Type : Station
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 334.492km
Opened : 5 February 1912 (construction name was Koccobaa)
Closed : 30 April 1978
Status : Open (loop only)
Name meaning : The name came from a local pastoralist, W C Bundock
Notes : The 76.2 metre long platform and timbedr station were on the Down side. There is no town nearby. 28/7/1942 a 429 metre interlocked crossing loop was added. 17/7/1978 - the station building was closed after passenger services ended some three months prior. 22/12/1981 - goods siding removed. 15/10/1985 platform and station demolished. A short 426 metre loop siding remains at the site.
Lorraine Jones:
Caught the UP North Coast Mail here many times going back to Sydney after a weekend at home - what happened on the train must stay on the train!
You always had to expect the unexpected from the card game 500 being expanded to 5000 with opening bids restricted to 8 or higher; if no-one made a bid, the game became "8 no trumps" and you were credited with the number of tricks you won.
Certainly made the long trip pass faster. Long weekends were the worst time as the carriages were always packed and finding a free seat was difficult and sometimes impossible until the train stopped at Broadmeadow and the Newcastle passengers got off the train.
There was never a chance to get the highly valued luggage racks above the seats in a compartment as a sleeping place let alone the longer racks in the middle door vestibule.
Bundook, undated
Location and length of Bundook Station platform in the halcyon daysof the North Coast Line. (Lorraine Jones)
6422 passes through the location of Bundook, the station was on the curve (Stephen Joseph Miller)
Location of Bundook station (Six Maps)
Bundook, undated
Bundook 1982 (uncredited)
Lorraine Jones:
Taken from the eastern end of the platform looking back towards Doon-Ayre and further to Gloucester.
Late winter afternoon photo from the shadows and paddock condition - Bundook village is on the LHS of the tracks.
John Treuren:
looking for clues to see if Bundook changed to CTC by then....
Lorraine Jones:
John, I suspect it would have been at the same time as Gloucester, Bulliac, Mt George, Wingham and Taree which were the main crossing loops.
I think it would be safe to assume this block would have been switched over in its entirety.
However, as always, I could be mistaken.......🤔
John Treuren:
Lorraine Jones I figured, and someone may want to correct me, CTC installation a progressive thing - 1st stage, convert loops to colour light signals and motor points but keeping the Electric staff, second stage - converting the sections to 'track block' and decommissioning the ES, third stage - converting all that to remote control. so, say one week Craven 1st stage conversion,the next week Gloucester 1st stage conversion, week after that Yumbunga 1st stage conversion with Craven- Gloucester section converted to track block....
Location of the one-time Bundook Station near Gloucester - it closed in 1978 (RailCorp)
A view from NT-25, "Grafton XPT" as it drops down the 1 in 80 grade approaching Bundook where NT-2, "Brisbane XPT" with XP-2000 (in 2000 Olympic Games colours) waits in the Loop. A timber overbridge for the Belbora Creek road spans the line. Afternoon of 6-1-1997. (Graeme Kirkby)
5902 plus 5901 head away from Bundook towards Gloucester on a much photographed Up Goods (at least on that day) on 22nd December 1968 (George Stevens)
Leyland Comet MO-3561 near the North Coast Railway Line at Bundook 24th February 1974 (John Ward)
5912 with #576 goods at Bundook, 1/12/1968 (R Gillard)
Graeme Kirkby
Pictured at Bundook, looking back from the leading power unit to the rear of train. 4-55pm on Friday, 29-4-1994. NT-25, the "Grafton XPT" stands in the Loop waiting the passing of NT-2, "Brisbane XPT".
Grafton bound XPT crosses the southbound Sydney XPT at Bundook, 1/5/2007 (Adam Serena)
XP2009-XP2015 NT26 XPT Bundook Sun 10-11-96 (Dave Porter)
Bundook, 1981
518 Up Goods at Bundook, 12/12/1968 (John Ward)
Tour train at Bundook, 25/9/1966 (Grunbach)
Bundook (undated) (State Archives)
NT36 XPT leaving Bundook loop 18.2.07 - photo courtesy Justin Moy.
View from NT-36, Up "Grafton XPT", about to enter the Loop at Bundook to cross NT-33, the Down "Casino XPT". 11-50am on Wednesday, 2-11-2011. (Graeme Kirkby)
Pete Miller at Bundook, 1979
5902 leading 5901 starts away from Bundook after having been put away with an Up Goods, on 22nd December 1968. one of many steam hauled goods out of Taree over a period around this time, used to shift tonnage that had accumulated. (George Stevens)
NT-36 at right, waits in the Loop at Bundook as NT-33 on the "Casino XPT" fast approaches. 12-3pm, Saturday, 18-8-2007. (Graeme Kirkby)