Brief Guide 26: records relating to railways
The first railways in Tasmania were established by private companies. These companies did not prosper financially however and the Government progressively took them over. The first company was the Launceston and Western Railway Company which began construction of the Launceston-Deloraine Line in 1868. As the Government interest extended over the whole railway network the Tasmanian Government Railways was established under a General Manager for Railways in 1888.
The following agencies were responsible for railways in Tasmania A complete listing of all records held can be found using the search facility in Tasmanian Archives Online.
- Launceston and Western Railway Department 1872 - 1885 (TA244)
- Tasmanian Government Railways 1885 – 1938 (TA245)
- Transport Commission 1938 – 1981 (TA90)
In 1978 responsibility for railways passed to the Commonwealth Government (see National Archives of Australia Fact Sheet 27 Tasmanian railways for records which were transferred to the Commonwealth in 1978). See also Brief Guide No 14 for records relating to railway employees held in the Archives Office.
Below is a selected list of records relating to railways but researchers should check our Series Titles Lists of records created by relevant agencies.
Acquisition of land for railway purposes
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PWD215
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General correspondence and associated papers relating to surveys for proposed railway lines.
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Jan 1883 – Dec 1899
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LSD440
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Alphabetical register to roads and railways surveyed through ungranted lands under various acts with references to survey diagram books held in the Central Plan Office.
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Jan 1905 – Dec 1962
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LSD30
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Proclamations, correspondence and associated papers relating to the resumption of land for railway purposes.
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Jan 1899 – Dec 1946
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LSD31
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Registers of the Resumption of land for railway purposes.
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Jan 1899 – Dec 1946
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LSD433
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Register of lands acquired for roads and railways.
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Jan 1896 – Dec 1953
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PWD216
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General correspondence and associated papers relating to the acquisition of land for railway purposes.
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Jan 1905 – Dec 1926
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Plans and specifications
(NB all railway plans and drawings that were originally stored at the Railway Offices in Launceston are now at National Archives of Australia)
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PWD240
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Specifications for railway bridgework, rolling stock and associated items for various railways.
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Jan 1883 – Dec 1888
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PWD252
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Volume of plans and specifications of bridges, railways and buildings (Indexed in subject index in search room).
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Jan 1884 – Dec 1894
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AA970
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Plans and specifications of the proposed railway from, M L R Bridgewater to New Norfolk, Hamilton and Ouse.
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1883
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PWD245
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Plan and section of Main Line Railway Hobart Town to Longford.
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1869
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PWD237
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Register of the importation of materials and equipment for railways.
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Jan 1885 – Dec 1896
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Correspondence relating to the construction, maintenance and administration of railways
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PWD214.
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General correspondence and associated papers relating to the construction, maintenance and operations of specific railway lines (see list)
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Jan 1872 – Dec 1938
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PWD213
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General correspondence and associated papers relating to railways generally.
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Jan 1883 – Dec 1953
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PWD218
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General correspondence relating to railway plant.
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Jan 1923 – Dec 1937
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TC10
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General Correspondence of the Tasmanian Government Railways. The correspondence is arranged in an annual single number system and relates to both administrative matters as well as staff. Access to the series is via the Register (TC12)
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1911 – 1963
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TC22
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General correspondence of the Transport Commission. There is an index to these files (AD755) and a list of the file headings used (AD756)
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1946 – 1996
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PWD192
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Ministers Office – Letterbook of correspondence relating to railways.
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Jul 1882 – Feb 1900
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PWD221
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Letterbook of correspondence relating to railways generally.
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Jan 1882 – Dec 1894
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PWD222
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Letterbook of correspondence relating to the Derwent Valley Railway.
Note: this is one example of several series of letterbooks relating to specific lines – see als PWD223 – PWD230
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Jan 1914 – Dec 1917
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Records are also available for Mt Lyell Mining and Railway Company and the Emu Bay Railway Company.
