Type : Siding
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 802.779km
Location : -28.869580, 153.036472
Opened : Before 1930
Closed : 1960
Status : Closed
Name meaning :
Notes : Down side loop siding, 362 feet in length, served the Shell Depot and a sawmill, may have been named Bennett's at one stage. Site now occupied by Hurfords Saw Mill.
The siding appears in the WN collection as:
Simpson's Siding — the primary WN name throughout its documented life (1930–1960)
Shell (and Simpson's) Siding — in the 1930 New Sidings/Alterations index
Simpson's and Shell Siding — in the W.N. 28–1930 Main line entry (South Casino)
Shell Company Use (from 1930)
Shell Company of Australia Limited granted use of portion of the Sydney end of Simpson's Siding for oil unloading. Oil pumped from tank trucks through a pipe to the Company's Bulk Oil Tank. Safety: red flag at each end of oil trucks on the side opposite the running lines; connecting hose must be disconnected before any shunting. Shunting charge applicable.
Power's Codes (1955)
Simpson's Siding: Ordinary 3425/3; Local 3420-7 — listed after South Casino (3425/2 / 3420-6) in the North Coast accounting sequence
Abolition
W.N. 24–1960: "Simpson's Siding has now been removed, delete all reference thereto." — Local Appendix pages 32 and 61 (ref. A.1–59–33,319)
W.N. 26–1960: "Simpson's Siding (North Coast Line) has been abolished. Delete all reference to this private siding." — Merchandise and Livestock Rates Book pages 67, 105 and 144 (ref. B.2–59–32,227)
W.N. 40–1965: Grades table finally amended — "Delete Simpson's Siding and relative particulars." — 5-year lag before Grades table cleaned up
Simpson's Siding appears in the WN collection from 1930 when the Shell Company was granted use of its Sydney end for oil unloading — but the siding predates 1930 under the Simpson's name. It appears as a private siding (not a public goods siding) throughout its documented life, with Power's codes inserted in 1955 confirming ongoing traffic. The siding was removed in 1959 (file ref. A.1–59–33,319 is a 1959 file) with the WN notices published in 1960. The Grades table reference persisted until W.N. 40–1965 — a 5-year cleanup lag.
Local Appendix Entry — W.N. — 1930 (early notices)
Page 304 — Simpson's Siding (Grafton-Murwillumbah Line) — Use of Simpson's Siding by Shell Company of Australia, Limited, for Unloading Oil — The Shell Company of Australia Limited, has been granted the use of portion of the Sydney end of Simpson's Siding.
Siding Removed — W.N. 24–1960
Local Appendix — Northern Division — Pages 32 and 61 — Simpson's Siding has now been removed, delete all reference thereto. (A.1–59–33,319.) (W.N. 24–1960)
Diagram of the siding
# Shell and Simpson's Siding (North Coast Line)
## Entries from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1930–1965
---
**Type:** Siding (Closed) — Private siding
**Line:** North Coast Line (Leeville–Casino section)
**Distance from Sydney:** 802.779 km (approximately Mileage 499m–500m; within South Casino yard)
**Location:** -28.869580, 153.036472
**Between:** South Casino (south) and Casino (north)
**Opened:** Unknown (per your notes; no WN opening notice found in OCR)
**Closed:** **1959–1960** — removed W.N. 24–1960; abolished W.N. 26–1960 (ref. A.1–59–33,319 and B.2–59–32,227)
**Status:** Closed
**Type:** Down side loop siding, **362 feet** in length
**Served:** Shell Depot (oil unloading); sawmill (per your notes)
**Also known as:** Bennett's Siding (per your notes — not found in WN OCR); Shell and Simpson's Siding; Simpson's Siding
**Current site:** Hurfords Saw Mill (per your notes)
### Name History
The siding appears in the WN collection as:
- **Simpson's Siding** — the primary WN name throughout its documented life (1930–1960)
- **Shell (and Simpson's) Siding** — in the 1930 New Sidings/Alterations index
- **Simpson's and Shell Siding** — in the W.N. 28–1930 Main line entry (South Casino)
- **Bennett's Siding** — per your notes; not found in WN OCR
### Shell Company Use (from 1930)
Shell Company of Australia Limited granted use of **portion of the Sydney end** of Simpson's Siding for oil unloading. Oil pumped from tank trucks through a pipe to the Company's Bulk Oil Tank. Safety: red flag at each end of oil trucks on the side opposite the running lines; connecting hose must be disconnected before any shunting. Shunting charge applicable.
