North Coast Mail at Coffs harbour, undated, State Archives
Type : Station
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 607.814km
Opened : 30 August 1915
Closed : n/a
Status : In use
Name meaning : Named after early settler Korff
Notes : Opened with a Down 137.16 metre platform with timber station building containing an out-of room, ladies and general waiting rooms, SM's office and men's toilets. The station was replaced with the current brick structure. On opening, a goods shed and engine shed (relocated from Bungendore) were provided along with an 18.2 metre turntable and coal stage. Platform extended to 184 metres in 1945 and at the same time the current station (brick) was constructed; at this time the coal stage was removed and a 2 ton yard crane installed. 17/7/1922 - interlocked loop laid in. 3/12/1923 - Railway Refreshment Room opened. 15/12/1924 - 304mm bore water colum located at the Up end of the platform installed. August 1928 - weir constructed for water storage. 9/8/1926 - 900kl water resorvoir built. March 1929 - 10 ton cart weighbridge installed. 12/9/1938 - removal of water supply pump and engine - water after this time taken from town supply. 25/8/1944 - platform extended by 45 metres and a 90kl water tank erected at Down end of platform. 14/10/1962 - RRR closed. October 1967 - stockyard closed. 1971 - all water facilities removed following end of steam on the North Coast. The following sidings existed : Wharf Siding (30/8/1915), Harbour Works Siding (30/8/1915 - 1952), Jetty Branch, Goods shed siding for Jetty Branch (closed 2/9/1958), Plywood siding, dead-end siding terminating at 608.777km.
Coffs Harbour, 1982 (Greg Lee)
Coffs Harbour 1982 (Greg Lee)
Coffs Harbour down home first signal, 1982 (Greg Lee)
Coffs Harbour , 1982 (Greg Lee)
Coffs Harbour goods shed, 1982 (Greg Lee)
Garry Hayes states:
"With Tony Prothero's (Goods Clerk) step through motor bike out front, in its usual position.
In latter years, when it became the 'Freight Centre', the front door was relocated to the side, just near the first window, about where the tyres are stacked.
My desk sat just under the window inside the office.
Every morning Tony would stand out the front feeding the seagulls most of his morning tea sandwiches whilst having a cuppa, and then at lunch time he would mount the bike and proceed over to the Pier Hotel where he would partake in a liquid lunch. He'd then head back to the office where he'd promptly have an afternoon siesta whilst sitting at the desk, for about 30".
Coffs Harbour 1982, Greg Lee
Garry Hayes states:
"For the transport of wooden telegraph poles from Coffs Hardwoods."
Jonathon Willmont states:
"Timber was loaded there onto a ship for NZ. Bananas loaded from BGF siding. I was there when Bob Dwyer fuelled his boat from 44 gallon drums on his way up north to fish for marlin."
Coffs Harbour 1982 (Greg Lee)
Garry Hayes states:
"Up Outer Home which used to protect the MSB line crossing"
Ray Geraghty states:
"Covered vans for bananas ex Coffs hbr."
Roy Powell states:
"ship them to honeysuckle get unloaded and straight to the dump to keep prices inflated happened many a time"
44239 Northbound North Coast Mail, Coffs Harbour, September 1980 (dunedoo, flickr)
Coffs Harbour in 1924
Coffs Harbour in 151 (Claude Nolan)
North Coast Mail approaching Coffs Harbour, 1980s (NSW Rail Rambler)
Coffs Creek at Park Beach Reserve - North Coast Mail
Coffs Creek, 13 May 1957 (Ken Cranfield)
Type : Station
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 607.810km
Opened : 30 august 1915
Closed : n/a
Status : In use
Name meaning : Named after early settler Korff
Coffs Harbour station
Yards at Coffs Harbour, now long gone.
Coffs Harbour on a wet day
Coffs Harbour yards
First train to Coffs Harbour, 30/08/1915
Coffs Harbour showing the once extensive yards.
Coffs Harbour, 2/1/19 (Lance Lyon)
Coffs Harbour Railway Refreshment Room, 1947 (State Archives)
Coffs Harbour station in 1990 - this shows the once extensive yards.
Coffs Harbour station (undated) (NSWGR)
The Macksville School Train at Coffs Harbour (undated) (H J Wright)
North Coast Mail at Coffs Harbour circa 1919-1925 (Buckland Collection)
Perway gang standing outside a shed at Coffs Harbour Railway Station, circa 1930s (CHRM)
This is a photo I took in 1951 from the platform looking towards Mutton Bird Island.
