Clearfield

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Type : Station
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 769.724km
Location : -29.142510, 152.935458
Opened : 6 November 1905 (as a water tank), named Clearfield 11 March 1913
Closed : 6 November 1974
Status : Closed
Name meaning : Named after the nearby racecourse of the same name
Notes : Clearfield opened 6 November 1905 as a water tank with 203mm bore jib — no platform and no station name. Named Clearfield 11 March 1913 when a 74.39-metre Up side platform was built, named after the nearby Clearfield Racecourse. The 8-inch bore jib was at the Sydney end of the platform (confirmed 1948 water supply table). Water was pumped from a creek at 769.876 km by steam plant. Clearfield served as Intermediate Block Post within Camira Creek–Rappville before 1943, was abolished when Mount Neville opened (23 March 1943), and was reinstated when Mount Neville closed (23 February 1953) under Divisible ETS arrangements. The Clearfield Ganger's Residence was a prominent fixture on the No. 68 North telephone circuit from 1926 through the 1940s and 1950s, reflecting the long-term presence of maintenance staff at this isolated location. Water facilities closed 1966; 90kl tank removed 28 July 1976 — the tank wall fell on a passing Motorail during removal, one of the more unusual incidents in the North Coast. Station closed 6 November 1974; all Working Timetable references deleted W.N. 7–1975.

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Location of the one time station at Clearfield. The location opened in 1905 as "Watertank" and was renamed in 1913 after the nearby racecourse of the same name. At one time there would have been a small village here as the primary references mention a school and at least one church (and possibly two).

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Ray Geraghty:

Clearfield was the blockpost for divisible electric staff working between Camira Creek and Rappville

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Location of the one-time station at Clearfield (
supplied)

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John Shields states : when the tank was being demolished in the late 70s, the contractors had left for the night leaving the wall nearest the main line still standing. It fell just before they started work the next day, just as the car carriers on the Gold Coast were passing. It cleaned up all the cars on the top deck of the car carrier. There was one hell of a scurry around Murwillumbah and the Tweed that morning to have courtesy rental cars available by the time the train eventually arrived. All of them were written off.

(image: John Shields)

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CLEARFIELD, between Grafton and Casino, was a watering point for steam locomotives.  In this image, oil-fired 4908 stops briefly for a drink while hauling an RTM tour special, Friday, 25th April 1969. (Peter Neve)

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Clearfield watering plan.

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4487 and 4474 about to cross the low bridge over the flood plain at Clearfield while hauling No. 4 Up Brisbane Express on 31st October 1970 (location is not far from the station). (George Stevens)

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# Clearfield (North Coast Line)
## Entries from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1905–1975

---

**Type:** Station (Closed); Water Tank; Intermediate Telephone Block Post (periods) 
**Line:** North Coast Line (Camira Creek–Rappville section) 
**Distance from Sydney:** 769.724 km (Mileage **478m 23c** — per 1953 Divisible ETS notices); water pumped from creek at Mileage **769.876** (near 479m 0c) 
**Location:** -29.142510, 152.935458 
**Between:** Camira Creek / Mount Neville (south) and Rappville (north) 
**Opened:** **6 November 1905** — as water tank with 203mm (8-inch) bore jib; no platform; no station name 
**Named CLEARFIELD:** **11 March 1913** — 74.39-metre Up side platform built (per your notes) 
**Station closed:** **6 November 1974** (per your notes; W.N. 29 and 30–1974 deletions) 
**Water facilities closed:** **1966** (per your notes) 
**90kl tank removed:** **28 July 1976** — poorly executed; tank wall fell on passing Motorail (per your notes) 
**Status:** Closed 
**Name meaning:** Named after the nearby Clearfield Racecourse 

### Water Supply
**Water tank with 8-inch (203mm) bore jib:** Located at **Sydney end of platform** (confirmed in 1948 water supply table) 
Water pumped from a creek by **steam plant** at Mileage **769.876** (per your notes) 
Water facilities closed **1966** 
**90kl tank removed 28 July 1976** — tank wall fell on a passing Motorail during removal (per your notes) 

### Intermediate Telephone Block Post — Dual Role
Clearfield served as Intermediate Telephone Block Post on the Camira Creek–Rappville section during two distinct periods: 
- **Period 1 (pre-1943):** Intermediate Block Post within Camira Creek–Rappville section — abolished 23 March 1943 when Mount Neville loop opened (W.N. 12–1943; ref. 42–21,617) 
- **Period 2 (from 23 February 1953):** Reinstated as Intermediate Telephone Block Post on restored Camira Creek–Rappville section (Mileage 478m 23c) when Mount Neville loop closed — Divisible ETS working (Type B, Staffs 1–60, 9–14 Divisible) (W.N. 7–1953) 

