Sawtell

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# Sawtell (North Coast Line)
## Entries from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1925–1989

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**Type:** Station (in use) 
**Line:** North Coast Line (Raleigh–Coffs Harbour section; between Bonville and Boambee) 
**Distance from Sydney:** 600.668 km (Mileage **373m 19c** — per 1925 opening notice; 602 km from Darling Harbour per 1976 re-insertion) 
**Location:** -30.359565, 153.097350 
**Between:** Bonville and Boambee 
**Opened:** **Monday, 13 July 1925** — 250-foot (76.2m) Up side unattended platform; between Bonville and Boambee; Nos. 11 and 14 Mail trains stop when required; prepaid traffic (W.N. 28–1925; ref. 25–25,216) 
**Named after:** Mr Oswald C. Sawtell — for whom the platform was built 
**Booking Station (Coaching only):** From **1 December 1937** (W.N. 50–1937; ref. C.1–37–6,859) 
**Toilets installed:** **1928** (per your notes) 
**Departmental Dead-end Siding:** Opened **18 March 1940** — 100 feet (30.5m) in clear, Up side, Mileage 373m 26c, 329 feet on Grafton side of platform; Frame A; No. 1 lever FPL released by Raleigh–Coffs Harbour Miniature ETS; standing room 3 wagons / 4 four-wheel trucks; control of Raleigh (W.N. 12 and 13–1940; ref. S.&T.E. 39–278,674 and 39–278,634) 
**Seal Press No. 764:** Allotted to Sawtell (W.N. 50–1940) 
**Electric lighting installed:** **1957** (per your notes) 
**Waiting room extended:** **1959** (per your notes) 
**Goods Siding abolished:** **Monday, 8 November 1976** — 2A points, catch-point, Frame A and associated equipment removed (W.N. 45–1976; S.&C. 127433); standing room "5" deleted from accommodation table (W.N. 51–1976) 
**Deleted from stations list:** W.N. 47–1976 (ref. B2 74 71076) 
**Re-inserted as Sawtell\*:** W.N. 50–1976 — "Small consignments of a light nature only"; 602 km from Darling Harbour; 441 km from Newcastle; Power's code 3370 (W.N. 50 and 51–1976) 
**Hulbert Street Level Crossing:** Type F flashing highway signals and warning bell brought into use **18 June 1989** at 600.889 km; automatically controlled by track circuit; Station Master Sawtell responsible Mon–Sat (W.N. 23 and 24–1989; S.&C. 166259) 
**Station closed:** **Saturday, 18 November 1989** (W.N. — 1989) 
**Station re-opened:** After 18 November 1989 closure (per your notes — now in use) 
**Status:** In use; new station similar to Eungai and Urunga 

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> **Notes:** Sawtell platform opened **13 July 1925** — named after Mr Oswald C. Sawtell. 250-foot (76.2m) Up side unattended platform at Mileage 373m 19c, between Bonville and Boambee; Nos. 11 and 14 Mail trains and Nos. 149 and 52 Goods trains stop when required (from August 1925). Toilets installed 1928. Opened as Booking Station for coaching traffic only from 1 December 1937. Departmental dead-end siding added 18 March 1940 — 100 feet, Up side, Mileage 373m 26c (329 feet Grafton side of platform); Frame A; Raleigh–Coffs Harbour ETS; standing room 4 four-wheel trucks. Seal Press No. 764 allotted late 1940. Electric lighting 1957; waiting room extended 1959.
>
> Goods Siding abolished 8 November 1976 — 2A points, catch-point and Frame A removed (W.N. 45–1976). Sawtell deleted from stations list W.N. 47–1976, then re-inserted as Sawtell\* ("Small consignments of a light nature only") W.N. 50–1976 with Power's code 3370; standing room "5" deleted from accommodation table W.N. 51–1976. Hulbert Street level crossing Type F signals commissioned 18 June 1989 (600.889 km). Station closed **18 November 1989**; subsequently re-opened.

