Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot (NSW depot number 2) was a large locomotive depot consisting of two roundhouse buildings and associated facilities constructed by the New South Wales Government Railways adjacent to the marshalling yard on the Main Northern line at Broadmeadow. Construction of the locomotive depot at Broadmeadow commenced in 1923 to replace the existing crowded loco sheds at Woodville Junction at Hamilton, with the depot opening in March 1924.Historical Notes on the Main Northern Railway Strathfield to Wallangarra, J. Forsyth, NSW PTC"Remember When" Railway Digest February 1995 page 45 It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
History
Original facilities
Original facilities provided include a single manually operated diameter turntable with 42 radiating roads. Twenty one of these roads were covered by a wooden framed roundhouse building clad in corrugated sheeting. All 21 roads in the roundhouse had long pits, radial drop pits were fitted to all 21 roads. Two elevated tanks fed three diameter water columns. An office for the District Locomotive Engineer (referred to as the DLE) was constructed using concrete drop panels.NSWR drawing 37-116 Broadmeadow Loco Depot Offices for Chargeman, Bookers on Etc dated 14 June 1923 An office building for the Superintendent, Steam Shed Inspector, Timkeepers & Clerks was built near the water tanksNSWR drawing 37-115 Broadmeadow Loco Depot Offices for Superintendent, Clerks Etc dated 11 August 1923 along with a rest barracks for crews from other depots that was located near the depot, with both of these buildings also using the concrete drop panel method of construction.
Coaling was provided by a capacity wooden elevated coal bunker capable of loading coal to locos on both sides. The coaling stage was long by high and was served by a 1:30 grade approach ramp. The coal bunker was also provided with storage and drying facilities for sand, with two wet sand bunkers of capacity and two dry sand bunkers of capacity being provided.NSWGR drawing 24295 Arrangement of sand handling Plant on Existing Bunker Broadmeadow dated 26 September 1924 A timber framed machine shop clad in corrugated iron served from one of the radial roads from No. 1 turntable was also provided.NSWR drawing 37-117 Loco Depot Broadmeadow Machine Shop Details dated 3 September 1923 This building housed the wheel lathe as well as general lathes and other machine tools for use in maintaining the locomotives based at the depot. Also housed in this building was a blacksmiths section and the air compressors for supplying compressed air to the depot, along with the pumps for the boiler washing out plant.NSWGR drawing 23161 Arrangement of Machine Shop Broadmeadow dated 14 September 1923 A timber framed corrugated iron clad meal room for running staff capable of housing 140 men was also built near the workshop.NSWR drawing 37-114 Broadmeadow Loco Depot Meal Room For Running Staff dated 24 July 1924
Adjacent to the arrival road inspection pits and a timber framed stores building clad in corrugated iron was also provided.NSWGR drawing 23181 Broadmeadow Loco Depot Alteration to Buildings and Locations dated 26 September 1923 Two elevated de-ashing roads were constructed to the south of the site near the coal stage. These de-ashing pits consisted of a set of pits between the rails and side pits that were used for the disposal of the ashes from the smokebox and ashpan produced by the burning of coal in the firebox of the steam locomotives. Running underneath these pits at an angle was a sunken rail line where wagons were placed to collect the deposited ashes. In 1925, these deashing pits had a steel and timber frame corrugated iron clad shed constructed over them.NSWR drawing Broadmeadow – Shed Over Loco Deashing Plant dated 31 August 1925,
No. 2 turntable constructed In July 1926, construction of the manually operated diameter No. 2 turntable at its associated 42 radial roads was completed. Unlike the roads surrounding No. 1 turntable, initially none of the radial roads on No. 2 turntable were covered. Over the following years, several plans were proposed for the construction of a roundhouse building on the radial roads surrounding No. 2 turntable. A plan dated 30 January 1922 for a proposed Car and Wagon Works on land adjoining the loco depot site even shows a proposed third turntable, with all 3 turntables having full roundhouses.NSWGR drawing 21528 Proposed Car and Wagon Works Broadmeadow dated 30 January 1922
Further additions and construction of No. 2 roundhouse In July 1927, a third water tank was constructed. No major additions were carried out at the depot until 1945 when a third elevated de-ashing pit similar in construction to the original two de-ashing pits was constructed beside the original two pits, however the shelter covering the original pits was not extended to cover this new pit.Department of Railways New South Wales Order Cards for Broadmeadow The DLE's office was also extended in 1945.Department of Railways New South Wales drawing 1574–33,848 Broadmeadow Extension to Loco Offices dated 24 June 1943 A further improvement carried out in 1945 was the fitting of electric drive to the manually operated diameter No. 1 turntable.Statement of Heritage Impact – Broadmeadow Rail Depot August 2004, OHM Consultants Improved facilities were provided for the employees at the depot in 1947 with a new meal, locker and shower room being built. This building could accommodate 144 persons in the meal room, and had lockers for 300 persons.Department of Railways New South Wales drawing 1584–35,099 Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot Proposed Meal, Locker and Washing Facilities dated 2 March 1945
In 1948, planning started for a 21 road roundhouse building serving No. 2 turntable, however construction was not completed until 1951–52. All 21 undercover roads were in this building were fitted with long service pits. This building is of similar construction to the East shed section of the roundhouse completed in 1947 at Junee Locomotive Depot and has brick side and end walls with intermediate concrete columns and wooden roof trusses clad with corrugated sheeting. At the same time, the manually operated turntable was replaced with a diameter electrically operated turntable which was also similar to that provided at Junee. These works were for the proposed running of the D58 class locos from Broadmeadow.Singleton Argus article 26 August 1949 In 1948–49 a new office for the District Locomotive Engineer was constructed.Department of Railways New South Wales drawing 1463–37,977 Broadmeadow Loco Depot District Loco Engineers Office dated 12 July 1948
In 1952, drop pits were fitted to the service pits on roads 2–9 in No. 2 shed, with the jacks on 2–4 roads being capacity, the remanning jacks were of capacity. A radial hoist was fitted in the roof covering all 21 roads running above the drop pits. A second capacity radial hoist was fitted over the drop pit roads. At the same time 11 of the existing service pits in No. 2 shed were lengthened to in length.
