Photo: Sash from opening day of the electrification presented to Station Master Gregory Stubbs by QR CEO Vince O’Rourke
Opening of the Ipswich Rosewood Electrification 21/12/93
The newly electrified rail line between Ipswich and Rosewood was opened by David Hamill, Minister for Transport and Member for Ipswich. He was accompanied by Don Livingstone, member for Ipswich West.
700 hundred people were present at the opening on 21 December 1993. Queensland Railways CEO Vince O’Rourke commented that the opening was one of the most successful since the introduction of electric trains throughout the network.
The new service reduced the travel time from Rosewood to Ipswich from 25 to 18 minutes. Weekday services more than doubled from 10 to 22. Additional peak hour services were introduced while the number of weekend services increased. The trip to Brisbane takes only 65 minutes.
The cost of the 18.2 km project was $11.8 million. This included refurbishment of six stations with upgrades to shelters, lighting, bitumen surfacing of platforms and electronic pedestrian track crossings.
Rosewood station received new seating, modifications to toilets, a bright paint scheme, ceiling insulation and air-conditioning
The old pedestrian bridge was removed from near the level crossing and replaced with a new structure closer to the station.
There are some wonderful photos showing the station at the time, including the old overhead bridge. You will find them on the Locations Hub website.
A huge improvement for commuters west of Rosewood has been the introduction of the Railbus co-ordination service. It operates between. Rosewood and Helidon by McCafferty’s Express Coaches.
Apart from passengers, Rosewood was also known for its coal traffic.Three trains per day used to service mines on the Marburg branch line, Lanefield siding and sidings east of Rosewood.
In addition two ramps were provided in the Rosewood yard to allow trucks to cart coal from mines not serviced by rail.
Previously in the 1950’s and 1960’s some circuses continued to use rail to move them from town to town. An entire train would carry the main tent (the big top) along with vehicles, equipment and various animals such as lions, tigers, panthers, monkeys, camels and elephants. Although this photo was taken in 1928, it does not differ greatly from the experiences of children in the 50’s. In the late 1950’s one local resident witnessed the unloading and movement of the elephants, lined up trunk to tail, and marched down school street, across the level crossing past the Catholic church to the circus at the show grounds.
For thirty years local people and visitors have enjoyed the pleasure of comfortable, clean, regular public transport to and from Rosewood.
Rosewood is the western terminus of the electrified network.
Submitted by Gregory Stubbs
Sources
Queensland Railway Information Bulletin
The Queensland Times, 1993
