DetailsFor many years a substantial number of railway men of all grades, with their families, lived in tent accommodation in the railway yards, close to the running lines. This applied all over the State, as well as in the Hornsby Shire. Between Asquith and Cowan, approximately forty tents were permanent accommodation, and were divided into various rooms, with a timber board floor. These provided basic living quarters for whole (sometimes large) families, and most had vegetable and flower gardens well tended outside. The water was provided by a weekly water train, which filled the lineside water tanks.
These photos show the main Northern Line at Mount Colah, with the typical tent accommodation. The lineside water tanks are clearly seen. All tent homes had been removed by the early 1960s.KeywordsRailway workersTrainstents
