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There were a large number of lines which were planned for NSW, but never built. Some never made it past the survey stage, some were authorised for construction but never built, and some were abandoned during construction.
The following lines were authorised by an Act of legislation, but never completed:
Coonabarabran to Burren Junction Railway Act 1913 No 12:
This railway commences at the western end of the station site at Coonabarabran on the Castlereagh River, at 313 miles 59 chains from Sydney, and immediately crosses that river and follows its left bank north-westerly for about 2 miles; a more northerly direction is then taken, and the old Nandi Road is crossed several times in ascending to the Warrumbungle Range, which it crosses and descends to Bugaldie Creek, the right bank of which it follows to near the town of Baradine, where the creek is crossed at its confluence with Baradine Creek; the line then passes through that township and follows the left bank of the latter creek for twenty miles, crosses it, and proceeds in close proximity to, and on the eastern side of the Travelling Stock Reserves to the town of Pilliga, the eastern portion of which it passes through, thence it takes a generally northerly bearing and crosses Turragulla Creek, Namoi River, and Millie Creek; 10 miles beyond the latter it terminates by a junction with the existing railway from Narrabri to Walgett, about 30 chains west of Burren Junction Station, at 409 miles 8 chains from Sydney via Wallerawang, and approximately 403 miles 30 chains from Sydney, via Newcastle, being a total distance of 95 miles 29 chains, and subject to such deviations and modifications as may be considered desirable by the Constructing Authority.
Estimated cost: £403,288.
Note: Although this line was not constructed, the Baradine-Gwabegar section was built as part of the line from Wallerawang to Gwabegar.
Canowindra to Gregra Railway Act 1924 No 54:
This railway commences at a point on the branch line from Canowindra to Eugowra about 1 mile north-westerly from Canowindra Station, and proceeds northerly on the eastern side of Toms Water Hole Creek for about 14 miles to the main road to Orange, which it crosses; thence a north-westerly bearing is taken for about 3 miles to a point about 3 miles east of the village of Toogong; thence a north-easterly bearing is taken for 6 miles, and Bowen Creek is crossed near its confluence with Bourimbla Creek, which is ascended to a point about 2 miles east of the village of Cudal; thence a northerly direction takes the line across Boree and Sandy Creeks near their confluence, and the latter creek is ascended for about 4 miles, and the line ends by a junction with the branch railway from Orange to Condobolin at the eastern end of Gregra Station at 224 miles 65 chains 52 links from Sydney via Orange, being a total distance of 33 miles 70 chains; and is subject to such deviations and modifications as may be considered desirable by the Constructing Authority.
Estimated cost: £216,198
Glen Innes to Inverell Railway Act 1950 No 7:
The proposed railway commences at a point on the Main Northern Line 423 miles 50 chains from Sydney distant 20 chains north of Glen Innes station and proceeds northerly and westerly, crossing Furracabad, Reddeston and Black Plain Creeks, a distance of approximately 13½ miles, to a point about 3 miles south of Wellingrove, thence generally south-westerly 4½ miles to cross Wellingrove Creek near its confluence with Maids Valley Creek, thence southerly 2½ miles along the right bank of Maids Valley Creek and ½ mile beyond towards Fletchers Nob having passed 1½ miles to the west of Waterloo, thence generally southerly and westerly about 29 miles passing between Dumbeg on the south and Mount Buckley on the north to follow Swan Brook past the Bald Hills and Sugarloaf and crossing Swan Brook approximately ½ mile east of its confluence with Main Gully and crossing Red Camp and Long Plain Gullies and the Macintyre River to join the North Western Line at Inverell, being a total distance of 50 miles 6 chains and is subject to such deviations and modifications as may be considered desirable by the constructing authority.
