South Australian Railway Company
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The South Australian Railway Company was an attempt in the 1840s by private capitalists to establish a railway in the infant colony of South Australia. The company was based in London, where most of the capital was to be raised, £25,000 in the first instance. There were two or three local directors, since in the days before electric undersea cable telegraph, London was too far away for effective control.
Routes
[edit]The first route from Adelaide to Port Adelaide was only 6 miles long, quite straight and flat and suitable for horse drawn operation. The initial line was to be single track, with frequent crossing loops.
A longer route to the Burra copper mines was proposed later on.
Directors
[edit]British directors (possibly incomplete): G. F. Angas, Esq., George Barnes Esq, W.G Gover, Esq., Rowland Hill, Esq., J. B. Montefiore, Esq.: Managing Director.—Edwin Hill, Esq.: Colonial Director—Robert Gouger, Esq.
The provisional committee in February 1846 was:[1]
- Capt. Bagot M.L.C.
- John Baker Esq.
- Charles Beck, Esq.
- James Bunce, Esq.
- William Giles, Esq.
- Jacob Hagen, Esq. M.L.C.
- John Hart, Esq.
- Capt. George Hall
- James Henderson, Esq.
- E. L. Montefiore, Esq.
- J. B. Neales, Esq.
- William Peacock, Esq.
- Saml. Stocks, Jun., Esq.
- W. Younghusband, Esq.
Collapse
[edit]In the event the railway was too ambitious, and ahead of its time. It was stillborn.
Timeline
[edit]- 1836 Colony of South Australia is founded
- 1846 (February) Advertisement for Prospectus to raise capital of £25,000. (with power to increase).[1]
- 1846 (July) Special Meeting to approve amalgamation with the Adelaide City and Port Railway Company[2]
- 1850 Survey of his proposed line to a point distant 65 to 70 miles from Adelaide, and only 26 miles from the Burra Burra Copper mines.
- 1854 Steam operated government railway opens.
- 1856 Sir—May I be permitted to enquire what has become of the funds collected by the South Australian Railway Company. I hold scrip, of which the ...[3]
- 1865 A South Australian Railway Company has been projected, and several influential parties are moving in the matter.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Advertising". South Australian Register. South Australia. 28 February 1846. p. (). Retrieved 25 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "SOUTH AUSTRALIAN RAILWAY COMPANY". South Australian Register. Vol. XIII, no. 958. South Australia. 18 July 1849. p. 2. Retrieved 25 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN RAILWAY COMPANY". South Australian Register. Vol. XX, no. 2930. South Australia. 20 February 1856. p. 3. Retrieved 25 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
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