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## 1925 — Platform Opened — 13 July 1925; 250 Feet; Mileage 373m 19c; Nos. 11 and 14 Mail

### Platform Opened — W.N. 28–1925
> **Pages 49 and 301 — Sawtell (North Coast) — Provision of Platform** — On **Monday, 13th July, 1925**, a new unattended platform, **250 feet** in length, erected on the **Up side** of the line at Mileage **373.19** (Time-table from Sydney), between Bonville and Boambee, and to be known as **SAWTELL**, will be brought into use.
>
> **Mileage for Rates Purposes:**
> - From Sydney: **373 miles 19 chains**
> - From Darling Harbour: 374 miles
> - From Newcastle: 273 miles 61 chains
>
> Freight and other charges on traffic to Sawtell must be **prepaid**.
>
> **Nos. 11 and 14** Mail trains will stop when required to pick up and set down passengers. (25–25,216.) *(W.N. 28–1925)*

### Goods Trains Added — August 1925
> Commencing **Monday, 3rd August 1925**: **No. 149 Goods** (2.40 p.m. ex Taree) and **No. 52 Goods** (8.0 a.m. ex South Grafton) call at Sawtell (between Bonville and Boambee) when required to pick up and set down passengers. *(Source: 1925 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1937 — Booking Station for Coaching Traffic — 1 December 1937 — W.N. 50–1937

### Booking Station — W.N. 50–1937
> **Page 146 — Sawtell (North Coast) — Opened as a Booking Station for Coaching Traffic Only** — Since **1st December, 1937**, Sawtell has been opened as a Booking Station for coaching traffic only. (C.1–37–6,859.) *(W.N. 50–1937)*

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## 1940 — Departmental Dead-End Siding — 18 March 1940; Frame A; 329 Feet Grafton Side of Platform

### Intermediate Sidings — W.N. 12–1940
> **Page 32 — Intermediate Sidings — Add:**
> - Milepost Mileage: **373m 26c**; Siding: **Sawtell**; Side: Up; Points face: Up; Signals: No; Points worked by: Staff Lever; ETS Section: **Raleigh–Coffs Harbour**; Regulation: **B**; Control: **Raleigh**
>
> (S.&T.E. 39–278,674–W.&M.) *(W.N. 12–1940)*

> **Page 69 — Accommodation Table:** Milepost 373m 26c; Siding — Sawtell; Standing Room Other Sidings: **3**. (S.&T.E. 39–278,634–W.&M.) *(W.N. 12–1940)*

### Siding Opened — W.N. 12–1940
> **Sawtell (North Coast) — Provision of Siding** — On **Tuesday, 18th March, 1940**, between 8.0 a.m. and 5.0 p.m., a new Departmental Dead-end Siding, **100 feet** in length in the clear, laid in on the **Up side** of the Main line at Mileage **373m 26c**, **329 feet on the Grafton side of Sawtell Platform**, will be brought into use.
>
> **Interlocking:** Points (facing Up trains) and catch-points worked from new **Frame "A"** on Up side; No. 1 lever (FPL) released by key on Miniature ETS for **Raleigh–Coffs Harbour**. (S.&T.E. 39–278,674–W.&M.) *(W.N. 12–1940)*

### (P) Deleted — W.N. 13–1940
> **Pages 222 and 252 — Sawtell (North Coast)** — A siding, with standing room equal to **4 four-wheel trucks**, has been provided. Delete letter **(P)**. (4–54,606.) *(W.N. 13–1940)*

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## 1940 — Seal Press No. 764 Allotted — W.N. 50–1940

### Seal Press — W.N. 50–1940
> **Page 129 — Seal Presses** — Seal Press **No. 764** has been allotted to **Sawtell**. Page 60, Local Appendix, Northern Division, to be also posted accordingly. (G.W.1–44 1,702.) *(W.N. 50–1940)*

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## 1976 — Goods Siding Abolished — 8 November 1976; Re-Inserted as Sawtell\*

### Goods Siding Abolished — W.N. 45–1976
> **Sawtell (North Coast) — Abolition of Goods Siding** — On **Monday, 8th November, 1976**, between 8.0 a.m. and 4.0 p.m., Sawtell Goods Siding will be abolished. **No. 2A points and catch-point, Frame A and associated equipment** will be removed. (S.&C. 127433.) *(W.N. 45–1976)*

