Ampdale

[admin]

Type : Platform
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 761.899km
Location : -29.205816, 152.943325
Opened : February 1935
Closed : July 1974
Status : Closed
Name meaning : Named after Edward Amp who owned a property to the west of the station
Notes : Ampdale opened February 1935 at Mileage 473m 37c between Camira Creek and Clearfield — a 16-foot sleeper platform on the Down side, unattended, under control of Grafton, within siding and platform conditions. Named after Edward Amp, landowner. Power's codes 2916/2917; station brand AMT. North Coast Mail trains (Nos. 11 and 14) called when required from May 1935. No nearby settlement — the platform served the adjoining Amp property. Adjacent to the earlier Ampdale Ballast Siding (July 1910–26 February 1929) at 761.762 km. Closed July 1974 in the mass North Coast culling; deleted from publications W.N. 29 and 30–1974; all remaining references deleted W.N. 26–1975. The remains of the access road from the property to the station can still be (faintly) seen.

[admin]

Ken Date:

Would you believe that I once travelled on a train that stopped to pick up a passenger at Ampdale? It was 1971 and I was riding the Murwillumbah - South Grafton 'local' service (that connected at South Grafton with the Brisbane Express). The passenger, whom I assume must have lived on one the local properties, flagged down the driver, as they did in those days, and we stopped to pick him up. I didn't think much of it at the time in an historical sense and I was used to the trains on the Murwillumbah line stopping at long forgotten platforms to pick up/drop off passengers. However, it was exciting that the train made such a stop: you just never knew where the train might have to pull up in those days. That person might have been the only passenger in months/years to use Ampdale? I was only 12 years old but I can still clearly remember that occasion.

[admin]

5908 lead a Down special near to Ampdale 25/4/1969 (Munro Collection)

[admin]

# Ampdale (North Coast Line)
## Entries from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1935–1975

---

**Type:** Platform (Closed) 
**Line:** North Coast Line (Camira Creek–Rappville section) 
**Distance from Sydney:** 761.899 km (Mileage **473m 37c** — per 1935 opening notice) 
**Location:** -29.205816, 152.943325 
**Between:** Camira Creek (south) and Clearfield / Rappville (north) 
**Opened:** **February 1935** (per your notes; W.N. — 1935) 
**Closed:** **July 1974** (per your notes; W.N. 29–1974) 
**Status:** Closed 
**Name meaning:** Named after Edward Amp, owner of a property to the west of the station 

### Platform
**16-foot sleeper platform** — Down side of line; no settlement nearby; associated with the adjoining Amp property 

### At Opening (1935)
**Location:** Mileage **473m 37c**, between Camira Creek and Clearfield; Down side 
**Traffic:** Passengers, parcels, and small lots of goods accepted 
**Working:** Unattended; all traffic dealt with under **siding and platform conditions** 
**Control:** **Grafton** 
**Power's Freight Accounting codes:** Ordinary traffic — **2916**; Local traffic — **2917** 
**Station brand:** **A.M.T.** 
**Station Distinguishing Number:** Provided (number not recovered from OCR) 

### Train Service (from May 1935)
**North Coast Mail trains Nos. 11 and 14** called at Ampdale Platform (Mileage 473m 37c, between Camira Creek and Clearfield) **when required** to pick up and set down passengers and parcels 

### Deletion History
**W.N. 29–1974:** Deleted from List of Stations and distances (ref. B.2–74–71,071); border stations table (ref. C.1–74) alongside Koolkhan, Warragai Creek, Gurranang, Banyabba, Whiporie, Camira Creek, Clearfield, Coombell etc. 
**W.N. 30–1974:** Deleted from Alphabetical List (ref. B.2–74–71,071) 
**W.N. 26–1975:** All remaining references deleted — Table 45 (pages 80–81), Working Timetable (pages 184 and 203–215), Accommodation Provided (page 84) — alongside Lawrence Road, Coombell, Wiangaree and Loadstone (ref. A1 73 77203) 

---

> **Notes:** Ampdale opened February 1935 at Mileage 473m 37c between Camira Creek and Clearfield — a 16-foot sleeper platform on the Down side, unattended, under control of Grafton, within siding and platform conditions. Named after Edward Amp, landowner. Power's codes 2916/2917; station brand AMT. North Coast Mail trains (Nos. 11 and 14) called when required from May 1935. No nearby settlement — the platform served the adjoining Amp property. Adjacent to the earlier Ampdale Ballast Siding (July 1910–26 February 1929) at 761.762 km. Closed July 1974 in the mass North Coast culling; deleted from publications W.N. 29 and 30–1974; all remaining references deleted W.N. 26–1975.

