Moleton

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Three men are peering up at a damaged carriage as it is being removed from the railway line over the viaduct near Moleton. One would assume, given their stance, that they weren't concerned about van coming off the line and it being too close to them. The gentleman in the middle wearing the white coat is ? Tolhurst - District Locomotive Engineer, and the man on the right is J C Jones. He appears to be most unconcerned, looking up at the action with his arms folded across his chest. The third unknown person, on the left of the group, is semi-crouched, looking up to scrutinize the progress or lack thereof. The damaged van leans precariously to the left as it is being removed off the track. There is a fair amount of steam coming from the front of the van from a machine, presumably the dozer, that was used for the removal. In the front right foreground you can see a metal bucket on the damaged sleepers and a cable lying alongside of it. Another cable can be seen at the bottom of the picture running from the left to the right, where it is secured around an object on the bank under the viaduct, and it then runs up to the left hand side of the guard's van. You can see the broken rail track on the right. The left rail is hanging to the side of the viaduct as the van is dragged off towards the far bank, breaking and tilting more sleepers, as it would have slowly dragged along. Beyond the steam cloud, on the far right you can see the railway track curving around to the right and past the two buildings in the background. On the left of the train you can see the telegraph poles, indicating that this photo is taken from the opposite side of the viaduct to the previous photo. Near the base of the telegraph pole there appear to be some sleepers laying on the bank. This photo is from the J Jones collection and has 1955? written on the reverse side. AccNr00062 (Glenreagh Memorial Museum)

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The last in our collection of the derailment of the guard's van on the Glenreagh-Dorrigo Railway line at Moleton. After the removal of the van from the viaduct, there wasn't much left intact of the upper wooden structure of HG14974 after it had been pulled over the edge of the viaduct to the ground below the bank. Behind the van you can see the ruts in the grass from the wheelsets of the van and tracks of the dozers. A small branch is caught up on the remaining roof edge on the left side of the van, and the remains of a shrub can be seen hanging near the front wheelset and on top of the debris inside the van. The broken frame also hangs over the right hand side of the van and there may be soil on the back buffer and the back right corner of the van. Two dozers are attached by cable to the van to pull it along the clearing, away from below the viaduct, with the two drivers sitting on their machines looking back at the progress of their work. A former track worker has commented on the previous post that Harry Lynch was the driver of the D6 but was unsure of the driver of the Vickers Rolls-Royce. On the left hand side of the van you can see a steel telegraph pole that ran near the railway track. This is from the J Jones collection and has 1955? written on the back of the photo. AccNr00058

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# Moleton (Dorrigo Branch)
## Entries from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1924–1972

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**Type:** Station (Closed) 
**Line:** Dorrigo Branch (Timber Top–Lowanna section) 
**Distance from Sydney:** 677.961 km (Mileage approximately 422m–423m) 
**Location:** -30.182907, 152.907615 
**Between:** Timber Top (south) and Lowanna (north) 
**Opened:** **23 December 1924** — with Dorrigo Branch; listed as Moleton\* (unattended); Staff Drawer Locks; Circular No. 584 of 1924 (Glenreagh–Dorrigo) 
**Closed:** **1972** (per your notes; Working Timetable deleted W.N. 51–1972) 
**Status:** Closed 
**Name meaning:** After the nearby Mole Creek 
**Platform:** **20.1-metre (66-foot)** Down side 
**Community served:** Small settlement at Moleton — school closed December 1955; Post Office closed June 1971 
**5-tonne jib crane (steam winch):** Provided alongside Goods Siding — **W.N. 7–1926** — owned by Messrs. Joseph Reid, Limited; Guard must secure jib clear of siding before shunting (ref. 26–27,406) 
**Frames at opening:** Frames A and B — Staff Drawer Locks (Circular No. 584 of 1924) 
**Drawer Lock Key Releases:** Since **18 April 1950** — Staff Drawer Lock Releases A and B replaced by Drawer Lock Key Releases; No. 1 lever in Frames A and B unlocked by key from Drawer Lock Key Releases A and B; released by Miniature ETS for section **Timber Top–Lowanna**; Circular No. 584 of 1924 amended (W.N. 17–1950; S.&T.E. 50) 
**"F" deleted (freight prepaid):** W.N. 17–1950 — delete "F" from Moleton in goods and livestock freight prepaid column 
**Goods Siding removed:** **10 May 1961** (per your notes) — Intermediate Sidings table deleted W.N. 22–1961 (ref. — delete all particulars in respect of Moleton, page 40) 
**Working Timetable deleted:** W.N. 51–1972 — page 240 Moleton deleted (ref. A.1–72–57,411 and A.1–70–72,158) 
**Grades table deleted:** W.N. 51–1972 — Glenreagh–Dorrigo Branch grades (ref. A.1–70–72,158) 
**Circular:** No. 584 of 1924 (Glenreagh–Dorrigo base diagram — amended 1950) 

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> **Notes:** Moleton opened 23 December 1924 with the Dorrigo Branch as an unattended station (\*). Frames A and B fitted with Staff Drawer Locks released by Miniature ETS (Circular No. 584 of 1924). The 5-tonne jib crane was owned by Messrs. Joseph Reid, Limited (the same firm that operated Reid's Siding further south) — a safety instruction required Guards to ensure the jib was secured clear of the siding before any shunting operations. The crane was a steam winch type. Staff Drawer Lock Releases A and B replaced by Drawer Lock Key Releases on 18 April 1950 — the section changed from whatever was in use to Timber Top–Lowanna. Goods and livestock freight reclassified (delete "F") W.N. 17–1950. Goods Siding removed 10 May 1961 — all Intermediate Sidings particulars for Moleton deleted W.N. 22–1961. Station served the small Moleton community; school closed December 1955; Post Office closed June 1971; station closed 1972.

