NL14, UP North Coast Mail at South Grafton behind 44211. The consist is typical of a mail train which did not need to divide or amalgamate enroute. The timber trestle at South Grafton is visible in the background. This has long ago been replaced in concrete. The photo was taken in March 1983 (Les Shepherd)
South Grafton, 1982 (Greg Lee)
South Grafton, 1982 (Greg Lee)
Philip Tatarinov
South Grafton, 1980
Greg Lee, 1982
North Coast Daylight Express at Grafton, 22/10/1962 (State Archives)
South Grafton, September 1976 (Phil Clarke)
2nd (colour) pic from Garry Fenton:
"I took this similar time pic in March 1979 when I travelled around the state in the Medical Examination Car AG1856. The carriage is in the foreground."
Brisbane express at South Grafton, October 1947
South Grafton viaduct, up Grafton Express, 29/9/93 (David Johnson)
Type : Station
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 695.748km
Opened : 12 October 1915 as South Grafton, renamed Grafton City 1st October 1976
Closed : n/a
Status : In use
Name meaning : After the Duke of Grafton
Notes : Opened with a 457 metre long central interlocked loop. The original platform was 91.4 metres long, later being increased to 192.9 metres then to 230 metres. The timber station building was a standard A5 type. The site was a major depot at the time it opened. 3.12.1923 - Railway Refreshment Room opened. 1933 - provision of a 45kl water tank. 31.7.1935 - pillar water tank constructed. 1951 - timber deecking on platform replaced with concrete and 1st extension of platform. 1957 - 5 ton crane relocated from Moree. 1966 - water facilities removed. 8/1915 - South Grafton Depot opened with a six pit roundhouse, 15.24 metre turntable (later replaced with an 18.2 metre turntable from Hamilton), a 180kl water tank (1944) and in 1949 a coal hoist. In 1958 the depot was reduced to a sub-depot for Casino. In 1960 diesel facilities were installed.
Grafton City Station - opened in 1915 as South Grafton and later renamed. Station is still in use. (unknown photographer)
South Grafton, 5/11/1963 (Lindsay Bridge)
5261 Shunting in South Grafton. Taken on Kodachrome on 28 Jan 1968. (Lindsay Bridge)
MotoRail at Grafton City, 26/1/1990 (Lindsay)
Location of Grafton City (Six Maps)
A NSW State Archives photo dated 22nd October 1962 of the up North Coast Mail starting its overnight journey from South Grafton.
Grafton leases in railway property
(Up) North Coast Daylight Express at South Grafton, 22/10/1962 (State Archives)
Grafton loco, 23/5/1951 (State Archives)
Down passenger train at South Grafton, 1953 (State Archives)
5261 Shunting in South Grafton. Taken on Kodachrome on 28 Jan 1968. (Lindsay Bridge)
Z22 class 2204 on the ferry loading ramp at the Clarence River, Grafton
Train passengers transferring to the ferry at South Grafton. (Julie Spicer)
South Grafton loco - 28/10/1976 (N Munro)
NT26 at South Grafton 3/8/1986 (Munro)
N5 at Grafton City, 3/8/1986 (Munro)
South Grafton Loco, undated (Records NSW)
Maintenance Engineer's office at South Grafton (undated) (Records NSW)
South Grafton, 1920
North Coast Mail departing Grafton (undated, State Archives)
South Grafton, 1923 (State Archives of NSW)
South Grafton Loco, 1958 (Winney Collection)
Oil fuelling plant, South Grafton, 1/11/1956 (State Archives)
South Grafton Loco, 1935 (State Archives)
South Grafton Loco, 23/10/1963 (State Archives)
Less than a year after the new concrete viaduct was constructed at South Grafton a major flood occurred in the Clarence River in May 1996. The South Grafton levee was not quite completed, so South Grafton flooded. As in previous floods, an emergency passenger rail service was instituted so those people at South Grafton living on the "hill" could cross flooded South Grafton using the viaduct. In this instance a railmotor (looks like a 620/720 class) came up from Newcastle to operate the service (in previous floods the service was often loco hauled passenger carriages). May 1996 was the only time the new viaduct was used for a flood emergency passenger rail service as South Grafton has not flooded since the levee was completed. The preserved section of the old timber viaduct can be seen in this photo.
(Greg Mashiah)
Down Brisbane Express arriving SOG September 1985.
Photo Late Rodney James
Greg Riddel.