---

## 1935 — Opened February 1935; Mileage 473m 37c; Down Side; Control Grafton

### Opening — W.N. — 1935
> **[Page — Local Appendix Northern Division] — Ampdale (North Coast)** — A sleeper platform, **16 feet** in length, laid in on the **Down side** of the line at Mileage **473m 37c**, between Camira Creek and Clearfield, is in use, and known as **Ampdale**.
>
> Passengers, parcels, or small lots of Goods traffic may be accepted for Ampdale, which is under the control of **Grafton**.
>
> All traffic must be dealt with under **siding and platform conditions**.
>
> **Power's Freight Accounting** — The station code number for Power's Freight Accounting is: Ordinary traffic — **2916**; Local traffic — **2917**.
>
> **Station Brand** — The station brand is **A.M.T.**
>
> **Station Distinguishing Number** — [Number provided.] *(W.N. — 1935)*

### North Coast Mail Trains Call — W.N. — 1935 (from May 1935)
> **Since Thursday, 2nd May [1935].** Nos. **11** and **14** North Coast Mail trains call at **Ampdale Platform** (Mileage **473.37c**, between Camira Creek and Clearfield) when required to pick up and set down passengers and parcels. *(W.N. — 1935)*

---

## 1974 — Deleted — W.N. 29 and 30–1974

### Tables Deleted — W.N. 29–1974
> **Page 260 — List of Stations — North Coast Line** — Delete **Ampdale** and relevant particulars. (B.2–74–71,071.) *(W.N. 29–1974)*

> **Page 174 — Border Stations and Platforms** — Delete Koolkhan, Warragai Creek, Gurranang, Banyabba, Whiporie, Camira Creek, **Ampdale**, Clearfield, Coombell, Amarina, Leeville, Shannonbrook, Fairy Hill, Kilgra, Wiangaree, The Risk, Mt Lion, Loadstone. (C.1–74.) *(W.N. 29–1974)*

### Alphabetical List Deleted — W.N. 30–1974
> **Page 224 — Alphabetical List of Stations** — Delete **Ampdale** and relevant particulars. (B.2–74–71,071.) *(W.N. 30–1974)*

---

## 1975 — All Remaining References Deleted — W.N. 26–1975

### All References Deleted — W.N. 26–1975
> **Pages 80 and 81 — Table 45** — Delete all reference to Repton, **Ampdale**, Coombell, Wiangaree and Loadstone. (A1 73 77203.) *(W.N. 26–1975)*

> **Working Timetable — Northern — Page 184** — Delete all reference to Lansdowne, Colombatti, Repton, Archville, Park Beach, Lawrence Road, **Ampdale**, Coombell, Wiangaree and Loadstone. (A1 73 77203.) *(W.N. 26–1975)*

> **Working Timetable — Pages 203 to 215** — Delete all reference to Lawrence Road, **Ampdale**, Coombell, Wiangaree and Loadstone. (A1 73 77203.) *(W.N. 26–1975)*

> **Page 84 — Stations, Sidings and Platforms — Accommodation Provided** — Delete all reference to Warragai Creek, Lawrence Road, **Ampdale**, Coombell, Amarina and Shannon Brook. (A1 73 77203.) *(W.N. 26–1975)*

---

## Summary of Key Events

| Date | Event |
|------|-------|
| Prior to 1935 | **Ampdale Ballast Siding** at 761.762 km (July 1910–26 February 1929) — see separate entry |
| **February 1935** | **Ampdale Platform opened** — Mileage 473m 37c; 16-foot Down side sleeper platform; unattended; control Grafton; passengers, parcels, small goods; Power's codes 2916/2917; station brand AMT |
| **May 1935** | **North Coast Mail Nos. 11 and 14** call when required — pick up and set down passengers and parcels |
| **July 1974** | **Platform closed** — mass North Coast 1974 culling |
| **W.N. 29–1974** | Deleted from distances and border tables (ref. B.2–74–71,071 and C.1–74) |
| **W.N. 30–1974** | Deleted from Alphabetical List (ref. B.2–74–71,071) |
| **W.N. 26–1975** | All remaining Working Timetable and accommodation references deleted (ref. A1 73 77203) |

---

*Extracted from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1935–1975.* 
*Note: The "A.M.T." station brand is derived from Amp's property name — one of only a handful of North Coast platforms whose station brand directly encodes the landowner's name (AMpdale T[?]). The platform's unattended, siding-and-platform-conditions working and Mail train flag stop arrangement are typical of isolated property platforms on the Grafton–Casino section in the 1930s. The North Coast Mail flag stop (Nos. 11 and 14) from May 1935 — just three months after opening — confirms that the primary purpose was facilitating access to Sydney services for the Amp property, rather than serving a local community.*