Mill. A significant delay in construction was experienced at a site which became popularly known as 'Devil's Terror' - a location between Darlington and Glen Forrest. Clay was struck when a cutting was under construction followed by an underground stream. The resulting flooding turned the clay into a bottomless bog. The rail had to be moved 100 metres south, along the bed of Nyaania Creek which was diverted into a specially constructed channel.
| Station | Miles | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Greenmount | 24 | |
| Cape Horn | Location of December 1885 of the 'C' class locomotive accident | |
| Smith's Mill | 29 | Later known as Glen Forrest |
| Sawyers Valley | 35 | |
| White's Mill | 38.75 | Later known as Lion Mill, and then Mount Helena |
| Chidlow's Well | 41.23 |
Source: West Australian Government Gazette of 1885, 5 January
It soon became apparent that this route was too steep for the increasingly heavier trains and engines required for the route. As a result, another route was quickly devised in the 1890s.
After the completion of the Second Route, this line became known in Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) records as the Smith's Mill Branch, then the Mundaring Branch, and later as the Mundaring Loop.
Passenger traffic ceased between Boya and Mount Helena on 24 January 1954 and the route was closed from Koongamia - Mount Helena on 12 March 1965.
The current condition of the stations on this route today are as follows:
| Station | Notes |
|---|---|
| Bellevue | The station platform and buildings were removed during the construction of the third route. |
| Greenmount | The station platform and buildings were removed in the 1960s. |
| Boya | (including Mountain Quarries siding) The station buildings (and the Cape Horn alignment) were removed by Mundaring shire during the re-alignment of Coulston Road. The goods shed was removed by the Glen Forrest Primary School P&C in November 1962. |
| Darlington | The station buildings were removed in the 1960s - the platform and grounds are now part of a reserve. |
| Glen Forrest | The station platform and buildings were removed in the 1960s. One signal remains. The station masters house is used by the local historical society. |
| Nyaania | Nothing remains of this stopping place. |
| Mahogany Creek | Nothing remains of this stopping place. |
| Zamia | Nothing remains of this stopping place |
| Mundaring | (21 miles 3 chains, 30.86 km) Platform and grounds have been turned into part of the Mundaring Community Sculpture Park |
| Sawyers Valley | |
| Mount Helena | (25 miles 37 chains, 40.98 km) |
| Chidlow | (29 miles 6 chains, 46.79 km) |
The Eastern Railway was then later extended beyond Northam to the Kalgoorlie goldfields. The line was known as the Eastern Goldfields Railway.
Read more about this topic: Eastern Railway (Western Australia)
Famous quotes containing the word route:
“A Route of Evanescence
With a revolving Wheel—”
—Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)
“The route through childhood is shaped by many forces, and it differs for each of us. Our biological inheritance, the temperament with which we are born, the care we receive, our family relationships, the place where we grow up, the schools we attend, the culture in which we participate, and the historical period in which we live—all these affect the paths we take through childhood and condition the remainder of our lives.”
—Robert H. Wozniak (20th century)