Urban Exploration: Lost Railway

Urban Exploration
Lost Railway
Old Illawarra Railway:
Opened in the late 1800's
Closed in 1915
Being 2015 the Old Illawarra Line has been closed for 100 years.
In this video i take you on an explore to Helensburgh Tunnel, Old Helensburgh Station and Metropolitan Tunnel aka Glow Worm Tunnel.
Rumours have it that these tunnels are haunted.
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[@AbandonedOZ]

Don’t forget to hit the subscribe button for more content! :) Thank you for watching.

[@davidrayner9832]

I drove trains on that line from 2000 to 2009 and sometime during those years, a bushfire went through and after that, you could see the formation of old line from just south of Waterfall to Otford and into the old Otford tunnel. Prior to the fire, it was all completely overgrown. Some of my workmates walked the whole length of it except for the tunnels which were blocked off.

[@game-azing]

I'm very lucky to find this comment...

[@JimBobZee]

You Aussies do good work ,all the cross point screws on the 100th anniversary sign are clocked the same way(15:50).

[@AbandonedOZ]

+James McGettigan Thanks mate :)

[@Qce-i6d]

I love how the entrance part of those tunnels had turned into a dense wallgarden!

[@graemecastleton545]

Thanks for a great video. There is a lot of history on the South Coast Line, especially the old single line days. Many years ago I was in the Thirroul scouts and we had many hiking trips on the old line. Now it is mostly over grown but there are still places you can still walk, hint , watch for the old telephone poles, some of which are from the original line. These are steel poles made in Krupp steel works Germany. Bulli still has the original building on platform 2, dated 1877. Bulli, Thirroul and Austinmer stations have all been restored and are heritage listed just waiting for some one like you to make a video. Cheers.

[@poorpremenstrualdarling]

What a beautiful, hidden paradise.

[@StowNova]

I'm 55 years old, always lived in Sydney. I never knew about this place. Yes it is fascinating history in a beautiful location. Very informative and well presented, thank you.

[@AbandonedOZ]

It is well hidden :) Thank you for watching

[@trishmckenzie8780]

It's a beautiful place.

[@jellybean_91]

Beautiful spot, and an amazing video as always, Phil! Thank you so much for sharing this. Indeed, beautiful wildlife sounds. I've always wanted to see this spot myself! (It's good to know that it's so close to the new Helensburgh station.)

[@TheNeighborskvm]

What a beautiful location! A lot of history! Very informative!

[@AbandonedOZ]

Thank you so much! :)

[@simonburke8341]

I love the history of old Sydney and NSW!! Please keep the very amazing videos!! 👍🍺

[@AdventuresWithJay]

Wow what a nice explore 👍

[@BassBusMusic]

Thanks for doing this, really interesting. The tunnels are in really good condition for 100 years old. Have a look for videos on Helensburgh Central station in Scotland, though it isn't pronounced in the same way.

[@daggersdukc]

Love urbex, love railways, especially abandoned ones. Nice, quirky bit of Australiana. Cheers.

[@YuvrajHanspal]

Absolutely love the wildlife sounds 😊 the bird (?) which sounds like a whiplash is cool and scary at the same time 😬

[@ooouuu4446]

lol i literally heard the whiplash as i read this comment

[@calebfuller4713]

It's actually called a whipbird. 😀

[@MiRailOfficial]

This video surprised me, it was very interesting and shows what you can find with a bit of knowledge. The birds sound gorgeous as well. Please make more railway ones. Matt

[@RGC198]

Interesting video. I have been to Helensburgh years ago, though I was never aware of the old station and rail tunnels there. Thanks for sharing.

[@jenniferfindley1623]

Great filming Phil, my husband Geoff has taken a few photos from this old tunnel 😀

[@Mattslade6024]

great video. i do love abandoned railways. i live in the UK and have 1000s of miles of abandoned railways. i have quite a few disused lines close to where in live in south Wales

[@FinlayEvans]

matt slade There's one near Bridgend which is the best

[@mattjames7773]

I worked on the railway as a protection officer. Around 2004 to2012. I wish I videoed all the places I had worked.

