The Zig Zag Railway

The Zig Zag Railway near Lithgow, NSW is a 7 km heritage railway that follows theoriginal 1869 route over the Blue Mountains using a unique reversing “zig-zag” tracklayout to overcome steep gradients. It was a critical engineering solution thatenabled trains to climb 170 m between Lithgow and Clarence before being bypassedby the Ten Tunnels Deviation in 1910

Details of Site Visit: Arrive 9:30am at Clarence Station Induction and Presentation (ZZR overview) Morning Tea:  Tea, coffee, and biscuits Site Inspection of Signal Box Lunch: sandwiches, cakes, fruit, Soft drinks, Tea/Coffee Inspection of Bottom Points Signal Box and Zig Zag Workshop Finish 15:15 Approx at Clarence Station

Details of Site Visit:

Arrive at 9:30am for a 9:45 start (Clarence Station) for the Induction and Presentation (ZZR overview), Morning Tea will be supplied with Tea, coffee, and biscuits

Outward Journey: Take the 10:30 ZZR service from Clarence Station to Top Points and alight

Site Inspection Details

• Site inspection of Signal Box, timber A frame bridge, semaphore signals and mechanical interlocking
• Walking tour downhill along the track alignment from Top Points to Bottom Points (1.6 km taking about 90 mins)
• Points of interest include the iconic scenery, sandstone viaducts and Belmore tunnel
• Lunch provided at Bottom Points (sandwiches, cakes, fruit, soft drink, tea and coffee)
• Site inspection of Bottom Points Signal Box and Zig Zag Workshop tour (13:15 to 14:15)

Return Journey: Take the 14:30 ZZR service from Bottom Points to Clarence, arriving at 15:15

Other information:

PPE requirements: Safety boots or shoes, long pants, long sleeves, hi-viz vest
Parking:Available at Clarence Station
Fitness: Being capable of undertaking the track walk.
Dietary: Any special dietary requirements will need to be self-catered

Alternative travel (Train)
Outward:
06:25 Sydney Trains service from Central, arriving at Zig Zag Station at 09:10
09:25 ZZR service from Bottom Points to Clarence at 09:25 and meet with the rest of the group.
Return:
14:31 Sydney Trains service from Zig Zag to Central at 17:17

If you require any further detals on this site vist, please contact David at sitevisits@pwinsw.org.au

Membership

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If you are not currently a member of PWI AUS you can join via our Membership page.  Upon joining you will receive a Login ID and password to register for events.

For any queries please contact  info@pwinsw.org.au