AGY-1161 | Commissioners of Sydney, and Hunter River Railways

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The Commissioners of Sydney, and Hunter River Railways

"An Act to make provision for the construction by the Government of Railways in the Colony of New South Wales" (18 Vic., No.40 ) came into force on 2 December 1854. The preamble cited the difficulties incurred by the Sydney Railway Company and the Hunter River Railway Company in "raising the large amounts of capital" required for railway development. Under the Act three Commissioners - Captain E.W. Ward (military engineer and Deputy Master of the Sydney Mint), Charles Kemp (journalist and politician), and Thomas Barker (engineer and millwright) took over all Railway projects. While the Government purchased the companies interests and compensated investors with funds at a level not exceeding 7% the Railway Commissioners oversaw the completion of the Sydney to Parramatta railway line (opened on 26 September 1855).

In 1855 Commissioners of Sydney, and Hunter River Railways requested the Surveyor General to undertake a series of surveys from (1) -

* Parramatta to Penrith via Pennant Hills
* Campbelltown to Menangle (a continuation of the Southern Line)
* Hunter River Line to Singleton
* A navigable point on the Brisbane River to the Downs, including the Survey of the country between Ipswich and Brisbane

Rolling stock purchased by the Commissioners of Sydney, and Hunter River Railways included carriage trucks, good wagons, horseboxes, locomotive engines, luggage vans, meat vans, passenger carriages, and sheep vans. In 1856 Honeysuckle Point in Newcastle was rejected as the rail terminal site in favour of Sand Hills. (2) During 1857 rail line extensions were proposed from Campbelltown to Picton, Parramatta to Penrith with a branch line to Windsor, and West Maitland towards Singleton. (3)

On 28 July 1857 and 5 September 1857 Captain B.H. Martindale (Royal Engineers) as Chief Commissioner for the Railways was given the added responsibilities of Commissioner for Roads and Superintendent of Electric Telegraphs. (4) By the Government Railways Act (22 Vic., No. 19 1858) which came into force on 1 December 1858 the three man board of the Commissioners of Sydney, and Hunter River Railways was replaced by a single Commissioner for Railways.

FOOTNOTES
(1) Report from Commissioners of Sydney, and Hunter River Railways for the year ended 30 June 1856 in the Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly during the session of 1856-7, Volume 3 p. 388.
(2) Report from the Chief Commissioner of Railways for 1856 in the Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly during the session of 1856-7, Volume 3 p. 392.
(3) Report to the Honourable the Secretary for Lands and Public Works on the Internal Communications of New South Wales 1857 in Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly during the session 1857, Volume 2 p.560.
(4) McMartin, Arthur Public Servants and Patronage: The Foundation and Rise of the New South Wales Public Service 1786-1859, Sydney University Press, Sydney 1993 p.285.