Peter Neve :
At one time, Railway Refreshment Rooms were to be found at a number of North Coast Line stations, but today, none remain in use. I don't recall seeing many photos on this Page of the interiors of any of these Railway Refreshment Rooms, particularly in use for their intended purpose.
Back in April 1969, a party of NSW Rail Transport Museum members travelled overnight from Sydney to South Grafton by a "Relief Grafton Express". While the train was being remarshalled and double oil-fired 59 class steam locomotives were being attached, we mere passengers had more important matters to attend to – partaking of breakfast in the South Grafton RRR!
I now have no idea what breakfast consisted of – possibly the usual bangers and mash, or maybe eggs & bacon, washed down with either a white or black tea.
However, this black and white photo of mine allows me to relive those memories of some 55 years ago. Today, the RRR no longer exists and South Grafton is now simply Grafton, with the original Grafton (City) on the other side of the Clarence River long gone. Refreshments and meals can be enjoyed at any time on the XPTs servicing the North Coast Line.
Luckily, in my home town of Junee, the former Railway Refreshment Rooms continue to function, but no longer under Railway control. A private lessee operates the RRR, but bangers and mash is not on the menu!
Enjoying the memories (and aromas!). 🧐
Peter Neve :
The City of Grafton is divided by the Clarence River. Similarly, the North Coast Railway was at one time physically divided by the Clarence – with the Lismore-based Tweed Railway terminating on the north side and the line from Sydney/Newcastle on the southern side at South Grafton. In the years leading up to the completion of the road/rail bridge in 1932 joining the two, there was the train ferry, but that is another story!
Even after the railway crossed the Clarence, Grafton remained to be served by two stations, although the NSWGR based its main operations on the south side at South Grafton. The North Coast Daylight Express from Sydney crossed the bridge to terminate in the town centre at Grafton station on the north side, but then came back as empty cars to South Grafton station and yard to stow for the night, returning to Grafton next morning to form the Daylight service back to Sydney.
The How and Why of Station Names book (SRA of NSW, 1993) tells me that the northside Grafton was closed on 02/06/1974, however this is not correct. According to an entry in Weekly Notice No. 21 of 1974 on p.17, Grafton was closed as a Booking Station as from Saturday 02/06/1974, which means that station staff were withdrawn and the location became an unattended platform. Presumably by this time, the North Coast Daylight Express was terminating and starting from the southside station, the combined non-movements possibly saving around three hours each day. How long northside Grafton remained as an unattended platform is not known as the Station Names book incorrectly quotes the closing date as that when it became an unattended platform. However, the October 1978 issue of NSW Digest in Item D16.333 tells me that: "Shortly after midday on Sunday 27/8, shunting staff at Grafton discovered the disused Grafton station building on fire. Wagons standing nearby were shunted clear and the local fire brigade called. However the timber station building was destroyed, together with railway cables, including the circuit for the E.T.S. Grafton – South Grafton."
"A Thematic History of Grafton" by Brett J Stubbs and published in December 2007 states that in 1917, Grafton Municipal Council started calling itself Grafton City Council, but the basis for this change was not known. On 1 January 1957 the two parts of Grafton, then known as the City of Grafton and the Municipality of South Grafton, were reunited, and together with parts of the adjoining Copmanhurst, Orara and Nymboida Shires they formed an enlarged City of Grafton. Never-the-less, it took the NSWGR almost 20 years to recognise this fact.
According to the Station Names book, South Grafton was renamed Grafton City on 01.10.1976. This date has been confirmed from an entry in Weekly Notice N. 37 of 1976 on p.20. (By now, it will be apparent that I do not trust dates etc. appearing in the Station Names Book and like to confirm or otherwise the information from another source, or at least locate where the original information came from! We all make errors, including myself, evidencing that it is always best to check the information before you quote it ... hence my reference sources quoted above.)
Of course, Grafton was not the only regional location to be served by more than one station. West Tamworth and Tamworth come to mind, again separated by a river, but the prize must be taken by Wyalong which at one time had no less than three stations – South Wyalong, Wyalong Central and West Wyalong! Any other contenders?!
Anyhow, here's my photo of the southside station, when it was known as SOUTH GRAFTON. The photo was taken on Friday 25/04/1969 on the occasion of the commencement of the NSW Rail Transport Museum's steam tour from that point to Murwillumbah and South Brisbane, covered separately on this Facebook Page. Oil-burners 5916 leading 5908 stand at the platform waiting departure. Surprising what photos one finds when looking back through a collection of some 70 years!
