Volume 20: Issued Monday 25th January 2010
PROPOSED NEW RAILWAY. FROM GORDON TO NARRABEEN.
Sydney – The Sydney Morning Herald Monday 13th June 1921
Editor’s comments: From quite early in the 20th century, a railway line that connected Gordon Railway Station with the northern beaches had been proposed. The following article, written in 1921, contains information about this, together with the map (above) showing the planned route. This extended northwards from Gordon Station parallel with Stoney Creek Road (Mona Vale Rd) on the left side as we move towards St. Ives. Then up the big hill (referred to as Pratten Hill in the article) to St. Ives Station that was to be located south of Pentecost Avenue). The line then continued parallel to Pittwater Road (Mona Vale Rd) to Last Rocks (near today’s Wildflower Garden) and on to Narrabeen Station)
On Saturday Mr. J. Estell, Minister for Works, inspected the route of a proposed railway line from Gordon, on the North Shore line, to the coast near Narrabeen, Tho Minister was accompanied on his tour by Messrs. Bavin and Greig, Ms.L.A., Mr. W. R. Fitzsimons (president of tho Ku-ring-gai Shire Council), and councillors, and by Mr. J. Hughes and members of the St. Ives Railway League.
The route suggested, of which an exploration survey has been made by Mr. Scott Griffiths, is 11½ miles in length. From Gordon station it follows the line of Stoney Creek to Pratten Hill, and thence along the west side of High Ridge to St. Ives. After passing Cowan-road the route passes through orchard land of an easy grade to First Rocks, on the boundary of Ku-ring-gai and Warringah shires. From that point it follows closely the ridge traversed by the Pittwater-Ryde road, and by a wide sweep drops down under the declivity of Tumbledown Dick. Then, skirting Sugarloaf Hill, It runs along the valley to Narrabeen. The general grade throughout is 1 in 96.
The tour most effectively demonstrated that an immense district suitable both for fruit- growing and the settlement of a very large suburban population would be available close to the metropolis if tho proposed line were constructed. Easy access would be given to the beaches north of Manly, and Ku-ring-gai Chase. 60,000 acres in extent, the great national playground of the people, would be brought close to their doors. From a scenic point of view the line would rival some of tho famous sections of the State railways; the views of rugged wooded country, and alluring coastline obtainable from many points being probably unequalled in Australia.
At St. Ives the inspecting party visited the orchards of Messrs. Russel, Hensman, and Symington, and obtained first-hand knowledge of the capabilities of the district. The rows of orange and mandarin trees heavily laden with golden fruit, grown on the rich loam on Mr. Russel's property, and the luscious fruit produced by the heavily fertilised sandy soil on Mr. Symington's holding, deeply impressed the visitors. Though the soils differed, the quality of the fruit was superb in both cases. Mr. Symington informed tho party that he had taken 3500 cases of oranges and mandarins off seven acres in one year. The railway route lies through 8000 acres of Crown land, similar to Mr. Symington's.
At a luncheon provided by the St. Ives Railway League, Mr. J. Hughes, the president, stated that the proposed line would traverse about three miles of private property; the rest was Crown land, suitable for fruit-growing. The increase in land values, apart from passenger receipts, would pay for the construction of the line. The land now lay idle.
Mr. Estell pointed out the necessity for decentralisation. There were two lines of railway running north from Sydney, yet there wore no connections with the coast ports. Congestion In Sydney should be prevented, and men enabled to go to that district and take up 1½ acres, and establish comfortable homes. In New South Wales there were public works to cost 14 millions still uncompleted. When some were completed he hoped to take new work in hand, Ho saw one of the finest parts of the country in that district, and he would promise to have a trial survey made from Gordon to the coast. Then he would ask the Commissioners to prepare a report for submission to Parliament. Messrs. Bavin and Greig urged the construction of the line, and emphasised the relief it would give to congested city areas.
Mr. FItzsimons gave valuable information as to the growth of the district and its potentialities. After lunch the remainder of the route was inspected. On arrival at Mona Vale the visitors were received by Mr. A. G. Parr, president, and councillors of Warringah shire, and a desire was expressed to co-operate with the people of Ku-rlng-gai shire in securing the construction of the railway.
GOOD ROADS.
GORDON-ROAD CRITICISED.
(BY PHILLIP R. NORMAN, B.E.)
An extract from this article that appeared in
The Sydney Morning Herald Wednesday 8th November 1922
Editors Note: “Gordon Road” is today’s Pacific Highway.
The suitability of the type of construction proposed for the Gordon-road, now under discussion is open to serious question. It has been proposed to consolidate the existing macadam to provide a foundation course of broken stones 6 inches in depth, and to lay on this a wearing course, of asphaltic concrete of the Topeka typo to a depth of 2 inches.
