Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the colony (later state) of New South Wales.
In the late 1840's the colony had grown enough that there was talk of the needs for railways,
The most important question was the choice of railway gauge, and the Colonial Office in London recommended the 1435mm gauge for the three existing colonuse, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria.
In a monumental stuff-up, SA and Vic adopted 1600mm gauge.
The yet to be arguement that there was a choice of "narrow gauge or no railways".
The narrow 610mm gauge of the Festiniog Railway in Wales wasn't yet considered especially as steam locomotives had yet to be acquired. These would eventually replace horse and gravity operation. Locomotives arrived in 18xx. Eventually 610mm (2' 0") gauge would ve very common world wide for industrial and mountain railways. With sharper curves earthworks are cheaper, at the cost of lower speeds round such curves.
Steep cradients would also be a problem, but had not John Blenkinsop's used cogwheels of Day Log 1811-xx-xx to overcome lack of traction?
See also[edit]
- FRHG FRHG jump up to top of Pyramid.