About SideTracked Caches
This cache belongs to the SideTracked series. It is not designed to take you to a magical place with a breath taking view. It's a distraction for the weary traveller, but anyone else can go and find it too. More Information can be found at the SideTracked Website
About SideTracked - Tallong Station
In 1869, Barbers Creek, as it was known, was opened as a stopping location for steam locomotives to take on water, and a main source of locomotive water between Moss Vale and Goulburn.
Water was pumped up from a pool in the creek to a 58.5 kL tank on the Sydney side of the platform. In April 1878 and additional 63kL water tank was added next to the original tank. In 1881 these two tanks were replaced with two 50.5 kL tanks.
An example of the tanks used is still seen today, one 200 metres south of the station, and one 250 metres north of the station. These tanks are either additional tanks that have come into use and the original tanks on the Sydney end of the down-platform removed, or they are the original tanks that have been relocated to their present positions. They were clearly not in their original position in a 1920 photograph.
The tanks have retained their role until steam power was fully superseded by diesels in October 1969.
26 October 1912 a new signal box came into use on the original platform, along with a new up-platform with waiting shed.
By 1920 the down-platform consisted of a goods shed, ticket office and waiting shed. By 1988 the goods shed had been demolished and the waiting room partially demolished, and by April 1994 the signal box and ticket office were replaced with a cylindrical concrete shelter the same as used for Canberra’s bus shelters. The original waiting shed on the up-platform is still in use.
You can see early photographs at Stations Past.
In 1869, when Barber’s Creek Tank opened, water was pumped from a waterhole in the creek. In 1883/4 a dam was built across the creek a little way upstream. In 1912 the wall of the dam was raised to increase the capacity to 8,000,000 gallons (approx. 36 ML), and in 1917 the wall was raised again. The dam was damaged by floodwaters, most likely after a big flood in 1976. The dam was then strengthened and the spillway was replaced with a larger one made of sheet piling. A steel walkway was added after 2010 to provide safe access for maintenance crews.
A station Masters house was built between the railway station and the dam, and a pump house next to it. The house is no longer there, and the pump house was sold in 1988 to a Tallong resident and re-erected on private property.
Line: Main South Line
Distance: 185.3 km from Sydney
History: 1869 opened as Barbers Creek Tank
16 Apr 1878 platform added
6 Apr 1905 renamed Tallong
1954 electric power was provided to the station