These images were provided by Acciano (Harry Olsen) and were originally published in the July edition of Catch Point Magazine, publication of the National Railway Museum.
HISTORIC stone remains of Gawler’s first turntable pit dating back to the 1860s have been rediscovered as part of earthworks for the Gawler rail electrification.
The pit’s history was researched by Bob Sampson, who is the executive officer of the National Railway Museum at Port Adelaide.
The stone walls of the pit and the stone remains of the adjacent loco ash-pit were documented for heritage purposes, before being covered over to permit a continuation of track building, which is scheduled for completion in November.
“The turntable remains and ash-pit are believed to date from about 1860, with the table being an old 50-foot (15m) version – quite suitable for steam engines of that period,” Mr Sampson said.
He said eventually Gawler was provided with improved and enlarged loco facilities and a triangle for turning railcars and locomotives.
Because of electrification works, most of the former rail sidings used for stabling railcars overnight at Gawler have now been ripped up and new tracks laid in a different configuration. Mr Sampson has been working with Member for Light Tony Piccolo as part of the Barossa Tourist Train Taskforce.
Mr Piccolo said the group was working on a draft project brief that would be the basis of an independent inquiry into the viability of a Barossa Valley-focused tourist train that would be funded by a future state Labor government.
Mr Piccolo said he was pleased this snippet of rail history had been captured.
“It is a great credit to Bob Sampson for obtaining the photos of this piece of Gawler’s rail history before it was filled in to continue track works,” Mr Piccolo said.
“Recording this rail history is important to preserve for future generations to understand the local transportation history of the town, particularly during its early industrial period in the nineteenth century.
“The heritage of the rail precinct is very important to the town.”
Mr Sampson has more than 40 years’ experience in the rail sector.
He started with SA Railways in 1972, transferring to Australian National Railways, where he worked in administrative and freight operations’ logistics roles.
Later he was in senior management roles in public and corporate relations, before joining Australian Rail Track Corporation in corporate property management.