Estimated cost: £3,000,000
Gilgandra to Collie Railway Act 1915 No 47:
This railway commences by a junction with the existing line from Dubbo to Coonamble, at Gilgandra station, about 322 miles from Sydney, and proceeds nearly due west, crosses Marthaguy Creek about 326 miles, and in following the southern side of that creek it crosses and recrosses Calf Pen Creek; at about 341 miles the line curves and takes a north-westerly direction to the western portion of the town of Collie, where it ends on the southern side of Marthaguy Creek at 346 miles from Sydney, being a total distance of 24 miles, and subject to such deviations and modifications as may be considered desirable by the Constructing Authority.
Estimated cost: £105,000
Inverell to Ashford Railway Act 1927 No 27:
This railway commences by a junction with the branch line from Moree to Inverell at 508 miles from Sydney and about 2 miles north-westerly from Inverell terminus, and it proceeds north-westerly on the western side of Macintyre River, and across Spicer's, Rob Roy, and Jessie Gullies, also about 1 mile west of the village of Byron to 517 miles, thence to 527 miles where it crosses the Macintyre River the line runs northerly, and the eastern side of that river is ascended to 531 miles; thence a generally northerly direction is taken in close proximity to the western boundary of Travelling Stock Reserve 337 to the village of Ashford where the line terminates at 540 miles from Sydney, being a total distance of 32 miles, and subject to such deviations and modifications as may be considered desirable by the Constructing Authority.
Estimated cost: £262,000
Guyra to Dorrigo Railway Act 1928 No 15:
This railway commences on the existing Great Northern Railway at 288 miles from Newcastle about 2 miles north of Guyra Railway Station, thence it proceeds in a generally easterly direction to 323 miles, passing about 1 mile south of the village of Falconer at 292 miles; from about 300 to 323 miles it follows the ridge dividing the waters of the Aberfoyle River on the north from the waters of the Chandler River on the south; the line then proceeds south-easterly to 341 miles and skirts the north-eastern end of Doughboy Range, and the head of Guy Fawkes Station is passed about 2½ miles on the south; from 354 to 368 miles by the free use of curvature the head of Little Murray River is reached, the village of Deer Vale being passed on the south at about 363 miles; thence the north-easterly direction is resumed to the township of Dorrigo, where the line ends at 377 miles from Newcastle and junctions with the existing line from Glenreagh at about 70 miles from South Grafton being a total distance of 89 miles and is subject to such deviations and modifications as may be considered desirable by the Constructing Authority.
Estimated cost: £1,940,440
Sandy Hollow, via Gulgong, to Maryvale Railway Act 1927 No 28:
This railway connecting the northern and western railway systems commences at 206½ miles from Sydney and at the western end of Sandy Hollow Station on the Muswellbrook to Merriwa Branch from the Great Northern Railway, and it proceeds generally westerly across Goulburn River and in close proximity to the right or southern side of that river to 260 miles and past the villages of Baerami and Bylong, where a southerly bearing is taken to 265 miles; thence the line bears westerly past the village of Wollar and up Wilpinjong Creek, also past the village of Ulan and across Murragamba Creek and the Main Dividing Range; thence a south-westerly direction is taken to a point about 16 chains north of Gulgong Station on the branch line from Wallerawang to Coonabarrabran; thence a portion of that railway is followed for about 2¾ miles north-westerly to the northern side of Wyaldra Creek, where a westerly direction is taken across Puggoon Creek and through the gap in the range dividing the waters of the Cudgegong and Talbragar Rivers and across Sandy Creek: thence a generally south-westerly bearing takes the line down Bungiebomar Creek and across Spicer's Creek close to their confluence and over the range between the latter creek and Mitchell's Creek, across that creek to the terminus at 355 miles 48 chains from Sydney, being a point on the Great Western Railway at 263½ miles from Sydney and about 1½ miles from the northern end of Maryvale Station, being a total distance of 146½ miles, exclusive of the portion of the Wallerawang to Coonabarrabran railway aforesaid, and is subject to such deviations and modifications as may be considered desirable by the Constructing Authority.
Estimated cost: £1,353,789
Note:The section Sandy Hollow - Gulgong was started, abandoned, and later completed in the 1980's.
