Bentley

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Level crossing at Bentley (facing towards Casino) (undated, prior to 1985) (SRA Archives)

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# Bentley (Murwillumbah Branch)
## Entries from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1907–1975

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**Type:** Station (Closed) 
**Line:** Murwillumbah Branch (Casino–Murwillumbah; Grafton-Tweed Line) 
**Distance from Sydney:** 818.956 km 
**Location:** -28.779810, 153.120575 
**Between:** Casino Council Quarry Siding / Naughton's Gap (south) and Bexhill / Fernside (north) 
**Opened:** **1906** (per your notes; no WN opening notice found in OCR) 
**Closed:** **2 June 1975** (per your notes; W.N. 29 and 30–1974 deletions; W.N. 26–1975 accommodation deleted) 
**Status:** Closed 

### Note on Opening
The Murwillumbah branch opening notices for the early 1906 extension to Bentley are not recovered in the OCR. The 1907 WN reference to Casino Council's Quarry Siding "between Naughton's Gap and Bentley" confirms Bentley was already in place by 1907.

### Infrastructure
**W.N. — 1915:** Cattle and pig yards, and a **5-ton Gantry Crane** provided at Bentley (Grafton-Tweed Line) — ref. E.10–3,607 
Listed alongside Rappville 5-ton Gantry Crane provision in the same WN 

### Unattended Platform (1924)
**Bentley (P)** — listed as unattended platform in Local Appendix; between Naughton's Gap (P) and Bungabbee (P)

### Load Sections (1935)
Bentley used as load section boundary:
- **Tuncester→Bentley** — 165/185/205 tons (various engine classes, Down journey)
- **Bentley→Old Casino** — Down: 140/150/165 tons; Up: 175/190/200 tons
- **Bexhill→Bentley** — Up journey; superheated 50-class: 580/450/640 tons
- **Bentley→Casino** — 360/450/640 tons (50-class engines)

### Load Sections (1965)
- **Bangalow→Bentley** — Up journey: 500 tons (p)
- **Bentley→Casino** — Up journey: 1,000 tons (p)

### Deletion History
**W.N. 29–1974:** Deleted from horses/vehicles loading table — Casino–Murwillumbah Line: Old Casino, **Bentley**, Bungabbee, Tuncester, North Lismore, Bexhill, Eltham, Booyong and Stockers (C.1–74) 
**W.N. 30–1974:** Deleted from List of Stations (page 185) and Alphabetical List of Stations (page 225) — ref. B.2–74–71,071 
**W.N. — 1974:** Passenger Fares Book (page 53) — delete **BENTLEY** station name and relevant particulars 
**W.N. 26–1975:** Accommodation Provided table (page 87) — delete all reference to Naughton's Gap, **Bentley** and Fernside (ref. A1 73 77203) 

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> **Notes:** Bentley opened 1906 on the Murwillumbah branch. By 1907 the Casino Council's Quarry Siding to the south was documented between "Naughton's Gap and Bentley," confirming the station was operational. Cattle and pig yards and a 5-ton Gantry Crane provided in 1915 (ref. E.10–3,607). Listed as unattended platform (P) in 1924. Used as a load section boundary throughout the 1930s and 1960s, separating the heavy Up grades from Casino to Bentley from the lighter Down grades onward toward Bexhill and Murwillumbah. Station closed 2 June 1975; deleted from rates books, station lists and passenger fares W.N. 29 and 30–1974; accommodation references deleted W.N. 26–1975.

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## 1907 — Bentley Position Confirmed Between Naughton's Gap and Quarry Siding

### Position Confirmed — W.N. 5–1907
> **Casino Council's Quarry Siding at Mileage 73.20, between Naughton's Gap and Bentley** — [Grafton to Murwillumbah Line.] *(W.N. 5–1907; ref. 07–4754)*

*Confirms Bentley was operational by 1907 as the named station immediately north of the quarry siding.*

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## 1915 — Cattle and Pig Yards; 5-Ton Gantry Crane — W.N. — 1915

### Facilities Provided — W.N. — 1915
> **Bentley (Grafton-Tweed Line)** — Cattle and Pig Yards, also a **5-ton Gantry Crane** have been provided. Local Appendices to be posted accordingly. (E.10–3,607.) *(W.N. — 1915)*

