The Queensland Rail network goes to farflung places but few parts of its network are as isolated as the Normanton – Croydon route.
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The Gulf Savannah route has run once a week in each direction for over a century and does not link to any other part of the QR network.
The five-hour trip (and occasional shorter tours) remains an important part of Normanton’s tourism infrastructure, with many visitors surprised to see an imposing station and a working train this far north.
Its history dates back to the late 1870s when Queensland entrepreneurs were starting to look at the “Plains of Promise" and the new port of Normanton opening up the Gulf of Carpentaria region.
Several proposals were made to build a railway to link the new copper fields at Cloncurry with the Gulf port.
In 1885 a survey was undertaken for a railway between Cloncurry and Normanton, and the government placed an order for the first 160 kilometers of rail, approved in parliament on November 16, 1886.
But Brisbane’s plans were overtaken by events – the discovery of gold at Croydon in November 1885 saw a hurried change in direction.
The gold field was rich and travel difficult in the hot dry conditions. Croydon’s population exploded to 6000 by 1887 and fossickers rushed to Normanton to get to the action.
Parliament amended the plans so that the first few miles would be common whether the railway went to Cloncurry or Croydon.
A budget was approved in October 1887 to build 68 km of railway to Croydon although the government maintained it would go to Cloncurry. This didn’t last long.
The first 21km, using specially patented termite resistant steel sleepers, was deviated for the new destination of Croydon and the rest of the railway to the goldfields was approved by parliament on May 28, 1889.
That same year Normanton railway station and its carriage shade were built.
The Railways Department designed the building with a telegraph office, station manager and traffic manager’s offices, a parcels and cloak room, booking office and a ladies room with ladies-only earth closets.
Helping to shelter passengers from the tropical heat was an arcaded carriage shade over the platform and the three tracks.
The railway opened in three stages with the first to Haydon being completed on May 7, 1889, then Blackbull on December 15, 1890 and finally to Croydon on July 20, 1891.
The initial train service was worked by steam train four days a week, reduced to three after 1894.
Every three weeks the timetable was varied to coincide with the arrival of the mail steamer to the Port of Normanton.
In the early 20th century, special trains were run for picnic events, race meetings and even a suburban service from Croydon to Golden Gate.
In 1930 the steam service was replaced by railmotors.
Today the Croydon goldfield has long since shut down but the railway lives on as a reminder of grander times and grander ambitions for the Gulf.
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