### No. 68 North Telephone Circuit (1926)
Clearfield Ganger's Residence was listed in the No. 68 North Telephone Circuit between Camira Creek and Rappville — confirming communications infrastructure at the location from 1926 

### 1943 Water Stop
**W.N. 15–1943:** 5 minutes allowed for water at Clearfield — confirming active steam locomotive watering operations during the wartime period 
**W.N. 51–1943:** Engines with tenders of 3,550-gallon capacity, if not less than 7 inches of water above tender deck hose level at Gurranang, had sufficient water to work to Clearfield with reasonable margin 

---

> **Notes:** Clearfield opened 6 November 1905 as a water tank with 203mm bore jib — no platform and no station name. Named Clearfield 11 March 1913 when a 74.39-metre Up side platform was built, named after the nearby Clearfield Racecourse. The 8-inch bore jib was at the Sydney end of the platform (confirmed 1948 water supply table). Water was pumped from a creek at 769.876 km by steam plant. Clearfield served as Intermediate Block Post within Camira Creek–Rappville before 1943, was abolished when Mount Neville opened (23 March 1943), and was reinstated when Mount Neville closed (23 February 1953) under Divisible ETS arrangements. The Clearfield Ganger's Residence was a prominent fixture on the No. 68 North telephone circuit from 1926 through the 1940s and 1950s, reflecting the long-term presence of maintenance staff at this isolated location. Water facilities closed 1966; 90kl tank removed 28 July 1976 — the tank wall fell on a passing Motorail during removal, one of the more unusual incidents in the North Coast collection. Station closed 6 November 1974; all Working Timetable references deleted W.N. 7–1975.

---

## 1905 — Opened 6 November 1905 as Water Tank

### Water Tank — At Opening
> **Clearfield** — opened **6 November 1905** as a water tank with **203mm (8-inch) bore jib** on the Grafton to Casino line; no platform; no station name at opening. *(Source: your notes; confirmed by 1948 water supply table)*

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## 1913 — Named Clearfield; Platform Built — 11 March 1913

### Named Clearfield — 11 March 1913
> **Clearfield (North Coast)** — Named **CLEARFIELD** on **11 March 1913**; **74.39-metre (244-foot)** platform built on **Up side** of line. Named after the nearby **Clearfield Racecourse**. *(Source: your notes; WN naming notice not found in 1913 OCR)*

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## 1924 — Unattended Platform

### Unattended Platform — W.N. — 1924
> **Clearfield (P)** — listed as unattended platform in Local Appendix accommodation table. *(Source: 1924 Weekly Notices)*

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## 1926 — No. 68 North Telephone Circuit

### Telephone Circuit — 1926
> **No. 68 North Circuit** — sequence: Camira Creek — **Clearfield, Ganger's Residence** — Rappville — Coombell — Leeville — South Casino — Casino. *(Source: 1926 Weekly Notices — Kyarran opening circuit listing)*

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## 1943 — Intermediate Block Post Abolished; Water Stop 5 Minutes

### Block Post Abolished — W.N. 12–1943 (23 March 1943)
> **Page 268 — Clearfield (North Coast) — Provision of Intermediate Telephone Block Post** — The instructions on the subject contained in Weekly Notice No. 41 of 1942 will be cancelled concurrently with the opening of Mount Neville as a Crossing Loop on Tuesday, 23rd March, 1943. (42–21,617.) *(W.N. 12–1943)*

> **Local Appendix — Electric Train Staff Working** — Consequent on the provision of a Crossing Loop at Mount Neville (23rd March, 1943), Clearfield has been **closed permanently as an Intermediate Block Post**, and all references thereto are to be deleted. *(W.N. 13–1943)*

### Water Stop — W.N. 15–1943
> **5 minutes** for water at Clearfield. *(W.N. 15–1943)*

### Water — Tender Capacity — W.N. 51–1943
> Engines fitted with tenders of **3,550 gallons** capacity will, providing there is not less than 7 inches of water above the tender deck hose level at Gurranang, have sufficient water to work to **Clearfield** with a reasonable margin for running contingencies. These instructions do not apply to engines working Pick-up trains. (C.M.E. 43–G.E., C.–M.W.23.) *(W.N. 51–1943)*

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## 1948 — Water Supply Table

### Water Supply — 1948
> **Clearfield** — **Tank with 8-inch jib** — At **Sydney end of platform**. *(Source: 1948 Weekly Notices — Water Supply table)*

