Lansdowne

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Type : Station
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 396.220km
Location : -31.785965, 152.536504
Opened : 12 April 1915
Closed : 28 June 1975
Status : Closed
Name meaning : After a place in Somerset, England
Notes : The 91.4 metre Down side platform had a standard A4 platform building with an extra store room and a C1 WC was on site. At some point the platform was reduced to 27.4 metres. A large town was laid out south west of the station and close to it, but never eventuated. 14/7/1921 good siding added. 13/4/1962 closed as electric staff and crossing station. Lansdowne opened on 12 April 1915 with the Taree–Wauchope section. Unattended from opening — all consignments prepaid under Siding and Platform conditions; passengers required to exhibit a green disc by day and lamp at night. Sections Comboyne Road–Lansdowne and Lansdowne–Coopernook at opening. Goods shunting times: 10 minutes (1924); 12 minutes (1930). Loading bank inserted in Local Appendix accommodation table (W.N. 46–1929). 1940 - a platform attendant was in place, Since 30th April, 1946**, the Platform Attendant has been withdrawn and **Lansdowne is unattended**. *(W.N. 20–1946)* Goods Siding Removed — 24 July 1972; W.N. 45–1972. 1975 — Station Closed — 28 June 1975; Deleted from All Publications — W.N. 26–1975

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Location of the station at Lansdowne - now occupied by the local waste water works. (Six Maps)

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Lansdowne station (undated, but likely not long after opening) (Midcoast Library)

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Although the station opened in 1915, this article from October 1920 indicates that the siding and loading bank were not added until later

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The location of the one-time Lansdowne Station - it is now the local sewerage works. Opened 1915, closed 1975. (Google Maps)

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Neville Mayers says:

"I was reared in Lansdowne and the station as I knew it,was a ladies toilet,ladies rest room,waiting room,an office that was never utilised,an out of room for incoming parcels etc,at the end of the platform was the mens toilet with a curved galvanised roof.I was told that it was going to be a marshalling yard but never was.The area of the yard is a few acres still.

Royce MacDonald was porter in charge at Moorland,when he went signalman,I was there as porter in charge in 1957 for a short time before I went to Taree.At moorland we sold tickets,booked in passionfruit,cordwood leaves,ordered trucks to load rutile and bogie louvre vans to load oranges.There was a large shed there for the orchardists to store their fruit.

Lansdowne had a siding where they loaded timber and poles.Melinga would order the trucks and ropes."

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Lansdowne station (undated) (State Archives)

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Lansdowne station sign, around 1992 (Michael Riley)

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Lansdowne bridge, 29/12/2024 (Lance Lyon)

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# Lansdowne (North Coast Line)
## Entries from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1915–1975

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**Type:** Station (Closed — Platform); Crossing Station (closed 13 April 1962) 
**Line:** North Coast Line (Melinga–Coopernook section at opening: Comboyne Road–Lansdowne and Lansdowne–Coopernook; later Melinga–Coopernook) 
**Distance from Sydney:** 396.220 km (Mileage 246m 16c — per 1972 accommodation table reference) 
**Location:** Between Melinga and Coopernook 
**Opened:** **12 April 1915** (with opening of Taree–Wauchope section) 
**Goods Siding added:** **14 July 1921** (per your notes; not found in OCR) 
**Loading bank added:** By 1930 — W.N. 46–1929 insert; Melinga deleted loading bank simultaneously 
**Platform Attendant withdrawn:** **30 April 1946** — station unattended from this date (W.N. 20–1946) 
**Closed as ETS and Crossing Station:** **13 April 1962** (per your notes) 
**Goods Siding removed:** **24 July 1972** — 16 trucks standing room deleted; intermediate sidings table deleted (W.N. 45–1972) 
**Station closed:** **28 June 1975** — deleted from all publications (W.N. 26–1975) 
**Status:** Closed 
**Name meaning:** After a place in Somerset, England 
**Station Brand:** LDW (allotted 1915) 
**Platform (original):** 91.4-metre Down side; A4 platform building with extra store room; C1 WC 
**Platform (reduced):** 27.4 metres (90 feet) — at some point prior to closure 
**ETS sections at opening:** Comboyne Road–Lansdowne and Lansdowne–Coopernook 