### Power's Codes (1955)
**Simpson's Siding:** Ordinary **3425/3**; Local **3420-7** — listed after South Casino (3425/2 / 3420-6) in the North Coast accounting sequence
### Abolition
**W.N. 24–1960:** "Simpson's Siding has now been **removed**, delete all reference thereto." — Local Appendix pages 32 and 61 (ref. A.1–59–33,319)
**W.N. 26–1960:** "Simpson's Siding (North Coast Line) has been **abolished**. Delete all reference to this private siding." — Merchandise and Livestock Rates Book pages 67, 105 and 144 (ref. B.2–59–32,227)
**W.N. 40–1965:** Grades table finally amended — "Delete Simpson's Siding and relative particulars." — 5-year lag before Grades table cleaned up
---
> **Notes:** Simpson's Siding appears in the WN collection from 1930 when the Shell Company was granted use of its Sydney end for oil unloading — but the siding predates 1930 under the Simpson's name. It appears as a private siding (not a public goods siding) throughout its documented life, with Power's codes inserted in 1955 confirming ongoing traffic. The siding was removed in 1959 (file ref. A.1–59–33,319 is a 1959 file) with the WN notices published in 1960. The Grades table reference persisted until W.N. 40–1965 — a 5-year cleanup lag. The Bennett's Siding name (per your notes) does not appear in the WN OCR. No WN opening notice has been found, confirming the siding was either opened before the collection begins (pre-1889) or was not formally gazetted in the WN.
---
## 1930 — Shell Company Use of Simpson's Siding — W.N. — 1930
### Local Appendix Entry — W.N. — 1930 (early notices)
> **Page 304 — Simpson's Siding (Grafton-Murwillumbah Line) — Use of Simpson's Siding by Shell Company of Australia, Limited, for Unloading Oil** — The Shell Company of Australia Limited, has been granted the use of portion of the **Sydney end** of Simpson's Siding.
>
> Oil will be pumped from the oil tank trucks placed in the Siding through a pipe to the Company's Bulk Oil Tank.
>
> During the time the oil is being unloaded a **red flag** must be exhibited at each end of the oil tank trucks on the side opposite the running lines, and the Guard or Shunter in charge must satisfy himself that the connecting hose between the oil tank truck and the pipe which is connected to the Company's Bulk Oil Tank, is **disconnected** before any shunting operations are allowed in the Siding.
>
> **Shunting Charge** — A shunting charge [applicable per standard rates]. *(W.N. — 1930)*
### New Sidings Index — 1930
> **Shell (and Simpson's) Siding — North Coast — Grafton-Casino.** *(Source: 1930 Weekly Notices — New Sidings and Sidings Altered Index)*
---
## 1955 — Power's Codes — W.N. — 1955
### Power's Codes — W.N. — 1955
> **Pages 47 and 83 — Simpson's Siding:** Ordinary **3425/3**; Local **3420-7**. *(W.N. — 1955)*
---
## 1960 — Siding Removed and Abolished — W.N. 24 and 26–1960
### Siding Removed — W.N. 24–1960
> **Local Appendix — Northern Division — Pages 32 and 61** — Simpson's Siding has now been **removed**, delete all reference thereto. (A.1–59–33,319.) *(W.N. 24–1960)*
### Private Siding Abolished — W.N. 26–1960
> **Merchandise and Livestock Rates Book, Volume I — Pages 67, 105 and 144 — List of Stations, etc.** — Simpson's Siding (North Coast Line) has been **abolished**. Delete all reference to this private siding. (B.2–59–32,227.) *(W.N. 26–1960)*
---
## 1965 — Grades Table Cleaned Up — W.N. 40–1965
### Grades Table — W.N. 40–1965
> **Local Appendix — Northern Division — Page 103 — Grades at Stations, Sidings, Platforms and Signal-boxes** — Delete **Simpson's Siding** and relative particulars. *(W.N. 40–1965)*
---
## Summary of Key Events
| Date | Event |
|------|-------|
| Unknown (pre-1930) | **Opened as Simpson's Siding** — Down side loop siding, 362 feet, near South Casino; serving sawmill (no WN opening notice found) |
| **W.N. — 1930** | Shell Company of Australia Limited granted use of Sydney end of Simpson's Siding for **oil unloading** — red flag, hose disconnection, shunting charge; 1930 Sidings Index: "Shell (and Simpson's) Siding — North Coast — Grafton-Casino" |
| **W.N. — 1955** | Power's codes inserted — **3425/3** (Ordinary) / **3420-7** (Local) |
| **W.N. 24–1960** | **Siding removed** — delete from Local Appendix pages 32 and 61 (ref. A.1–59–33,319) |
| **W.N. 26–1960** | **Private siding abolished** — delete from Merchandise and Livestock Rates Book (ref. B.2–59–32,227) |
| **W.N. 40–1965** | Grades table finally cleaned up — delete Simpson's Siding (5-year lag) |
---
*Extracted from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1930–1965.*
*Note: The dual abolition notices (W.N. 24 and 26–1960) with two different file references (A.1–59–33,319 for operational; B.2–59–32,227 for rates) confirm the siding's removal was processed under separate operational and commercial administrative streams — a pattern seen at several other private sidings in the collection. The 5-year lag before the Grades table was updated (1960 abolition → 1965 grades deletion) is the longest documented cleanup delay for any siding in the North Coast collection. The Bennett's Siding name noted in your records does not appear anywhere in the 1930–1965 WN OCR, suggesting it was either a local nickname, a pre-WN name, or appears in volumes not captured in the OCR.*