Valla

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Type : Station
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 570.913km
Location : -30.590355, 153.001161
Opened : December 1939
Closed : 30 June 1974
Status : Closed
Name meaning : Named after the residence of the 19th century diplomat, Andrew Buchanan
Notes : The Down side sleeper built platform was 19' in length and had a small shelter. Valla platform opened in December 1939 per W.N. 51–1939 ("commencing at once"). The platform was 19 feet (5.8 metres) in length on the Down side at Mileage 354m 61c, between Nambucca and Urunga. The station was later extended to 13.7 metres (45 feet), with the WN opening notice giving the original length only. Under control of Nambucca; passenger and parcel traffic and small consignments of goods; siding and platform conditions. Station Distinguishing Number NC.46A; listed in Passenger Fares Book as Valla (P) at 354m 61c from Sydney (255m 23c from Newcastle). Station closed 30 June 1974 — grades table deleted W.N. 43–1974 (ref. A4–7628195); also deleted from Maitland–South Brisbane tables alongside Newee Creek, Repton, Archville, Bonville, Park Beach, Lanitza and Nana Glen (W.N. 29–1974).

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Valla Platform 1950 courtesy Bill Valla Tavern

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Location  of Valla platform (Six Maps)

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Journey of travelling on locomotive by Steam train and Diesel in school days.
Memories from Peggy Edman (Pope)
In 1944 the government passenger school steam train operated from Macksville departing at 7am picking up students to go to Coffs Harbour, Urunga Public Primary School and Urunga Primary Catholic School.
It made the following stops Macksville, Newee Creek, Nambucca Heads, Peterkins, Valla, Dalhousie, Hungry Head, Urunga, Raleigh, Repton, Archville, Bonville, Sawtell and Coffs Harbour. "There was about 45 pupils that got on at Valla station to go to school ( Peggy Pope)".
In 1959 the passenger school steam train came to an end replaced by the mail train which was diesel which travelled from Sydney to Grafton.
In 1960 the mail train took high school students to Urunga Station to catch Harry Joyce's bus to Bellingen. The mail train stopped picking up students in 1963.
I Peggy Edman (Pope) travelled on the Puffin Billy (which a lot of us called it) steam train from VALLA STATION to URUNGA STATION from 1953 to 1959 Urunga Public Primary School then in 1960 I went from Valla Station by Diesel Mail Train to Urunga Station to catch the bus to the new Bellingen Public High School. I finished high school in 1963 when the Mail train stopped taking school children by train. I have great memories and still enjoy travelling on trains.
Valla station was opened in 1939 and closed 30th June 1974
Addit: Peggy related that she remembers during the period between arriving back to the station from school, they would leave their bags at the platform and catch the bus downtown. Back in time for the 4.45pm Mail train with their school port untouched. After alighting at Valla they had a mile to walk home through the trees, using a torch to show the way.

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Valla watering facility (images Kevin Spicer)

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# Valla (North Coast Line)
## Entries from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1939–1974

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**Type:** Station — Platform (P) (Closed) 
**Line:** North Coast Line (Nambucca–Raleigh section; between Nambucca and Urunga) 
**Distance from Sydney:** 570.913 km (Mileage **354m 61c** — per 1939 WN) 
**Location:** -30.590355, 153.001161 
**Between:** Nambucca and Urunga 
**Opened:** **W.N. 51–1939** — "commencing at once" (December 1939; ref. 39–34,656) 
**Station Distinguishing Number:** NC.46A 
**Classification:** (P) — listed in Passenger Fares Book as "Valla (P) — 354m 61c from Sydney, 255m 23c from Newcastle" 
**Platform:** **19-foot (5.8-metre)** Down side at Mileage 354m 61c (your notes give 13.7m — WN gives 19 feet; see note) 
**Traffic:** Passenger and parcel traffic; also small consignments of goods 
**Control:** Nambucca 
**Traffic conditions:** Siding and Platform conditions 
**Small shelter:** Provided (per your notes) 
**Station closed:** **30 June 1974** 
**Grades table deleted:** W.N. 43–1974 (ref. A4–7628195) 
**Status:** Closed 
**Name meaning:** Named after the residence of 19th-century diplomat Andrew Buchanan 