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## 1924 — Opened 23 December 1924; Unattended; Staff Drawer Locks; Circular No. 584

### Opening — 23 December 1924
> **Sidings at Timber Top, Moleton, Ulong, Brooklana, Mulhearn's Siding, Briggsvale and Megan** — The whole of the Lever Frames at these Sidings are fitted with **Staff Drawer Locks**, and released by Miniature Electric Train Staffs direct for the section concerned. *(W.N. 53–1924; Circular No. 584 of 1924)*

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## 1926 — 5-Tonne Jib Crane (Steam Winch) — W.N. 7–1926; Owned by Joseph Reid Limited

### Crane Provided — W.N. 7–1926
> **Page 49 — Moleton (Glenreagh–Dorrigo Line)** — A Jib Crane of **5 tons capacity**, which is worked by a **steam winch**, and owned by **Messrs. Joseph Reid, Limited**, has been provided alongside the Goods Siding.
>
> Prior to carrying out any shunting operation at Moleton, the Guard must satisfy himself that the jib of the crane is secured clear of the Siding, and arrange also with Messrs. Reid's employees that the crane will not be operated until such time as they are notified that shunting operations have been completed. (26–27,406.) *(W.N. 7–1926)*

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## 1950 — Staff Drawer Lock Releases Replaced by Drawer Lock Key Releases — 18 April 1950; "F" Deleted

### Drawer Lock Key Releases — W.N. 17–1950
> **Moleton (Glenreagh–Dorrigo) — Staff Drawer Lock Releases Replaced by Drawer Lock Key Releases** — Since **18th April, 1950**, Staff Drawer Lock Releases "A" and "B" have been replaced by Drawer Lock Key Releases.
>
> No. 1 lever in Frames **"A" and "B"** will be unlocked by key from Drawer Lock Key Releases "A" and "B," respectively.
>
> Drawer Lock Key Releases "A" and "B" will be released by Miniature Electric Train Staff for the section **Timber Top–Lowanna**.
>
> Diagram of Moleton attached to **Circular No. 584 of 1924** (Glenreagh–Dorrigo) to be amended accordingly. (S.&T.E. 50.) *(W.N. 17–1950)*

### "F" Deleted — W.N. 17–1950
> **Glenreagh–Dorrigo Branch — Moleton** — Delete **"F"** [from goods and livestock freight prepaid column]. *(W.N. 17–1950)*

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## 1961 — Goods Siding Removed; Intermediate Sidings Table Deleted — W.N. 22–1961

### Intermediate Sidings Deleted — W.N. 22–1961
> **Page 40 — Intermediate Sidings — System of Working — Moleton (Dorrigo Branch)** — Delete all particulars in respect of **Moleton**. *(W.N. 22–1961)*

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## 1972 — Working Timetable and Grades Deleted — W.N. 51–1972

### Working Timetable Deleted — W.N. 51–1972
> **Page 240** — Delete **Moleton** and relevant particulars. (A.1–72–57,411.) *(W.N. 51–1972)*

### Grades Table Deleted — W.N. 51–1972
> **Page 104 — Grades at Stations, Sidings, Platforms and Signal Boxes — Glenreagh–Dorrigo Branch** — Delete **Moleton** and relevant particulars. (A.1–70–72,158.) *(W.N. 51–1972)*

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## Summary of Key Events

| Date | Event |
|------|-------|
| **23 December 1924** | **Opened** — unattended (\*); 20.1-metre Down platform; Frames A and B (Staff Drawer Locks; Circular No. 584 of 1924); section Timber Top–Lowanna |
| **W.N. 7–1926** | **5-tonne jib crane** (steam winch) provided — owned by Joseph Reid Limited; Guard safety instruction for jib clearance (ref. 26–27,406) |
| **18 April 1950** | Staff Drawer Lock Releases A and B replaced by **Drawer Lock Key Releases** — released by Timber Top–Lowanna Miniature ETS; Circular No. 584 amended (W.N. 17–1950) |
| W.N. 17–1950 | "F" deleted from freight prepaid column |
| December 1955 | **School closed** |
| **10 May 1961** | **Goods Siding removed** — Intermediate Sidings table deleted (W.N. 22–1961) |
| June 1971 | **Post Office closed** |
| **1972** | **Station closed** — Working Timetable (page 240) and grades table deleted (W.N. 51–1972; refs A.1–72–57,411 and A.1–70–72,158) |

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*Extracted from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1924–1972.* 
*Note: The Joseph Reid Limited connection links Moleton to Reid's Siding (also associated with Reid's mill). The 5-tonne jib crane at Moleton was owned by Reid's company — the unusual Guard safety instruction (secure jib clear of siding, notify Reid's employees on completion) is the only documented private company crane/rail siding safety protocol in the Dorrigo Branch collection, reflecting the close integration of the Reid timber operation with the railway at this location. The replacement of Staff Drawer Lock Releases with Drawer Lock Key Releases in 1950 is consistent with a network-wide safeworking upgrade on the Dorrigo Branch intermediate sidings in that year.*