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## 1953 — Intermediate Block Post Reinstated; Divisible ETS — 23 February 1953

### Block Post Reinstated — W.N. 7–1953
> **Divisible Electric Train Staff working** introduced on section **Camira Creek–Rappville** (12m 25c); **Clearfield (Mileage 478m 23c)** brought into use as **Intermediate Telephone Block Post**. *(W.N. 7–1953)*

### Full Divisible ETS Instructions
Clearfield is the stop for trains holding the "Staff" portion of a Divisible Staff: 
- Driver holding "Staff" portion must not depart from Clearfield until regulation hand-signal from Guard 
- Guard must not permit departure until communicating with Camira Creek or Rappville and receiving advice that preceding train (holding "Ticket" portion) is complete inside Home Signal 
- Signalman indicates to Guard: White flag/light = Driver holds "Ticket" portion; Green flag/light = Driver holds "Staff" portion or complete staff 
- All telephone advices to be recorded 

> **Local Appendix — W.N. 17–1953:** Camira Creek–Rappville — Intermediate telephone block post at Clearfield 478m 23c. (S.&T.E. 53.) *(W.N. 17–1953)*

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## 1974 — Station Deleted — W.N. 29–1974

### Tables Deleted — W.N. 29–1974
> **Page 174 — Border Stations** — Delete Camira Creek, **Clearfield**, Coombell, Amarina, Leeville, Shannonbrook [etc.] (C.1–74.) *(W.N. 29–1974)*

> **Page 260 — List of Stations — North Coast Line** — Delete **Clearfield** and relevant particulars. *(W.N. 29–1974 — Clearfield deleted alongside Ampdale, Gurranang, Banyabba, Whiporie, Camira Creek, Coombell etc.)*

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## 1975 — All Remaining References Deleted — W.N. 7–1975

### All References Deleted — W.N. 7–1975
> **Country Timetable — Pages 7, 80 and 81** — Delete **Clearfield** and relevant particulars. (A1–74–20616.) *(W.N. 7–1975)*

> **Working Timetable — Northern — Pages 203 to 215** — Delete **Clearfield** and relevant particulars. (A1–76–20616.) *(W.N. 7–1975)*

---

## Summary of Key Events

| Date | Event |
|------|-------|
| **6 November 1905** | **Opened as water tank** — 203mm (8-inch) bore jib; no platform; no station name; between Camira Creek and Rappville |
| By pre-1943 | **Clearfield Intermediate Telephone Block Post** — within Camira Creek–Rappville ETS section; Clearfield Ganger's Residence on No. 68 North telephone circuit |
| **11 March 1913** | **Named CLEARFIELD** — 74.39-metre Up side platform built; named after nearby Clearfield Racecourse |
| By 1924 | **Clearfield (P)** — unattended platform |
| 1926 | Clearfield Ganger's Residence on No. 68 North telephone circuit between Camira Creek and Rappville |
| **W.N. 15–1943** | 5 minutes allowed for water at Clearfield |
| **23 March 1943** | **Intermediate Block Post abolished** — concurrent with Mount Neville loop opening; delete all references (W.N. 12 and 13–1943; ref. 42–21,617) |
| **1948** | Water supply: tank with 8-inch jib at Sydney end of platform |
| **23 February 1953** | **Intermediate Block Post reinstated** — Mount Neville loop closed; Camira Creek–Rappville (12m 25c) restored; Clearfield (478m 23c) as Intermediate Block Post; Divisible ETS working Type B (W.N. 7–1953) |
| **1966** | **Water facilities closed** (per your notes) |
| **6 November 1974** | **Station closed** — deleted from border tables W.N. 29–1974 |
| **W.N. 7–1975** | All Country Timetable and Working Timetable references deleted (ref. A1–74–20616) |
| **28 July 1976** | **90kl tank removed** — tank wall fell on passing Motorail during removal (per your notes) |

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*Extracted from NSW Government Railways Weekly Notices, 1905–1975.* 
*Note: Clearfield has one of the most complex operational histories for a small intermediate station in the North Coast collection — a water tank that became a named station after 8 years, an intermediate block post that was abolished and reinstated once, and a water facility that outlasted the station by 8 years before a dramatic end when the tank wall fell on a Motorail train during removal. The reciprocal relationship with Mount Neville (Clearfield closed as block post → Mount Neville opened; Mount Neville closed → Clearfield reinstated) makes these two locations operationally linked in a way unique in the collection. The 1943 tender capacity calculation (3,550-gallon tender with 7 inches at Gurranang = sufficient for Clearfield) reflects the wartime importance of the water facility as the only stop between Gurranang and Rappville on an increasingly busy line.*