Alterations to suit the AD60 class steam locomotives In 1954, work was completed on extending roads 18 to 21 and the covering building on No. 2 roundhouse to accommodate the new AD60 class Garratt locomotives at a cost of £87,662. This extension was of similar construction to the existing roundhouse. These roads were fitted with service pits long, with roads 20 and 21 being fitted with capacity drop pits. Four outdoor roads were also lengthened and fitted with pits long.Department of Railways New South Wales drawing 66547 Broadmeadow Loco Depot Accommodation for Garratt Locos dated 3 November 1950 To accommodate the length of the AD60 class locos, the turntable was lengthened to in diameter.Department of Railways New South Wales drawing 166–38 Broadmeadow 105 foot Turntable General Arrangement dated 18 June 1952 The two Northern bays of the coaling stage had a dividing wall installed as well as having the bottom of the two bins raised to accommodate coaling of the Garratt locos.Department of Railways New South Wales drawing 153–21 Broadmeadow Alterations to Coal Bunker for Coaling Garratt Locomotives dated 7 July 1954 In 1954, one of the radial roads on No. 2 turntable was altered into an additional departure road from the depot, this road was provided with a de-ashing pit and was adjacent to the water tank and de-ashing pit on the existing departure road from No. 2 shed. Unlike the elevated de-ashing pits near the coaling stage these two pits were conventional style pits in between the rails that required to be manually emptied. These two pits were used for the disposal of any ashes that had built up during preparation of the steam locos prior to departing the loco depot to haul a train.
Alterations to suit diesel locomotives With the introduction of diesel locomotives, fuel storage and refuelling facilities were initially provided. An additional fuel oil tank was provided in 1961. In 1962, Nos. 12 to 17 roads in No. 2 shed were upgraded to suit servicing diesel locomotives at a cost of £98,534. The steam servicing pits on these 6 roads were removed and replaced by elevated rail service pits. These new pits were fitted with service platforms at footplate level on both sides of the pits. This new section was partitioned off from the rest of the steam shed to keep out the grime associated with steam locomotives using the rest of the shed, improved lighting and ventilation was also fitted to this section of the shed. Additional rooms for the maintenance of diesel loco components along with oil storage tanks were constructed at the rear of this new section.Department of Railways New South Wales drawing 158-47 Diesel Servicing Facilities dated 7 June 1960Department of Railways New South Wales drawing 80116 Diesel Electric Locomotive Service Terminal dated 25 June 1959 In 1965, a Hegenscheidt pit wheel lathe was purchased for use at the depot for turning diesel loco wheels. This lathe was housed in a new shed constructed on land to the West of No. 1 Roundhouse at a cost of £90,962. This building was also fitted with a overhead crane.Department of Railways New South Wales drawing 90357 Hegenscheidt Pit Operated Wheel Lathe Building Arrangement dated 9 August 1963
As part of the upgrades to suit diesel locomotives, 2 of the outdoor radial roads from No. 2 turntable were connected to Broadmeadow yards and converted to arrival roads. A new capacity sanding plant for the diesel locos was constructed on one of these roads using steelwork transferred from Enfield Loco Depot.Department of Railway Drawing 158-123 Broadmeadow Loco Depot Sand Plant General Arrangement Dated 18 November 1960 In 1966, a new diesel fuel storage facility was installed consisting of four tanks and pump house, additional fuelling points were provided on the new arrival roads. A load box building was constructed on one of the outdoor roads of No. 2 turntable to allow the stationary load testing of diesel electric locos after repairs.Department of Railways New South Wales drawing 96031 Broadmeadow Loco Depot Accommodation for Diesel Electric Locomotives Site Plan of Facilities dated 5 December 1966 A new air compressor house was also constructed in 1965 adjacent to No. 2 Roundhouse.Department of Railways NSW drawing 176B-80 Broadmeadow Loco Depot Compressor House Alongside Roundhouse No .2 Dated 3 December 1963
End of steam and removal of steam facilities