Screenshots
A quarry was established at Crowdy Head to provide all the rock material for the building of the Manning River Breakwalls. The lighthouse at Crowdy Heads was established in 1879, and for many years was a very isolated location for the keeper.
A loaded train prepares to depart from the quarry. During it's life approximately 600,000 tons of rock was taken from the quarry and used on the breakwall. Explosives were used to loosen the rock and the steam crane was used to load rocks up to 12 tons onto the wagons.
A loaded train headed by Baldwin Steam Tram No 33 leaves the quarry. No 33 was originally purchased in 1882, for operation on the Sydney tramway system, but with full electrification of this system in 1907, it became surplus to needs and was sold to the PWD for use on projects. It arrived at Harrington in 1919 and operated through until 1926, when it was replaced by Tram No 19.
Leaving the quarry, the railway line followed the shoreline behind the sand dunes. The line was relatively straight and level, so it didn't present many major operational problems.
No 33 hauling a loaded rock train towards Harrington. The railway was also occassionally used to carry other loads, such as passengers from steamers that unlaoded at Crowdy Heads, when they were unable to cross the bar at Harrington. It also carried men injured at the quarry to Harrington, where they would be transferred to tug for the rvier trip to the hospital at Taree.
A view along the line showing a long section of straight track, which was typical of the line. The drifting sand sometimes created problems for the track maintenance crews as they would need to clear the line of sand.
Looking along the beach from Harrington towards Crowdy Head. The smoke from a train can be seen on the left of the picture indicating the close proximity of the line to the ocean.
A view of the northern breakwall, which was approximately 4000 feet (1.2km) long and required the dumping of 230,000 tons of rock. The river enterance looks deceptively calm in the picture, but many ships were wrecked in the river enterance.
A loaded train has arrived at the Harrington Run-around loop. In the background is the locomotive servicing facilities and workshops.
A weighbridge was installed at Harrington to weigh all the rock before it was dumped on the breakwall. The weighbridge building is in the foreground with the run-around loop and workshops in the background.
No 33 has run-around its loaded train and will couple to the back in preparataion to propelling it forward over the weighbridge and then onto the breakwall for dumping of the rock.
No 33 propels its train along the Northern Training wall past the public wharf. The training wall was built inside the river mouth to keep the river on its "normal" course. The township is in the background and was initially established in 1856, with the building of the marine pilot station on Flagstaff hill in the bacground.
A tug was based at Harrington to assist coasters across the bar and upriver. The river was navagiable upriver as far as Wingham (approximately 20 miles).
No 33 prepares to unload its load at the Northern Crane wharf. This wharf allowed rocks to be loaded onto barges which then transported it across the river to the Southern Crane wharf, which was used to put the rocks onto horse drawn wagons for placement on the Southern traing wall. Building of the southern training wall and breakwall was suspended before it was finished. It was only approximately 1500 feet (450m) long.
No 33 is prepared for its next trip back to Harrington with a loaded train. As delivered to the Sydney Tramway system the Baldwin Steam Trams had three different cylinder sizes, 9, 10 and 11". They had a capacity to carry up to 246 gallons of water, so they didn't have an extensive range. As they were originally supplied they were operated by two men, but later in their lives they were converted to single man operation.
The crew have dumped the final load of rock for the day on the Northern Training Wall and are looking forward to a beer at the local Hotel after an exhausting day.
It is 7am and the crew of No 33 have had a late start today. They have fired up the tram in preparation for a long day hauling rock and are leaving the locomotive shed to water and coal the locomotive before heading to Crowdy Head.
The fireman of No 33 raises a head of steam in preparation for the return run to Crowdy Head Quarry, after unloading a load of rock for the Southern Training Wall.
The driver of No 33 guides his locomotive into the Shunting Neck at Harrington, prior to reversing and propelling his train onto the Northern Breakwall. Harrington is only a small village at this time.
Having dropped a load of rock onto the Northern Breakwall No 33 heads back to dry land with a set of empties. Despite its apparent solid appearance, the breakwall had to be rebuild on a number of occasion in its early history following destruction by storms.