Unanderra–Moss Vale line
Overview
Status	Active
Owner	Transport Asset Manager of New South Wales
Locale	Illawarra, Southern Highlands
Termini	Unanderra Moss Vale
Stations	9 (5 open)
Service
Type	Freight, Tourist
Operator(s)	East Coast Heritage Rail (occasional tourist services)
History
Opened	August 1932
Technical
Line length	57 km (35 mi)
Route map Map Legend km from Central Dates refer to opening and closure South Coast line toConiston 88.27 Unanderra South Coast line toKembla Grange Maldon–Dombarton line toMaldon 108.13 Summit Tank 118.99 Mount Murray 1932-1995 122.19 Ocean View 1936-1968 126.69 Ranelagh House 128.30 Robertson 134.88 Burrawang 1932-1975 140.36 Calwalla 1932-1976 Main Southern line toBurradoo 145.71 Moss Vale Main Southern line toExeter This diagram: view talk edit

TheUnanderra–Moss Vale railway line is a cross country railway line inNew South Wales,Australia. The line branches from theIllawarra line atUnanderra and winds west up theIllawarra escarpment to join theMain South line atMoss Vale. The line is one of the most scenic in New South Wales, and for the first 20 km (12 mi) after leaving Unanderra has an almost continuous grade 1 in 30 providing extensive views over the Illawarra coastline.^[1]

The line is 57 kilometres (35 mi) in length, and is double track fromUnanderra toDombarton. The line then becomes single track with several crossing loops. Legacies of the abandonedMaldon – Dombarton railway line that was partly built in the 1980s are a bridge over the old Princes Highway at Unanderra, double track section to Dombarton and unfinished electrification masts.^[2] The single track bridge at Dombarton was recycled in February 1992, being installed on the Lavender Bay branch of theNorth Shore line atWaverton.^[3][4]

The line connects the following current and former passenger stations:^[5]

• Unanderra – junction withIllawarra line
• Dombarton – end of double line (formerly the site of an unusual crossing loop arrangement)^[6]
• Summit Tank (platform only) (crossing loop)
• Mount Murray (closed) (crossing loop reopened 1980s)
• Ocean View (closed 1968)
• Ranelagh House (platform only)
• Robertson (platform) (crossing loop)
• Burrawang (closed 1975)
• Calwalla (closed 1976) (crossing loop reopened 1980s)
• Moss Vale – triangular junction withMain South line

The line was first proposed in the 1880s by residents ofMoss Vale and local industry keen for a connection to the port atPort Kembla. However, the impetus for the line was as a condition of the erection of a new steelworks at Port Kembla, byHoskins Iron and Steel. The government announced that the line would be constructed, in November 1923.^[7][8]

Construction began on 26 June 1925, and the line opened on 20 August 1932.^[9] The delay in opening the line was costly to the government, because when the steelworks opened, in 1928, it paid freight costs as if the line were open, although trains actually travelled over a much longer route until 1932.^[10] Because parts of the line are susceptible to falling rockssnow sheds were erected to catch falling debris.^[11]

The line initially carried mainly limestone from theMarulan Quarry toPort Kembla Steelworks, but also vegetables fromRobertson toSydney and later, coal. Passenger services began in August 1932 withCPH railmotors. From 1938 these were replaced by30 class steam locomotives. From February 1967 the CPHs once again operated the service. The weekday service was replaced by road transport in September 1985.^[11][12]

A locomotive hauled weekend train fromSydney to Moss Vale via Unanderra was introduced and operated until July 1994.^[13] It was replaced by anEndeavour railcar service fromWollongong.^[14]

Following theNSW Department of Transport seeking expressions of interest to take over the weekends only passenger service as a tourist operation,3801 Limited commenced the Cockatoo Run heritage tourist train on 19 August 1995.^[15][16] Initially the train operated from a base established in thePort Kembla Locomotive Depot Complex as a returnWollongong toMoss Vale service. Steam locomotiveSMR18 was leased by 3801 Limited from the Hunter Valley Training Company for the service.

Financial difficulties led to the suspension of the Cockatoo Run from November 1998 until March 1999, after which date the train ran between Port Kembla and Robertson only.^[17][18] Furthermore, it was diesel hauled and ran for nine months of the year.^[19]

From March 2001, the Cockatoo Run was merged with another of the 3801 Limited's operations, the Long Lunch Train.^[20] This service operated on selected Sundays and Wednesdays or Thursdays with heritage diesel locomotives.^[21] It has on occasions operated with steam locomotives from theLachlan Valley Railway andPowerhouse Museum.^[22] The Cockatoo Run currently operates on selected Sundays.^[23]

In 2022, the railway line was damaged due to rain erosion. Maintenance workers closed the line in a period of 7 months. In October of that year, the line re-opened.

ANSW TrainLink roadcoach service is now provided in lieu of the former rail service. The three times daily service stops atWollongong,Dapto andAlbion Park stations, Hoddle StreetBurrawang, Illawarra HighwayRobertson, then atBowral andMoss Vale stations. One service per day also servesExeter andBundanoon stations.^[24][25]

Limestone freight continues to operate, and the line remains a valuable freight link to the shipping terminal at Port Kembla and various industries in the Illawarra region. It is a useful bypass line when engineering works close theMain South line.^[26]

The line remains popular with steam locomotive hauled services from Sydney as the line allows them to operate a loop without the need to turn the locomotive.

A section of the line was deviated in 1973 to avoidWingecarribee Reservoir.^[11]

On 15 December 2020, 39 wagons of a grain train on its way toPort Kembla were derailed nearFarmborough Heights around 5.00am, losing most of its 2,600 tonnes of grain.^[27]

• Railway lines opened in 1932
• Regional railway lines in New South Wales
• Standard-gauge railways in Australia
• Transport in Wollongong

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Use dmy dates from February 2022
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