---

> **Notes:** Lansdowne opened on 12 April 1915 with the Taree–Wauchope section. Unattended from opening — all consignments prepaid under Siding and Platform conditions; passengers required to exhibit a green disc by day and lamp at night. Sections Comboyne Road–Lansdowne and Lansdowne–Coopernook at opening. Goods shunting times: 10 minutes (1924); 12 minutes (1930). Loading bank inserted in Local Appendix accommodation table (W.N. 46–1929).
>
> Goods siding added **14 July 1921** (your notes; no opening notice found in OCR). Platform Attendant withdrawn **30 April 1946** — Lansdowne became unattended; Guards of No. 19 and No. 22 goods trains required to hand particulars of equipment detached to Station Master at Coopernook or Melinga (W.N. 20–1946). Person authorised to book traffic at Lansdowne named in 1940 Local Appendix.
>
> Closed as Electric Staff and Crossing Station **13 April 1962** (your notes). Goods siding removed **24 July 1972** — intermediate sidings entry at 246m 16c and 16-truck standing room deleted from all publications (W.N. 45–1972). Station closed **28 June 1975** — deleted from all publications in W.N. 26–1975 (Working Timetable pages 184, 195–202, 216–223; Accommodation Provided pages 81; Maitland–Queensland Border via Kyogle; rate books; alphabetical lists).
>
> **Note on the town:** A large town was laid out south-west of the station and close to it, but never eventuated. The area was named Lansdowne after a place in Somerset, England.

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## 1915 — Opened 12 April 1915; Unattended; Green Disc; Sections Comboyne Road–Lansdowne and Lansdowne–Coopernook

### Opening Instructions — 1915
> **Instructions for conducting Traffic from Stations at which there is no person in charge** — All consignments of traffic for **Lansdowne**, Langley Vale, Moorland, John's River, Camden Haven River and Heron's Creek must be prepaid and consigned under **Siding and Platform conditions**. *(Source: 1915 Weekly Notices)*

### Section References at Opening — 1915
> ETS sections from Taree to Wauchope at opening:
> - Taree–Comboyne Road
> - **Comboyne Road–Lansdowne**
> - **Lansdowne–Coopernook**
> - Coopernook–Moorland
> - Moorland–John's River
> - John's River–Camden Haven River
> - Camden Haven River–Kendall
> - Kendall–Heron's Creek

*(Source: 1915 Weekly Notices — ETS sections table)*

### Distances from Taree at Opening — 1915
> Taree to Comboyne Road — [miles]; Taree to **Lansdowne** — [miles] (listed in section distance table at opening). *(Source: 1915 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1921 — Goods Siding Added — 14 July 1921

### Goods Siding Added — 1921
> **Goods Siding added at Lansdowne — 14 July 1921.** *(Source: your notes — opening notice not found in OCR)*

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## 1924 — Unattended; 10 Minutes Goods Shunting

### Goods Shunting Times — 1924
> No. [—] Goods: John's River, 10 minutes; Moorland, 10 minutes; Langley Vale, 25 minutes; **Lansdowne, 10 minutes** [listed multiple times]. *(Source: 1924 Weekly Notices)*

### Listed as Unattended — 1924
> **Lansdowne\*** — listed with asterisk (unattended) in station sequence. *(Source: 1924 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1929–1930 — Loading Bank Inserted

### Loading Bank Inserted — W.N. 46–1929 (published in 1930 WN)
> **Page 59 — North Coast Line — Lansdowne** — Insert [4] in column "Loading Bank." *(W.N. 46–1929 — published 1930)*

> **Note:** Simultaneously, Melinga had its loading bank deleted. The loading bank was transferred to Lansdowne, confirming a rearrangement of loading facilities in the Melinga–Coopernook section around this time.

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## 1930 — 12 Minutes Goods Shunting

### Goods Shunting — 1930
> No. [—] Goods: Lansdowne, **12 minutes** [listed in goods shunting times]. *(Source: 1930 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1935 — Traffic Booked "To Pay" at Lansdowne

### Traffic Booked To Pay — 1935
> **Lansdowne** — as from [date], Langley Vale consignments may be accepted on account for **Lansdowne only**, booked "To Pay," controlling station **Taree**. *(Source: 1935 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1940 — Person Authorised to Book Traffic — Local Appendix

### Person Authorised — W.N. — 1940
> **Page 36 — Add — Traffic for Unattended Sidings Being Booked "To Pay" — Lansdowne** — Person [name] authorised. *(W.N. — 1940)*

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## 1945 — Staff Exchanger Positions

