A visit to Humula

 A Visit to Humula

An ARHS tour train at Humula before heading towards Tumbarumba

Humula was the temporary terminus of the branch line from Wagga Wagga to Tumbarumba from 1917 to 1921.  It is situated on Umbango Creek .  According to Wikipedia, the original name of Humula was American Yards, or American Fields, during the gold rush period, but by 1888, the name Humula was officially adopted by the Post office.
The current (2016 census) population is 124.

The Humula yard diagram shows the triangle, stocksidings, goods shed, loading dock, and signals.

The following pictures are from those that I have been sent, or found on the internet.  I apologise if I have inadvertantly published - and will take corrective action if notified. 

Humula station in approx 1965. The station neverhad an awning.  The signalbox is the next building on the platform. 

ARHS tour train in the 1960s.   I cannot sight the water tank, or goods shed that the signal diagram shows

Another ARHS tour.  The sawmill is on the hill to the left of this image

Final train movement in 1974, was a 48 class, clearing wagons.  Note the pair of water columns.  I don't know what the "bollard" was besides the 48 class.  This image, and the following kindly supplied by Rod Smith. 

48 class passes the station.

My first visit to Humula was early in the early 1980s, and there was not much then.

Looking south towards the station.  My location was the "Humula 8 mile road" level crossing.  Lattice signal mast still in position.  B&W as the colour tints in the slide were bad

Water Column, and lever frame at the south end of the platform. Of interest to me is that the lever frame was not located in the signal box.  Patterson's curse was everywhere

Sawmill site on the hillside to the SW of the station was still in operation judging by the smoke, during my 1980s visit.  My slide conversion colour balance will need some work.  

Signalbox on platform.  The station building had been removed a few years earlier. 

Last weekend, I had an opportunity to revisit Humula, and see what could be found after 46 years of no trains.  The results are below

Lineside telegraph pole still had wires attached. This pole is just south of Humula, as seen from the Downfall road

Same location as the pole, a large concrete culvert under the line.  At some stage, a farmer had fitted a corrugated iron barrier, in an attempt to stop wandering stock.  

A smaller culvert.

Perched on a hill, overlooking the station was a NSWGR water tank.  I had not expected this tank here, as the one diagram I had found showed a tank at the southern end of the station.  Although I was never able to verify that from photographs of tour trains taking water.   Unsure if the tank is being used now.  There is no evidence of any path or ground disturbance leading to the ladder.  And it is the first time I have seen a cage on a NSW water tank ladder.

Lever frame for southern end of main yard

Lever Frame for northern end of stock siding

Water tank on the hill to the south west of the station.  I am not sure if this is the original location of the tank, or if it was moved from the station yard area at some stage.  In any case, it has a commanding view. 

Lattice signal mast at southern end of yard.  Although the signal is not in the location I expected.  

Stock yard loading, and signal to the south  but still beside the stock siding. The signal diagram does not place the signal at the southern side of the stockyards, it places it on the northern side.  This area was also where the southern side of the triangle would have reattached to the line.  This picture taken from the Downfall Road

Close-up of the what remains of the stock loading ramps.

Umbango Creek was running.  This creek flows on the eastern side of the railway for a considerable distance

Humula 8 mile road bridge across Umbango Creek in Humula Village

Railway embankment - line heading towards Wagga. Picture taken from close to the picture of the road bridge

Abandoned Cottage close to the railway precinct roadway.  Unsure if the cottage had a railway connection

Another view of the cottage

Access road, that was once the road into the station.   There is not a lot left to indicate there was once a platform on the right. 

Lever frame at the northern end of the station yard

Another view of that lever frame, and structures in the background on what was once the sawmill site

Similar angle to my earlier B&W picture showing horses.  Taken from close to  the former Humula 8 mile road level crossing.  There has been much erosion in the embankment below the line, although it might have been once a stock grid.  The lever frame pictured earlier can just be made out below the tree.  Hasn't the tree grown compared to the earlier picture

Could this be part of the original sawmill?  It is in the right location

Another view of the enbankment north of the station

I found it amazing that so much of the line infrastructure could still be seen after 46 years with no trains.  Certainly, these images will definitely help when it comes to making a model.


Until next time.