We have been into Newcastle today and of course, had to get a photo or the demise of the rail line.
The three stations in the centre of Newcastle have now closed. Wickham, Civic and Newcastle railway stations ended their days on Boxing Day 2014.
At present shuttle busses are replacing the trains into the centre of Newcastle and apparently they are considering putting in a light rail.
Part of the reason for the closure is because of the disruption to traffic at the level crossings and apparently putting in a light rail will not cause the same problem. That's logic for you.
I personally think it is all about greedy developers wanting the land to build high rise apartments etc.
It is so sad to see the rusty rails of Civic Station here which opened in 1857.
As you know I will only be posting in my main album for the next couple of months or so and not doing a topic album too, because I am writing my family history.
It is so interesting to find out how my ancestors spent their days. I have traced my family on both my Mother's and Father's side back now to the early 1700s and am in the process of putting it all together in a story.
So sad to see this. men in suits making decisions based on money rather than service to the people. It happens everywhere! I've done both sides of our family history as well. it is a fascinating and addictive pastime!
Im very very dissapointed in the Newcastle Council and such to have let this happen ... Im born and raised in Newcastle and it makes me so sad as i use to go into town from Fassifern each week with my mum and nan and to know that we cant do that anymore is very sad indeed !!
When i got bigger and my family moved to sydney - i use to travel up on the country train and go all the way into Newcastle to be picked up by my big sister that was such a buzz
Beautiful record of the demise of the railway, left image says it all the right image as it should have remained, another increase in carbon emissions is that progress? Jenny researched our family trees and produced a book with photographs, charts and narratives: )
Hi Babs! I'm sure you're right and there is some monetary motive for the demise of these stations, very sad. Well done on the family history research, something I always mean to get round to doing and haven't as yet!
@derekvickers Thanks Derek. Although the line has closed they are now going through the courts because it is thought that they have closed it illegally. Who knows it may open up again.
About half an hour earlier the skies were grey and it poured down, but once the sun came out it was very steamy and hot.
@thistle Thanks Joyce. They are still trying to get the line open again and it is going through the courts at the moment.
I have been researching my family history for a couple of years now and am just trying to put the whole story together. Some interesting characters along the way.
@annied I think they want to build high rise living and plan more for tourists, but then the go and cut the rail line so that nobody can get there. There's logic for you.
@chimfa Thanks Jane. I have found some really interesting characters in my past. Mum did write a story about her life and we didn't find it until we cleared the house after she died. Interesting stuff.
@888rachel I agree, it is difficult to fathom. They are talking now about putting in a light rail. One of the arguments for the closure was that it disrupted the car traffic at the level crossing so wouldn't a light rail do exactly the same thing.
@jillibean It must be awful for you to see this change. This is only Civic station, but Newcastle station is such a beautiful station and goodness knows what they will do to it. Another bit of history is disappearing.
@pcoulson Thanks for your comment Peter. so sad to see the rail line closed.
Well done Jenny on doing your family history. I am putting it all together at the moment. Got all the info and photos etc, just got to put the story together now. I have found some very interesting characters along the way from my past.
@jackie8 Lovely to hear from you Jackie. Hope you will be up and running again soon.
Family history is so good to research and I have found some very interesting people from my past along the way. I have got all the information and am now in the process of putting it all together in a story. A lot of work I can tell you.
@hermann Thanks Sally. Newcastle will definitely change now.
Family history is so interesting. I thought I had better trace my past as our family is so small now and of course, our history is in the UK. Thank heaven for the Internet, Ancestry.com and Google maps etc. Plus of course, the Latter Day Saints site who have logged just about everyone in the world. ha ha.
I'm not sure that some of these decisions are made for the right reasons. So sad that the general public will potentially suffer just to suit the pocket of a selected few.
@onewing Jenny has found out all sorts of things many including skeletons and repeating christian names, I helped searching military records, found this very interesting, discovered my late father was in the SAS in WWII. he never said a word about the war to me, its a wonderful thing you are doing for your family Babs:)
I don't use the Train Babs, but my Daughter does, It was the same with the Trams, they took them out and now they are putting them back in our tows and City's.
@quietpurplehaze I agree Hazel. The centre of Newcastle has been struggling for ages and now the rail line has gone I think it will suffer even more. The rail line stops at Hamilton now and the journey from Hamilton to Newcastle used to take 8 minutes. Stopping at Wickham, Civic and Newcastle. Now people have to get off the train at Hamilton and get on a bus to Newcastle, which I suspect will take a lot longer than 8 minutes of the commuters time. That's progress. @nicoleterheide@salza@tonygig
@pcoulson Thanks Peter. I have found some very interesting characters and skeletons and many repeating Christian names. Sad times when they are desperate to name a child by a specific name and they die and they have to replace the name. I have three Martha's in one family before the final one survived childhood.
How interesting to be able to find your father's military record. It would probably have been classified for 50 years. There is an awful lot of what David did in the RAF and RAAF that I will never hear about.
Nice capture Babs...and sad about the loss of the train. Good for you on writing your family history. What an undertaking. My brother did a huge family history for us and he has worked on it for years, and still is not done. He has enjoyed it and so have we...so many interesting people and stories. Good luck with this endeavor!
@eyesmile Thanks Gena. Yes very sad about the trains. It doesn't affect us directly, because there are no train lines to where I live, but between cities it is crucial.
I have been researching my family history for years too and have got all the information together. At the moment I am putting some of it into a story for my sister and myself. I don't think you can ever get to the end of research because every time you think you can't find any more something else crops up.
@dide Thanks Dianne. It is sad to see the line go especially as it has been there since the 1850s. I don't use the train, but it is on the main line from Sydney to Newcastle and now it stops three stations short of the city.
When i got bigger and my family moved to sydney - i use to travel up on the country train and go all the way into Newcastle to be picked up by my big sister that was such a buzz
About half an hour earlier the skies were grey and it poured down, but once the sun came out it was very steamy and hot.
I have been researching my family history for a couple of years now and am just trying to put the whole story together. Some interesting characters along the way.
Well done Jenny on doing your family history. I am putting it all together at the moment. Got all the info and photos etc, just got to put the story together now. I have found some very interesting characters along the way from my past.
Family history is so good to research and I have found some very interesting people from my past along the way. I have got all the information and am now in the process of putting it all together in a story. A lot of work I can tell you.
Family history is so interesting. I thought I had better trace my past as our family is so small now and of course, our history is in the UK. Thank heaven for the Internet, Ancestry.com and Google maps etc. Plus of course, the Latter Day Saints site who have logged just about everyone in the world. ha ha.
How interesting to be able to find your father's military record. It would probably have been classified for 50 years. There is an awful lot of what David did in the RAF and RAAF that I will never hear about.
I have been researching my family history for years too and have got all the information together. At the moment I am putting some of it into a story for my sister and myself. I don't think you can ever get to the end of research because every time you think you can't find any more something else crops up.