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## 1924 — Unattended Platform

### Unattended Platform — W.N. — 1924
> **Bentley (P)** — unattended platform; Casino–Murwillumbah Branch. *(Source: 1924 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1935 — Load Sections

### Load Sections — 1935
> **Casino–Murwillumbah Branch Engine Load Table:**
> - Tuncester → **Bentley**: 165/185/205 tons
> - **Bentley** → Old Casino: Down 140/150/165 tons; Up 175/190/200 tons
> - Bexhill → **Bentley**: superheated 50-class — 580/450/640 tons (Up journey)
> - **Bentley** → Casino: 360/450/640 tons *(Source: 1935 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1965 — Load Sections

### Load Sections — 1965
> **Casino–Murwillumbah Branch:**
> - Bangalow → **Bentley**: Up 500 tons (p)
> - **Bentley** → Casino: Up 1,000 tons (p) *(Source: 1965 Weekly Notices — C.M.E.–R.C.A.–M.M.–24)*

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## 1974 — Deleted from Tables — W.N. 29 and 30–1974

### Horses/Vehicles Loading Deleted — W.N. 29–1974
> **Page 186 — Casino–Murwillumbah Line — Stations at which Horses and Vehicles may be loaded and unloaded:** 
> Delete Old Casino, **Bentley**, Bungabbee, Tuncester, North Lismore, Bexhill, Eltham, Booyong and Stockers. (C.1–74.) *(W.N. 29–1974)*

### List of Stations Deleted — W.N. 30–1974
> **Page 185 — List of Stations** — Delete **Bentley** and relevant particulars. (B.2–74–71,071.) *(W.N. 30–1974)*

> **Page 225 — Alphabetical List of Stations** — Delete **Bentley** and relevant particulars. (B.2–74–71,071.) *(W.N. 30–1974)*

### Passenger Fares Book — W.N. — 1974
> **Page 53 — BENTLEY** — Delete station name and relevant particulars. *(W.N. — 1974)*

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## 1975 — Accommodation References Deleted — W.N. 26–1975

### Accommodation Deleted — W.N. 26–1975
> **Page 87 — Stations, Sidings and Platforms — Accommodation Provided** — Delete all reference to Naughton's Gap, **Bentley** and Fernside. (A1 73 77203.) *(W.N. 26–1975)*

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## Summary of Key Events

| Date | Event |
|------|-------|
| **1906** | **Opened** — Murwillumbah branch; no WN opening notice found in OCR |
| By 1907 | Confirmed operational — referenced as northern boundary of Casino Council's Quarry Siding (W.N. 5–1907) |
| **W.N. — 1915** | Cattle and pig yards and **5-ton Gantry Crane** provided (ref. E.10–3,607) |
| By 1924 | **Bentley (P)** — unattended platform |
| 1935 | Load section boundary — Tuncester→Bentley; Bentley→Old Casino; Bexhill→Bentley; Bentley→Casino |
| 1965 | Load section boundary — Bangalow→Bentley (500 tons Up); Bentley→Casino (1,000 tons Up) |
| **2 June 1975** | **Station closed** |
| W.N. 29–1974 | Deleted from horses/vehicles loading table — Casino–Murwillumbah Line |
| W.N. 30–1974 | Deleted from List of Stations and Alphabetical List (ref. B.2–74–71,071) |
| W.N. — 1974 | Deleted from Passenger Fares Book (page 53) |
| **W.N. 26–1975** | All accommodation references deleted (ref. A1 73 77203) |

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*Extracted from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1907–1975.* 
*Note: Bentley's role as a load section boundary is confirmed in both the 1935 and 1965 engine load tables — the station marks the inflection point between the severe grades climbing from Casino to Bentley (one of the steepest sustained climbs on the Murwillumbah branch) and the easier grades from Bentley northward toward Bexhill. The Bentley→Casino load (360–640 tons for superheated 50-class in 1935; 1,000 tons Up in 1965) compared with the Old Casino/Casino Council Quarry Siding loads to the south reflects the grade configuration change at this point. The 5-ton Gantry Crane provision in 1915 reflects Bentley's importance as a timber and agricultural goods handling point on the branch.*