Somerset

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Type : Station
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 339.320km
Location : -31.886445, 152.163868
Opened : 5 February 1913
Closed : 18 September 1972
Status : Closed
Name meaning : Named after the county in England
Notes : 250' platform on Down side of the line, site had a loop siding that was removed 17th July 1929. A water tank existed at the site until 1965. At some point prior to 1961 the platform had been reduced to 80'. A1 platform building. Platform demolished 29 June 1975. There was an access road on the Down side of the platform. A signal box was shown on the opening of the line circular but it is not known if a building was
provided. If the building had been provided, the signal box would have been removed when the signals and interlocking machine were dispensed with in 1917, in conjunction with installation of Electric Staff working. Removal of Siding** — Since **17th July, 1929**, the Siding at Somerset has been dispensed with. **Frames "B" and "C" have been removed**, and the points have been put out of use and secured with Standard Clips and XL Locks. *(W.N. 30–1929)* Platform reduced 170 feet. Delete **250-ft.** Insert **80-ft.** (A. 1–59–33,328.) *(W.N. 38–1960)* Delete: **Somerset** and relative particulars [watering facilities]. *(Source: 1965 Weekly Notices)*

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Location of Somerset

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One of the very, very few mentions of Somerset (14/12/1928)

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Graeme Kirkby:


What little I have of Somerset, cobbled together. Located at M.210-67, platform opened 2/1913, length 250 feet on Down side of line, a Loop siding that was there was removed in 7/1929. In 1930 there was shown in the Local Appendix a loco water tank with an 8" jib, 53 feet from Sydney end of platform and was shown as still being there in 6/1961. At this date the platform was shown as being just 80 feet in length. (reduced by 170 feet) Water was pumped up from the river, through a pipeline across the paddocks to the overhead railway tank.

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Somerset water pump (Lorraine Jones)

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Photo taken about 800 metres south of the location of Somerset station in 2004 by Kim Andronicus

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Washpool Bridge Mount George side looking towards the location of Somerset station. (Photo: Oliver Fenning)

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Somerset (Travis Walker) (1954)

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Somerset station sign (Travis Walker). The sign is near to the station site.

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Somerset pump house- photos courtesy Travis Walker

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Water supply plan

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Somerset tank

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A view from NT-25, the Down "Grafton XPT" approaching the Manning river bridge, between Somerset and Mt. George, 31-5-2003. (Graeme Kirkby)

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# Somerset (North Coast Line)
## Entries from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1913–1975

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**Type:** Station (Closed — Platform)
**Line:** North Coast Line (Bundook–Somerset / Somerset–Charity Creek section area)
**Distance from Sydney:** 339.320 km
**Location:** -31.886445, 152.163868
**Between:** Bundook and Charity Creek
**Opened:** 5 February 1913
**Goods Siding removed:** 17 July 1929 — Frames B and C removed; points secured (W.N. 30–1929)
**Platform reduced:** 250 feet to 80 feet — W.N. 38–1960 (authorised 1959)
**Water tank deleted:** 1965
**Station closed:** 18 September 1972
**Platform demolished:** 29 June 1975 (W.N. 26–1975)
**Status:** Closed
**Name meaning:** Named after the county of Somerset in England
**Station Brand:** SMT (1913)
**Platform:** 250-foot (76.2m) Down side; A1 platform building; access road on Down side

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> **Notes:** Somerset opened 5 February 1913 — Frame A on platform; Frames B and C for Goods Siding; Fixed Signals "All Right." Station brand SMT. Signal box shown on opening circular but uncertain if a building was provided; if so, removed when signals dispensed with in 1917 with ETS installation. Goods siding removed 17 July 1929 (Frames B and C removed; W.N. 30–1929). Platform reduced 250→80 feet in 1960 (W.N. 38–1960; authorisation A.1–59–33,328). Water tank deleted from facilities table 1965. Station closed 18 September 1972; platform demolished 29 June 1975.

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## 1913 — Opened; Station Brand SMT; Frame A; Goods Shunting

### Station Brand / Working Instructions — 1913
> **Somerset — SMT**. Unattended — passengers exhibit green disc by day, light lamp at night. Frame "A" on platform; Frames "B" and "C" for Goods Siding (Dungog and Taree ends), unlocked by No. 5 Lever Frame "A." Goods shunting: 10–15 minutes allowed. *(Source: 1913 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1924 — Unattended; 10 Minutes Goods Shunting

> **Somerset\*** — listed as unattended (three times). No. 142 Goods: Somerset 10 minutes; Charity Creek 5 minutes. *(Source: 1924 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1929 — Goods Siding Removed — 17 July 1929

### Siding Removed — W.N. 30–1929
> **Page 294 — Somerset (North Coast) — Removal of Siding** — Since **17th July, 1929**, the Siding at Somerset has been dispensed with. **Frames "B" and "C" have been removed**, and the points have been put out of use and secured with Standard Clips and XL Locks. *(W.N. 30–1929)*

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## 1930 — 2 Minutes Allowed

> No. 149 allowed 3 minutes Wirradgurie, 4 minutes Bundook, **2 minutes Somerset**. *(Source: 1930 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1945 — Somerset Added to Watering Facilities

> **North** — Add **Somerset**. *(Source: 1945 Weekly Notices — watering facilities table)*

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## 1955 — Signal Electrician District

> Signal Electrician's district "to Somerset inclusive." *(Source: 1955 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1960 — Platform Reduced 250→80 Feet — W.N. 38–1960

> **Page 59 — Somerset (North Coast)** — Platform reduced 170 feet. Delete **250-ft.** Insert **80-ft.** (A. 1–59–33,328.) *(W.N. 38–1960)*

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## 1965 — Water Tank Deleted

> **North Coast Line — Maitland–South Brisbane** — Delete: **Somerset** and relative particulars [watering facilities]. *(Source: 1965 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1972 — Station Closed — 18 September 1972

> Somerset closed 18 September 1972. *(Source: your notes — WN closure notice not found in OCR)*

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## 1975 — All References Deleted — W.N. 26–1975; Platform Demolished

> **Page 173 — Maitland–Queensland Border** — Delete: Dingadee, Wirradgurie, **Somerset**, Charity Creek. Page 186 — Delete: **Somerset**, Charity Creek [horses and vehicles loading]. Rate code 72 deleted. *(W.N. 26–1975)*

> Platform demolished **29 June 1975**.

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## Summary of Key Events

| Date | Event |
|------|-------|
| **5 February 1913** | Opened — 250-foot Down side platform; A1 building; brand SMT; Frame A on platform; Frames B and C (Goods Siding); green disc required |
| **17 July 1929** | Goods Siding removed — Frames B and C removed; Standard Clips and XL Locks (W.N. 30–1929) |
| 1945 | Added to North watering facilities table |
| **W.N. 38–1960** | Platform reduced **250→80 feet** (170-foot reduction; authorisation A.1–59–33,328) |
| **1965** | Water tank deleted |
| **18 September 1972** | Station closed |
| **29 June 1975** | Platform demolished; all references deleted (W.N. 26–1975) |

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*Extracted from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1913–1975.*
*Note: Somerset's goods siding lasted only 16 years (1913–1929). The 1960 platform reduction (250→80 feet, a 170-foot reduction) left the platform at less than a third of its original length — the largest proportional reduction of any North Coast platform in the collection.*