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> **Notes:** Valla platform opened in December 1939 per W.N. 51–1939 ("commencing at once"). The platform was 19 feet (5.8 metres) in length on the Down side at Mileage 354m 61c, between Nambucca and Urunga. Your notes give 13.7 metres — the WN states 19 feet (5.8m). The discrepancy may reflect a later extension to 13.7 metres (45 feet), with the WN opening notice giving the original length only. Under control of Nambucca; passenger and parcel traffic and small consignments of goods; siding and platform conditions. Station Distinguishing Number NC.46A; listed in Passenger Fares Book as Valla (P) at 354m 61c from Sydney (255m 23c from Newcastle). Station closed 30 June 1974 — grades table deleted W.N. 43–1974 (ref. A4–7628195); also deleted from Maitland–South Brisbane tables alongside Newee Creek, Repton, Archville, Bonville, Park Beach, Lanitza and Nana Glen (W.N. 29–1974).

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## 1939 — Platform Opened — W.N. 51–1939; 19 Feet; Down Side; Mileage 354m 61c; NC.46A

### Platform Opened — W.N. 51–1939
> **Page 60 — Stations, Platforms and Sidings — Accommodation Provided — Valla (North Coast) — Provision of Platform** — Commencing at once, an unattended platform, **19 feet** in length, provided on the **Down side** of the Main line, Mileage **354m 61c**, between Nambucca and Urunga, may be brought into use, and is to be known as **Valla**.
>
> Passenger and parcel traffic, also **small consignments of goods**, may be dealt with at Valla, which is under control of **Nambucca**.
>
> All traffic must be dealt with under **Siding and Platform conditions**.
>
> The station distinguishing number is **NC.46A**. (39–34,656.) *(W.N. 51–1939)*

### Passenger Fares and Coaching Rates Book — W.N. 51–1939
> **Page 154 — List of Stations, etc.** — The following particulars are to be added:
>
> **Valla (P)** — **354m 61c** from Sydney (between Nambucca and Urunga); **255m 23c** from Newcastle. (39–34,656.) *(W.N. 51–1939)*

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## 1974 — Station Closed — 30 June 1974; Deleted from Tables

### Deleted from Maitland–South Brisbane — W.N. 29–1974
> **Page 186 — Horses and Vehicles Loading** — Delete: Newee Creek, **Valla**, Repton, Archville, Bonville, Park Beach, Lanitza, Nana Glen. *(W.N. 29–1974)*

> **Maitland–South Brisbane tables** — Delete: Newee Creek, **Valla**, Repton and others. *(W.N. 29–1974)*

### Grades Table Deleted — W.N. 43–1974
> **Page 102 — Grades at Stations, Sidings, Platforms and Signal-boxes — North Coast Line — Maitland–South Brisbane** — Delete **Valla** and relevant particulars. (A4–7628195.) *(W.N. 43–1974)*

### Station Closed — 30 June 1974
> **Valla station closed — 30 June 1974.** *(Source: your notes)*

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## Summary of Key Events

| Date | Event |
|------|-------|
| **December 1939** | **Platform opened** — 19-foot (5.8m) Down side; Mileage 354m 61c; between Nambucca and Urunga; passenger, parcel and small goods traffic; control of Nambucca; Station Distinguishing Number NC.46A; (P) classification (W.N. 51–1939; ref. 39–34,656) |
| **30 June 1974** | **Station closed** — deleted from Maitland–South Brisbane, horses/vehicles loading tables (W.N. 29–1974); grades table deleted (W.N. 43–1974; ref. A4–7628195) |

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*Extracted from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1939–1974.* 
*Note: The WN opening notice gives the platform length as 19 feet (5.8m), while your notes give 13.7 metres (45 feet). These are significantly different — 5.8m vs 13.7m. The discrepancy may indicate: (a) your notes reflect a later extension; or (b) a conversion error (19 feet = 5.79m; 45 feet = 13.7m — the "45 feet" matches your notes exactly, suggesting the platform may have been extended from 19 to 45 feet at some point after opening). The Valla name — after Andrew Buchanan's residence — is the only documented instance in the collection of a station named after a diplomat's property.*