Enjoy!!! 🧐
South Grafton Loco prior to 1971
The ancient levers on G Frame at South Grafton oversee the departure of NT36 on the right and the preparation if the set for NT 32 this morning (26/11/2024). (Rob Lougher)
Looking South from (South) Grafton railway platform to the relatively new, steel viaduct. Thursday, 14-9-2000. (Graeme Kirkby)
Layout of Grafton in 1989
Accident - Grafton, 2/4/1965 (Alison Cater)
Accident - Grafton, 2/4/1965 (Alison Cater)
NT35, NT34 & NT31 at Grafton, early morning 9/11/2023
Due to vandalism near Maitland requiring signalling repairs this unusual grouping occurred.
(Dani Elle Summerill)
Grafton turntable, September 2025 (Susan Plosen)
Roy Elder :
Photo of my Dad at Grafton, said to be around 1973/74, but could be wrong. Photo most likely taken by Grafton driver Sid Hill.
Later this month marks the 100 year anniversary of the arrival of the Induna to commence her duties of transporting rail rolling stock from South Grafton to Grafton prior to the opening of the Grafton Bridge.
The photo below was taken in White Bay, Sydney during the conversion of the Induna from a sea cargo ship to a ferry capable of transporting rail rolling stock.
On January 21st, 1926 the Induna left Sydney under tow of the tug St. Olaves and on January 27th 1926 relieved the Swallow of her duties at Grafton.
The tug returned to Sydney with the Swallow in tow for maintenance to be carried out.
She later returned to Grafton where the Swallow and the Induna then worked together till the opening of the "new" bridge in 1932. Some very good photos exist of them together.
After the opening of the bridge the Induna was retired to the southern bank close to where the hull lay today.
Due to fears that in the event of a flood the Induna may break away from its position on the river bank and wash down and damage the new bridge, she was sank into the bank by cutting large holes in the hull.
The Induna was then purchased by Norcombe Webber with the intention of selling what he could to recover his costs and to use it as a stage for loading and unloading timber at his mill. Later the hull was used for the purpose of burning the sawdust and scrape timber from sawmill situated on the river bank adjacent to where the Induna rests now.
In 1937 the steam engine was removed for use to drive a gold stamper to the west of Grafton but not the boiler. The boiler, being a marine boiler was not suited to land-based use and remains in the hull to this day.
In August 1957 a scrap monger obtained the rights to remove whatever materials he wanted and The Daily Examiner published a report and photo of his barge reducing the hull to what is visible today.
In 1975 Beadman Bros Engineering (Ted and Reg) were contracted by the Council of the City of Grafton and Burns Philip to remove the bow from the hull. The bow now forms the basis of a monument to her history in Sir Earl Page Park adjacent to Grafton Age Care, Bent Street.
From her building at Aberdeen in Scotland for service from Britain to East Africa until now she has had a very colourful history that still catches the interest of locals and visitors today.
Listed below are some of the highlights of tha history.
Built in Aberdeen, Scotland 1891.
During the Boer War Winston Churchill held captive in prison in Pastoria escaped from South Africa and the Boers on the Induna. 1899
Began shipping out of Sydney under the ownership of Burns, Philip & Co Ltd 1904 in the region of Norfolk Island, Gilbert Islands, Marshal Island and Rabaul.
Captured in Marshal Islands by the Germans in World War 1 for her coal.
Owned and operated by Patrick Steamship from 1920 to 1925 when she was sold to New South Wales Dept of Railways.
Converted from sea cargo freighter to rail ferry in White Bay 1925.
Rail ferry at Grafton 1926 until bridge opening 1932.
Grafton signal box was a typical Type O2 design. The main change was the roof changed to hip in shape and was covered by terracotta tiles RT Taaffe
South Grafton (Grafton) around the time the station opened. (RTC)
By 1982 the signal box had been extended at the Sydney end to form the Station Master's office and another room for an unknown purpose. Unusually for a signal box on a platform a signal box name board had been added under the window. This was doubly unusual for a name board to be added to a signal box after it had been constructed. The station had been renamed Grafton City six years previously. RT Taaffe
Later the nameboard was removed from the signal box. In this photograph the extension to the rear of the signal box and Station's Office that formed a parcels office can be observed. ARHS