### Staff Exchanger Positions — 1946
> **Lansdowne** — staff exchanger positions listed in the 1946 table (between Melinga and Coopernook). *(Source: 1946 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1946 — Platform Attendant Withdrawn — 30 April 1946; Station Unattended; Guards' Duties

### Platform Attendant Withdrawn — W.N. 20–1946
> **Lansdowne — Since 30th April, 1946**, the Platform Attendant has been withdrawn and **Lansdowne is unattended**. *(W.N. 20–1946)*

### Guards' Duties — W.N. 2–1946
> **Page 147, Regulation 11 — Record of Trucks Placed in or Taken Out of Sidings** — Lansdowne is unattended. **Guards working No. 19 (Mondays to Fridays) and No. 22 (Tuesdays to Saturdays)** are to see that particulars of equipment or vehicles detached, and on hand, are handed to the Station-master, **Coopernook or Melinga**. *(W.N. 2–1946)*

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## 1962 — Closed as Electric Staff and Crossing Station — 13 April 1962

### Closed as ETS Station — 13 April 1962
> **Lansdowne closed as Electric Staff and Crossing Station — 13 April 1962.** *(Source: your notes — closure notice not found in OCR of 1962 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1972 — Goods Siding Removed — 24 July 1972; W.N. 45–1972

### Goods Siding Removed — W.N. 45–1972
> **Page 56 — List of Stations and Mileages from Border Stations** — LANSDOWNE: Delete Mileage **246.16 chs.** Lansdowne and relevant particulars. (A. 1–72–51,616.) *(W.N. 45–1972)*

> **Page 81 — Stations, Platforms and Sidings — Accommodation Provided — Mileage 246.16 chs. Lansdowne** — In the column headed "Other Sidings based on vehicles 22 feet in length" delete **16**. *(W.N. 45–1972)*

> **Note:** Your notes give **24 July 1972** as the goods siding removal date. W.N. 45–1972 confirms the administrative deletion — the physical date of 24 July 1972 is consistent with the authorisation A. 1–72–51,616.

---

## 1975 — Station Closed — 28 June 1975; Deleted from All Publications — W.N. 26–1975

### All Publications Deleted — W.N. 26–1975
> **Working Timetable — Northern Division — Page 184** — Delete all reference to Lansdowne [and other closed stations].
>
> **Pages 195–202 and 216–223** — Delete all reference to Lansdowne, Colombatti, Repton and Park Beach. (A1 73 77203.)
>
> **Page 81 — Stations, Sidings and Platforms — Accommodation Provided** — Delete all reference to Lansdowne, Langley Vale and Colombatti.
>
> **Maitland–Queensland Border via Kyogle** — Delete all references to Lansdowne. *(W.N. 26–1975)*

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## Summary of Key Events

| Date | Event |
|------|-------|
| **12 April 1915** | **Opened** — 91.4-metre Down side platform; A4 building with extra store room; C1 WC; unattended; sections Comboyne Road–Lansdowne and Lansdowne–Coopernook |
| **14 July 1921** | **Goods Siding added** (per your notes) |
| 1924 | Listed as unattended (\*); 10 minutes goods shunting |
| W.N. 46–1929 | Loading bank inserted (Melinga loading bank deleted simultaneously) |
| 1930 | 12 minutes goods shunting |
| 1935 | Langley Vale consignments accepted at Lansdowne "To Pay"; controlling station Taree |
| **30 April 1946** | **Platform Attendant withdrawn** — Lansdowne unattended; Guards of Nos. 19 and 22 to hand truck records to Coopernook or Melinga (W.N. 20–1946) |
| **13 April 1962** | **Closed as Electric Staff and Crossing Station** |
| **24 July 1972** | **Goods Siding removed** — 16-truck standing room deleted; intermediate sidings entry at 246m 16c deleted (W.N. 45–1972) |
| **28 June 1975** | **Station closed** — all references deleted from Working Timetable, accommodation tables, rate books, Maitland–Queensland Border and all other publications (W.N. 26–1975) |

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*Extracted from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1915–1975.* 
*Note: Lansdowne's history reflects the economic failure of the planned town near the station — the A4 building (one of the larger standard types, reflecting expected community size) was eventually serviced by only a withdrawn platform attendant and ultimately a bare platform. The loading bank transfer from Melinga to Lansdowne (1929/1930) suggests some consolidation of goods facilities in the area. The 1946 withdrawal of the Platform Attendant — with Guards required to report to Coopernook or Melinga — confirms the station's operational demotion to a true unmanned halt.*