When the trains were operating it was never called the Fernleigh Train Line it was called the Belmont Line. Fernleigh was an area just to the south of the tunnel near Highfields.
This footage is taken from a news report on the closing of the line. I will upload that at a later date. There is no extra footage of the line, however there are interviews with passengers and a person who may have been a representative of State Rail at the time.
Old CPH #7 still "in the wild" on the Fernleigh Line. (0:14) Operating as a single unit. Today CPH #7, together with CPH #3 and #1 are part of the fleet at the *Rail Motor Society* depot and museum in Paterson. Open Days there are on Third Sunday of each month. Well worth a visit.
If you take a closer look you'll see that what you think is a '1' is nothing more than a vertical mark. It's not as high as the '7', nor is it as thick, it does not comply with the design of the numeral '7'. (0:14). If you freeze the frame at 0:21 again you'll see the same vertical mark, not as thick as the numeral '7' at the trailing end of the rail motor. The numeral '7' is larger and more pronounced.
Wonderful to see this - I had no idea anyone had filmed the passenger journey on the old Belmont line. I used to live near there when the coal trains were still running. 2:05-2:08, is that the platform near Kahibah?
Was trying to follow the line, probably all built out now...I do remember the train line (out Belmont end) but the service had stopped by the time I moved to Newcastle.
@@tuibabbington4869 It's mostly tarred over (for the cyclists) and very easy to follow. Total distance from Adamstown to Belmont is about 15 kilometres, so longer than most people can walk in a day. At Adamstown the trail begins from Park Avenue at a spot in between a small roundabout and a sharp left curve in the road. From there it runs uphill, partly alongside Northcott Drive, then via a tunnel the Pacific Highway. It continues winding its way south before crossing Burwood Road near Kahibah, then behind the residential district of Burwood (where one of the coal mines had been), underneath a bridge at Oakdale Road, through the edge of Redhead, partly alongside Kalaroo Road and then across it before heading through the swamps until finally arriving at the site of the old Belmont Station in the vicinity of Belmont TAFE.
![The last train on the Belmont train line [now the Fernleigh Track], 19 December 1991](/img/n.gif)
Don't you love
trains, trams, aren't they all beautiful :)
come take a ride! (at folder 2, look my way)
A nice little video I worked many trains with the cph motors
Amazing I have been looking for footage of the Fernleigh track for years
I'm glad I could help with that 🙂
This is very cool to watch, since I live in Newcastle I’ve rode my bike on the Fernleigh track a lot recently, the whole way aswell. Great clips
Amazing footage. Love it.
Absolutely incredible
When the trains were operating it was never called the Fernleigh Train Line it was called the Belmont Line. Fernleigh was an area just to the south of the tunnel near Highfields.
That is true, I just called it by the name it is known as these days so people will know where this train line was.
Fantastic. So rare to see Belmont line footage. Is there any additional film yet to upload?
This footage is taken from a news report on the closing of the line. I will upload that at a later date. There is no extra footage of the line, however there are interviews with passengers and a person who may have been a representative of State Rail at the time.
Old CPH #7 still "in the wild" on the Fernleigh Line. (0:14) Operating as a single unit. Today CPH #7, together with CPH #3 and #1 are part of the fleet at the *Rail Motor Society* depot and museum in Paterson. Open Days there are on Third Sunday of each month. Well worth a visit.
@neilforbes416 i can imagine going home on that line
@neilforbe416 thats CPH 17 not 7
@@Mediawatcher2023 I freeze-framed the video and it is indeed CHH #7.
@@neilforbes416 out of the CPH trains 28 in total 11 have been scrapped
If you take a closer look you'll see that what you think is a '1' is nothing more than a vertical mark. It's not as high as the '7', nor is it as thick, it does not comply with the design of the numeral '7'. (0:14). If you freeze the frame at 0:21 again you'll see the same vertical mark, not as thick as the numeral '7' at the trailing end of the rail motor. The numeral '7' is larger and more pronounced.
Wonderful to see this - I had no idea anyone had filmed the passenger journey on the old Belmont line. I used to live near there when the coal trains were still running.
2:05-2:08, is that the platform near Kahibah?
Yes, although it seems to cut back and fourth. Between 0:50 - 1:01 it also shows what looks like Kahibah platform and road crossing
Was trying to follow the line, probably all built out now...I do remember the train line (out Belmont end) but the service had stopped by the time I moved to Newcastle.
@@tuibabbington4869 It's mostly tarred over (for the cyclists) and very easy to follow. Total distance from Adamstown to Belmont is about 15 kilometres, so longer than most people can walk in a day. At Adamstown the trail begins from Park Avenue at a spot in between a small roundabout and a sharp left curve in the road. From there it runs uphill, partly alongside Northcott Drive, then via a tunnel the Pacific Highway. It continues winding its way south before crossing Burwood Road near Kahibah, then behind the residential district of Burwood (where one of the coal mines had been), underneath a bridge at Oakdale Road, through the edge of Redhead, partly alongside Kalaroo Road and then across it before heading through the swamps until finally arriving at the site of the old Belmont Station in the vicinity of Belmont TAFE.
Great! But it was better by steam.
Where in Belmont was the train station?
Apparently it was near the TAFE.
@@newcastlethehuntervalley that would make perfect sense / behind the tafe
Wonderful to see this footage. Thank you for sharing! ❤
@@dudleydiva you're welcome.
The remnants of it are still there! check it out one day.