### Deleted from Stations List — W.N. 47–1976
> **Page 259 — List of Stations, Sidings and Platforms — North Coast Line** — Delete **Sawtell** and relevant particulars. (B2 74 71076.) *(W.N. 47–1976)*

### Re-Inserted as Sawtell\* — W.N. 50–1976
> **Page 208 — List of Stations, etc.** — Insert: **Sawtell\***. Insert footnote: **"S — Small consignments of a light nature only."** *(W.N. 50–1976)*

> **Page 259 — List of Stations, Sidings and Platforms — North Coast Line** — Insert **Sawtell**, **602 km** from Darling Harbour; **441 km** from Newcastle. (B2 74 71076.) *(W.N. 50–1976)*

> **Rates Book** — Insert Sawtell — Power's code **3370**. *(W.N. 50–1976)*

### Standing Room Deleted — W.N. 51–1976
> **Page 82 — Stations, Platforms and Sidings — Accommodation Provided — Sawtell** — In the column headed "Other Sidings based on vehicles 22 feet in length" delete **"5"**. (A1 76 72141.) *(W.N. 51–1976)*

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## 1989 — Hulbert Street Level Crossing — 18 June 1989; Station Closed 18 November 1989

### Hulbert Street Level Crossing — W.N. 23 and 24–1989
> **Sawtell (North Coast) — Bringing Into Use Type "F" Flashing Highway Signals and Warning Bell at Hulbert Street Level Crossing (600.889 km)** — On **Sunday, 18th June, 1989**, between 6.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m., Type "F" flashing highway signals and warning bell will be brought into use at Hulbert Street level crossing (**600.889 km**). Automatically controlled by track circuit for Down and Up trains. Tests to be carried out daily Mon–Sat by Station Master, Sawtell; Sundays by Station Master, Coffs Harbour. (S.&C. 166259.) *(W.N. 23 and 24–1989)*

### Station Closed — 18 November 1989
> **Sawtell** — Date of Closure: **Saturday, 18th November, 1989**. *(Source: 1989 Weekly Notices — closure list)*

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## Summary of Key Events

| Date | Event |
|------|-------|
| **13 July 1925** | **Platform opened** — 250-foot (76.2m) Up side; Mileage 373m 19c; between Bonville and Boambee; named after Mr Oswald C. Sawtell; Nos. 11 and 14 Mail trains stop when required; prepaid; (W.N. 28–1925; ref. 25–25,216) |
| August 1925 | Nos. 149 and 52 Goods trains also stop when required |
| **1928** | **Toilets installed** |
| **1 December 1937** | **Booking Station for Coaching Traffic** opened (W.N. 50–1937) |
| **18 March 1940** | **Departmental Dead-end Siding** — 100 feet, Up side, 373m 26c, 329 feet Grafton side of platform; Frame A; Raleigh–Coffs Harbour ETS; 4 four-wheel trucks; (P) deleted (W.N. 12 and 13–1940) |
| W.N. 50–1940 | Seal Press No. 764 allotted |
| **1957** | **Electric lighting installed** |
| **1959** | **Waiting room extended** |
| **8 November 1976** | **Goods Siding abolished** — 2A points, catch-point, Frame A removed (W.N. 45–1976; S.&C. 127433) |
| W.N. 47–1976 | Sawtell deleted from stations list |
| W.N. 50–1976 | Re-inserted as **Sawtell\*** — Small consignments only; 602 km from Darling Harbour; 441 km from Newcastle; Power's code 3370 |
| W.N. 51–1976 | Standing room "5" deleted from accommodation table |
| **18 June 1989** | Hulbert Street level crossing Type F signals commissioned at 600.889 km (W.N. 23 and 24–1989) |
| **18 November 1989** | **Station closed** |
| Post-1989 | **Station re-opened** — new station similar to Eungai and Urunga |

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*Extracted from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1925–1989.* 
*Note: The deletion and re-insertion of Sawtell in the stations list within the same WN series (W.N. 47 deleted, W.N. 50 re-inserted — just three weeks apart) reflects the simultaneous abolition of the goods siding and reclassification to a stopping place only. The 329-foot gap between the platform (373m 19c) and the siding (373m 26c) is exactly 7 chains — consistent with the siding being placed beyond the platform end to allow for a locomotive length clearance before the siding connection.*