Hay railway line
{{short description|New South Wales, Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2012}}
{{Infobox rail line
|name =Hay Line
|image =Hay branch line - Junee.jpg
|caption = Hay railway line in Junee
|image_width=
|gauge ={{RailGauge|1435 mm}}
|map ={{Hay branch}}}}
The Hay railway line is a partly closed railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The line branches from the Main South line at Junee, and passes in a westwards direction through the towns of Coolamon and Narrandera to Yanco. The first train arrived in Hay on 4 July 1882.The Centenary of the Railway from Junee to Hay Pollard, N.J. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, April;May;June;July, 1982 pp65-86;104-112;113-136;148-162 The line beyond Yanco to Hay is now closed,{{cite web| title=Hay Branch| url = http://www.nswrail.net/lines/show.php?name=NSW:hay| publisher=nswrail.net| access-date = 2006-12-03 }} although the section to Willbriggie remained open for grain haulage until 2004.{{cite news| author=NSW Minister for Transport| url=http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/news/media/2005/19-04-05-min-grain.pdf| title=News Release| date=19 May 2005| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070830060921/http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/news/media/2005/19-04-05-min-grain.pdf| archive-date=30 August 2007}} At Yanco, the still-open Yanco to Griffith line branches off in a northwesterly direction to Griffith.
Passenger services
File:Hay branch line - Junee 01.jpg
Until 1986, passenger service operated over the section of line between Junee and Yanco on their way to Griffith, consisting of a through train to Sydney (the Riverina Express) on several days per week, with a connection service between Grifith and Junee (connecting with the South Mail) on the other days. A connecting railcar service was provided at Narrandera for passengers on the Tocumwal line operated three days per week, until withdrawn on Saturday 26 November 1983.{{cite book | author = Bob Whitehead | title = Tocumwal Railway Centenary | year = 2008 }}
These services were withdrawn in 1986, and replaced by road coach services.Pollard, N.Rails to the Margins: The Griffith, Hillston, Roto Line. Australian Railway History, Vol 58, no. 836. June 2007. Between 1986 and 1996, no passenger trains operated over the line until services were reintroduced in 1996 after considerable political pressure was placed upon the NSW State Government.{{cite journal| author=Date, K| title=Network Review: Junee- Goulburn| journal=Railway Digest|date=November 1997 }} A weekly locomotive train was initially reintroduced, subsequently replaced by a weekly Xplorer train. Railway stations remain open at Coolamon and Narrandera.
File:Hay Station pano.jpg|Hay Station panorama
File:HayRailwayPlatform.JPG| Hay Station Platform
File:HayRailwayStation.JPG| Hay Railway Station
File:HayRailwayStation2008.JPG| Hay Railway Station
File:HayRailwayStationSign.JPG| Hay Railway Station
File:HayRailwayStationVeranda.JPG| Hay Railway Station
File:HayStationMastersHouse.JPG| Hay Railway Station
See also
{{Commons category|Hay railway line}}
References
{{Reflist}}
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{{Railway lines in New South Wales}}
Category:Regional railway lines in New South Wales
Category:Standard-gauge railways in Australia
Category:Railway lines opened in 1882
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