Alice Head’s Train Journey Part One – Perth to Northam

Elizabeth Troup married Henry Ernest Wilkinson in Perth in 1897, but then she and Henry also went to Boulder.  Perhaps the seven of them traveled together.

Railway travel was an adventure in itself in 1890s Western Australia, particularly those long rail lines into the outback.  The papers of that decade are full of stories and complaints.

In 1891, the decision had been made to create a rail line to the goldfields.  Competition was fierce between York and Northam to be the ‘starting point’ for the rail journey.  Northam won.  The line from Northam to Merredin was completed the following year, was extended to Southern Cross in 1894, then to Coolgardie in 1895 and finally to Kalgoorlie in September 1896.  It was a brand new track, still full of mishaps and confusions.

At the time that Alice made this trip, there were two different lines involved.  Passengers caught a train to Northam.  The goldfields train began at Northam and was an entirely separate track.  By the end of 1897 the first direct train from Perth to Kalgoorlie was running, but Alice probably travelled a few months too soon to catch this one.  There was a ‘Kalgoorlie Express’ train but before July 1897 it followed the same track as the others and if caught behind a slow train it had to sit at that slow pace.  It was ‘express’ only in that it stopped at fewer stations.

Everyone who wrote about these trains agreed on a couple of points.  They were slow – often running hours if not days behind schedule.  They were crowded.  There is one reference in late 1897 to a train of eighteen passenger carriages full of people arriving in Kalgoorlie.  They were unreliable.  Water was a huge issue for the train which ran on steam.  If at any point water was not to be had, the train had to wait for water to be brought from a nearby place.

The first part would have been exciting.  Journeys always are at the start, but the line from Perth to Northam meandered greatly, following tracks laid down over a decade earlier to service what by 1897 were Perth suburbs.

After leaving Perth it ran northeast through Bayswater (the picture at the start of this blog post).  By the 1890s the region was well settled.  They would have passed through streets of houses with a few paddocks attached, past a lot of new buildings and trees.  After Bayswater the line crossed the Swan River and reached Guildford, then it was just a short distance to Midland Junction where it stopped to pick up more passengers.

Midland Junction

Feb 1897:  Sir,- Permit me through the column of your widely-circulated journal, to draw attention to the disgraceful way in which the so called Perth-Midland Junction timetable is adhered to; or rather, is not adhered to. For the advertised 8.35 business train from Guildford to Perth to run to time is now, if not a thing of the past, a very rare exception to the rule. It is in most cases from 10 to 15 minutes and very often as much 25 minutes late .  If it is found that the return journey cannot be accomplished within the advertised time, why not run the 7.45 train out from Perth ten or 15 minutes earlier?  Surely this could be managed, now that the duplicate rails extend to within a mile of Guildford, without any danger of collisions.
-Tours, &c, TRAVELLER. 
Guildford, February (3)

After Midland Junction, the train apparently went to Mundaring – a deviation from the present route.  After Mundaring the line turned northwards and they followed the Avon River for roughly 40 miles (64km) to Toodyay.  This was a very picturesque journey.

Toodyay

1922:  A three hours’ train journey through stately timber country brings the tourist to Toodyay, the centre of an old-established district and one of the earliest surveyed town sites in the State. Situated on the left bank of the Avon river and nestling amid tree covered hills, Toodyay is undoubtedly one of the most charming inland towns in W.A., and affords tourists ample proof of the wisdom of the early pioneers who, almost go years ago, determined to settle in such beautiful surroundings. The clearness of the atmosphere, due to its high position, marks the district as one of the health resorts of the State …  a quaint, little old fashioned village, but with all the advantages of the new world.

The Avon River, crossed by various bridges, enhances the beauty of the valley and, here and there, are beautifully clear swimming pools … (4)

From Toodyay, the train headed directly south, even veering a little back east, till it reached Clackline.

Clackline

 

May 1897:  Disgraceful Railway Accommodation.
“The travelling public and the residents of Newcastle and district are complaining bitterly at the accommodation the Railway authorities provide for travellers between Newcastle and Clackline. The train running between these two places is only provided with one small carriage consisting of one first and two second class compartments, giving seating accommodation to 18 persons, 6 first and 12 second class. The first class passengers are the worst treated. . They pay an increased fare for the privilege of travelling with a greater degree of comfort but, for various reasons, they have often to content themselves with the hard and uncomfortable benches of the second class compartments. One reason may be that more than the half-dozen may have purchased tickets, or it may be that some gentleman may wish to have a quiet smoke on the journey but as the compartment may contain a lady or two he must perforce abstain till Clackline is reached , or retire to the second class division in the hope, often a delusive one, that no ladies are travelling there. On every hand complaints are being made, of the general discomfort experienced by travellers and some alteration is absolutely necessary.” (5)

Uncomfortable carriages weren’t the only issue.

May 1897: A Derailed Tender. — During shunting operations at Clackline on Friday last the tender of an engine became derailed. The mishap caused a delay of two hours to the Coolgardie express. (6)

There were also delays due to special trains which were sometimes attached for officials and VIPs.

After Clackline, the tracks turned directly east.  The train stopped at Spencer’s Brook where passengers from Albany met the train.  Once all passengers were loaded, the train continued on.  Just past Spencer’s Brook they again met the Avon River which they crossed, then travelled the last half hour to Northam, the final destination.

Northam