The Topeka pavement is an asphaltic concrete, in which the individual mineral particles range in size from ½ inch in diameter down to dust, bound together with 7 ½ to 9 ½ per cent of asphaltic cement. We offer no criticism to this type as a wearing surface; it is durable, requires very little maintenance, and affords a surface with excellent riding qualities. The stability of a road, however, is primarily dependent upon the foundation course.
The foundation of water-bound macadam is entirely inadequate to withstand even the present traffic on this the only artery serving the northern suburbs, whilst the most adventurous clairvoyant would hesitate to forecast the traffic that will use this highway after its improvement. Apart from the inadequacy of the type, a good broken stone foundation cannot be made from the product of the crushers supplying Sydney today.
In a word this Topeka on water-bound macadam type is the lowest type of asphalt construction other than straight out oiled macadam. It has its place in lightly travelled subsidiary routes or in secondary suburban streets, but is utterly inadequate for the traffic that uses - and will use the Gordon-road. Were it practicable to put that 2In of Topeka on a 6in concrete foundation, the objection of inadequacy of foundation would be overruled. This obviously is financially impossible at this stage, but at least a road of concrete is possible. An adequate unreinforced concrete pavement 6 ½ inches average thickness can be built for 14/- per square yard.
On July 1, 1922 the State of California had 1526 miles of concrete, 828 miles of asphalt on concrete, and only 17 miles of asphalt on macadam; since 1917 they have built only 2 miles of this latter type, the type proposed for the Gordon-road, and yet California is one of the world's centres In the asphalt Industry.
Build concrete and utilise Australian materials. At the end of 15 years, should traffic demand it, there is still a road that can be surfaced with concrete or thickened and strengthened with more concrete. The question is one of service and utility, not one of a short-term maintenance guarantee. The policy of constructing pavements by contract subject to a guarantee is antiquated and financially unsound. The contractor must charge for the guarantee and in his charge must not only cover good construction and straight out maintenance, but also the risk that the engineer has correctly designed the road, and has judiciously estimated the traffic that the pavement will have to withstand.
ROAD-MAKING PLANT.
GORDON RESIDENTS INDIGNANT.
The Sydney Morning Herald... Monday 22nd October 1923
Gordon's residents assembled in large numbers at the Parish Hall on Saturday evening to protest against what was described as "the insufferable nuisance" arising from the plant used near the railway station by the contractor for the reconstruction of the Lane Cove-road. In the process of heating bitumen and metal, it was stated, great quantities of smoke and dust were emitted, causing great inconvenience in the neighbourhood.
Councillor N. McIntosh (shire president) and Councillor Lockley spoke in defence, and counselled moderation in view of a possible loss to the shire if the contractor was hampered unduly.
Resolutions were passed protesting against the nuisance, and requesting that vigorous measures should be taken to abate it, expressing concern at the lax attitude and indifference of the shire council in permitting the nuisance, and deciding that, as the nuisance existed on railway premises, a deputation should wait on the Railway Commissioners in regard to it.
Members of the deputation were elected, and it was decided that the members for the district should be asked to co-operate.
NEW GORDON-ROAD. COST £70,000.
The Sydney Morning Herald... Monday 31st March 1924
The construction of new Gordon-road, from Boundary-road, Willoughby, to Hornsby, at a cost of about £70,000, has been completed.
The Minister for Local Government (Mr. Fitzpatrick) will perform the official opening on Saturday afternoon.
GORDON ROAD.
The Sydney Morning Herald... Saturday 16th August 1924
Is this the highway
Which leads to sylvan byway,
Where Nature blesses
The mind in cool recesses?
Is this the highway?
When last I used it
Hard traffic had abused it.
Dust choked the hedges.
And rose to window-ledges,
When last I used it.
We drove with caution
Discomfort, risk our portion
Across ruts, ridges,
With danger near the bridges
We drove with caution.
But transformation
Now stirs our admiration.
Deep-laid, smooth-crested,
The skill of man suggested
That transformation.
Where concrete hardens
We glide, by dustless gardens,
Past fair verandahs
The happy way meanders
Where concrete hardens.
So, wise suggestion
May settle every question.
Life's road re-maklng,
We heal a worn world's aching
By wise suggestion.
The dust of passion
Displayed in warlike fashion
Ere long shall vanish,
For wisdom's word will banish
The dust of passion.
Life's pitfalls mended,
Man treads a highway splendid,
With inspiration
Beyond imagination.
All pitfalls mended.
EVELYN G. STRANG
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