Rhondda Colliery Railway

Item details


Name of item:	Rhondda Colliery Railway
Type of item:	Archaeological-Terrestrial
Group/Collection:	Transport - Rail
Category:	Railway
Primary address:	From West Wallsend railway on the north side of Stockton Borehole Colliery to the Rhondda Colliery south of Rhondda Road, Teralba, Teralba, NSW 2284
Local govt. area:	Lake Macquarie

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
From West Wallsend railway on the north side of Stockton Borehole Colliery to the Rhondda Colliery south of Rhondda Road, Teralba	Teralba	Lake Macquarie			Primary Address
	Wakefield	Lake Macquarie			Alternate Address

Statement of significance:


	SIGNIFICANCE - 1993: The Rhondda Railway was crucial to the establishment and continuing viability of the Rhondda Colliery (later the Northern Colliery), and the railway shares the significance of the colliery. If the railway route is still wholly or partly in existence (ie. it has not been obliterated by the new private coal trucking road) the route has the potential to provide a walking and cycling link between the Great North Walk from Watagan (which passes along Rhondda Road to Teralba), and a proposed cycleway & heritage trail along the West Wallsend railway routes. LEVEL of SIGNIFICANCE - 1993: Regional Significance - low Local Significance - high Group Significance - high (see also TA-17)
	Date significance updated: 07 Jun 16
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Physical description:	PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS - 1993: Empty coal trains to Rhondda Colliery crossed the Main Northern Line bridge at Cockle Creek and travelled about 2.4 kilometres west then turned S-W & travelled S-W & south, along a tributary of upper Cockle Creek, about 2.5 kilometres to Rhondda. Exact layout of the line is not certain. The Parish Map shows a "private line" joining West Wallsend line about 0.5km S-W of Cockle Creek Power Station. A map drawn by Singleton (1965) shows a government operated line running parallel to West Wallsend line for the first 2.4 km from Cockle Creek, then turning S-W. Singleton states that Rhondda line took off from the Stockton Borehole line near the Exchange Sidings, & that Rhondda had two loop sidings there to store full wagons and reduce the loads hauled up Cardiff Bank to Newcastle. The route of the Rhondda Railway has not been followed as part of the survey, and its condition is not known. CONSERVATION ACTION & INTERPRETATION: None at present. Recommend conservation and interpretation and re-use of the railway as a cycleway, footpath & bridle path and/or heritage trail. The railway route could be used as a link with the Great North Walk.
Further information:	Route extends from about Map Grid 370500E 6353900N, to about 367200E 6352600N.


Current use:	1993: none

History


Historical notes:	HISTORICAL NOTES - 1993: Also see Historical Notes on Item TA-17 (Rhondda Colliery). Colliery opened 1900 & operated until 1971. First coal train ran 17 Dec 1900. It is not known when coal was no longer hauled by train, or when the line was closed and the rails removed. A private coal trucking road has been built along the valley recently, and this may have overlaid the railway route.

Recommended management:


	RECOMMENDATION - 1993: If the railway route is still wholly or partly in existence (ie. it has not been obliterated by the new private coal trucking road) the route has the potential to provide a walking and cycling link between the Great North Walk from Watagan (which passes along Rhondda Road to Teralba), and a proposed cycleway & heritage trail along the West Wallsend railway routes.

Recommendations

Management Category	Description	Date Updated
Statutory Instrument	List on a Local Environmental Plan (LEP)	17 Jun 08
Recommended Management	Carry out an Archaeological Assessment	17 Jun 08
Recommended Management	Document and prepare an archival record	17 Jun 08
Recommended Management	Carry out interpretation, promotion and/or education	17 Jun 08

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Local Environmental Plan	Lake Macquarie Local Environmental Plan 2014	170	10 Oct 14
Local Environmental Plan	Lake Macquarie Local Environmental Plan 2004	RT-10	19 Mar 14

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
City of Lake Macquarie Heritage Study	1993	RT-10 (See also TA-17)	Suters Architects Snell, Dr J. Turner, C & MJ Doring Pty Ltd	Not inspected 1993.	Yes

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title
Written			Also see Item TA-17 (Rhondda Colliery) in this inventory
Written	Singleton, C.C.	1966	"The Short North", Aust.Railway Hist.Soc. Bn.340, Feb.1966.
Written	various contributing authors	1989	'Neath Mount Sugarloaf, (Book 3 of 3)
Written	various contributing authors	1988	'Neath Mount Sugarloaf, (Book 2 of 3)

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Local Government
Database number:	1910144

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