Perthville Railway Station
Perthville is a small town approximately 10 kilometres from the regional city of Bathurst. The town has evolved over the years. At first "Perthville" was known as Queen Charlotte's Vale, after Queen Charlotte's Vale Creek which runs alongside Vale Road. Vale Road originally carried heavy traffic in laden bullock and horse drays and the settlement began to cater for the bullockies and coach travellers. It was proclaimed a village in 1855 and named "Perth". However, in 1908, to avoid confusion with Perth in Western Australia it was re-named as Perthville.
While walking my dog around Perthville I noticed that there was a huge railway like platform where the Rural Fire Service Shed currently sits. So it got me think what else do I not know about the beautiful little village I live in. So I jumped on good old google to find out was there a train station here in Perthville. Yes, Perthville had a railway station, on the Main Western line between Bathurst and Blayney.
Like the village the train station also had a couple of different names. On the 1 November 1878 the station opened as Perth. On the 1 June 1880 the train station was renamed Apsley. On the 1 September 1880 the train station was renamed Perth. Some time during 1908 the train station was renamed Perthville. I have not yet found a date when the train station closed.
When the station was called “Perth”.
When the station was called “Perthville”.
The Perthville Station Platform is the only part that is left today. Photo Taken November 2021.
The information I found on google about the Perthville Station was a brief description about the station.
“Consisted of a down-side station on a 70m platform, just to the east of the level crossing. Further up the line were a loop siding serving a stage and goods shed. There was also a curved loading bank on a dead end siding, used for loading rock from nearby quarries.”
The station and station masters cottage were removed to a nearby properties. The goods sidings have been lifted. Only the curved loading bank remains.
Perthville Station being relocated in the 1980’s.
The Railway Station now (November 2021) sits abandoned in a paddock on the corner of Hen and Chicken Lane and the Vale Road. The building is only 1km up the road from is original location on the platform
The Railway Station building abandoned in a paddock. Photo a screenshot from google maps taken in 2019 but the condition of this house is still the same in November 2021.
I am still discovering more information on the Railway Station and the village so keep a look out for more Perthville content to come.