(Claude Nolan)
Coffs Harbour 1919 - a section of the yards (DPW)
The Reso train near Coffs harbour, 1939 (State Rail Archives)
4440 North Coast Mail Coffs Harbour, 1973. (Graeme Belbin)
4440, Nth Coast Mail crosses 44208 Nth Coast Daylight, Coffs Harbour, 1973. (Graeme Belbin)
Shunting loco (or rail tractor) X214 runs out to collect an ANR open wagon along what remained of the Jetty line at Coffs Harbour, NSW, November 7 1984. (Australian Rail Maps)
Aerial view of Coffs Harbour in 2016 - the once extensive yards are now vacant land (Coffs Advocate)
Coffs Harbour, 1922 (copyright on image)
The Queen at Coffs Harbour in 1970, stepping off a pay bus.
Roger Goodwin:
I was there with school band playing as Liz and Phil drove to the town centre. Yes that was the old pay van. 👍
Garry Hayes:
I did but see her training by,
and will forever wonder why oh why?
Greg Mashiah:
Pay bus FP7 to be exact - now at the Goulburn Roundhouse museum.
Syd Ramsay:
Greg Mashiah thank you. My question answered.
Graeme Skeet:
Picking up her pay for the fortnight?
Bob Taaffe:
Need a bigger vehicle than that to collect her weekly pay
Chris Harrison:
I believe that this paybus was specially decked out with carpet due to this one-off event. The only paybus to be given that treatment.
Garry Hayes:
Chris Harrison apparently it was cleared out of everything, possibly including the safe, and fitted with red carpet and 'occasional' or moveable chairs for the long ride from mid way along the jetty to the waiting Rolls Royce near the level crossing in Coffs.
After the Royal tour, the chairs were removed, the safe and other normal furniture reinstalled and the carpet was left in situ
Chris Harrison:
Yep, I can't see that the Queen would have needed the company of a safe for that trip. Must have been a great job for someone to have to do pulling it out and putting it back.
John Parker:
Bob Taaffe and she obviously has her own 'staff'!
Bob Taaffe:
was the working called royal staff and ticket?
8009 heads an express freight train at Coffs Harbour, NSW, November 7 1984
A circus elephant was towing the van across the railway line at night at Coffs Harbour. It was hit by a shunting train at a level crossing near the Jetty, and five lions escaped from their cage. They were recaptured without incident the next day.
(Ella Adah Hobman)
26/05/1953
Coffs Harbour, September 1988 (Susan M Woodhouse)
Coffs Harbour, passengers entering the railway refreshment room, 9/7/1947 (State Archives)
RRR - Coffs Harbour (State Archives)
Coffs Harbour - construction photo (State Archives)
The school train "Old Misery" waits at the platform, ready for its 4.05pm departure.
The image includes houses overlooking the railway station, as well as the land between the Railway Station and the Jetty.
Coffs Harbour, 15/7/1983
Coffs Harbour, 15/5/1984
Coffs Harbour, 9/3/86
First Holiday Coast XPT at Coffs Harbour, 31/12/1985
Old Misery - last trip in 1957 at Coffs Harbour
"Old Misery" school train at Coffs Harbour, undated but likely 1950s (C Cardew)
N294 Up goods at Coffs Harbour, 30/10/1976 (Records NSW)
N26 Up XPT at Coffs Harbour, 11/4/1987 (N Munro)
N11 Down North Coast Mail at Coffs Harbour, 2/6/1983 (Records NSW)
Mixed train at Coffs Harbour, circa 1915
Public Works loco #34 at Coffs Harbour (undated) (Records NSW)
Coffs Harbour, 30/4/1974 (State Archives)
Coffs Harbour, Feb '77 (State Archives)
Coffs Harbour, 12/8/1962 (State Archives)
Coffs Harbour yards, not dated, State Archives
Coffs Harbour, 1/2/1977
A pair of C32s lead the commissioner's train into Coffs Harbour, 1924. The train is composed of commissioner's car AAH9, officer's car AAH8, staff & dining car AC911, and kitchen & brake car AB681. (Evan Rees)
Coffs Harbour near the jetty in 1909 - prior to the railway arriving, but note the timber lines (State Archives of NSW)
Coffs Harbour, 1981
Coffs Harbour Simplex No.1, 9021 of 1952, now at Dorrigo.