[@jobrowne561]

Loved the video. I have explored those tunnels along with the ones at Otford and Lily Vale while living at Helensburgh. Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me,

[@willswheels283]

It’s all in remarkably good order considering it closed in 1915, over here in the uk, most railways closed for that length of time are pretty overgrown.

[@PeterMcginley77985621]

hey guys i just like the history of our country have subscribed to your channel and to see so many abandoned places is truly amazing i see you guys have done a lot of great videos which I'm yet to view on your channel this one was a good piece of history on a lost railway liked your video guys.

[@davidlp3019]

Hey phil, loving the videos. Have you checked out the haunted tunnel at picton. Known as the redbank range tunnel. It might be out of bounds now though

[@HenrysHowTos]

Ecorigon IV they've put up a big fence, but it's still manageable to climb over 😂

[@daverave9483]

around, under ...

[@smeagolbaggins5412]

ive read somewhere one of the old helensburgh tunnels was supposed to be haunted too

[@ridinginryde]

This is one of my favourite videos in the series

[@NickKerr-e7v]

I live down the road from the glow worm tunnel. Which is the big one with the station out the front

[@NickKerr-e7v]

Now there’s a big fence at the main tunnel

[@affects5571]

Jake is it locked all the time or is it open like right now 😂

[@NickKerr-e7v]

Affects it’s open most of the time but sometimes I see it shut They put it there because all the tourists were destroying it and littering

[@jacianmcgurk7424]

Hi , great video , over here in Scotland its pronounced like your bird the Kookaburra ie Helensburra . only reason i came across this is I was looking for videos of old Helensburgh and Dumbarton. All the best my friend CHEERS

[@shaileecowan6688]

Just been to see The old Helensburgh tunnel and the glow worms were amazing!!!(thanks to this vid!!)!🤩🤩🤩 just a note to new explorers there.. be quiet, no flash photography and no shining your torches and lights on the ceiling as it can scare and harm the worms. One of the best experiences of my life! And def wear gumboots, it hadn't rained for two weeks when we went but still muddy as heck!! There is also a really cool Temple(not abandoned) about 20 mins drive from the tunnel, well worth a look while you are in Helensburgh, its gorgeous!

[@micklovell75]

Hi Phil, my take on the "chandeleir" in the waiting room is that it is that in the days before electric lighting those 'roses' (I think) were for ventilating the gas lighting. I am sure a railway plumber told me this years ago 1960s but I could be wrong.

[@rossmiller8376]

This is so good, I am a blind guy and am thinking about how to get to go visit the area, walk the track alignment and go touch the old station and tunnel entrances. I love this stuff and your voice descriptions.I suspect you would still be able to smell the steam train soot even now in the shorter tunnel. Wonderful stuff

[@sharonhaasbroek7464]

Thanks for this. Only watched it now. Looking for places to photograph.

[@MrBlackReviews]

I just did a video at this place... I loved it, I had to bring my guitar just because the acoustics are so amazing!

[@AbandonedOZ]

+where is danny black Omg i’ll have to bring my guitar in there and jam!! I didn’t even think of that haha :)

[@TheSilmarillian]

Nice work thoroughly enjoyed

[@v6hilux]

You forgot to mention before the end of your movie about the rail yard that used to be in the car park area of the current Helensburgh station. At the southern end, you can see the area (cement cable channels are at an angle) where the cross-over went from the main lines under the bridge into the yard. Rail motors used to go into there for a Driver's break. This was before electrification.

[@AbandonedOZ]

+v6hilux Ooh yes I missed that. I will be going back to refilm what was featured in this video but ill add that information and 2 other tunnels.

[@gothicvibes7761]

Cool

[@sharonwragge2378]

Thanks for sharing I really like this video

[@saturnproductions1827]

I’ve been here and never new this was here!!!

[@alienninja9773]

Nice narration

[@John-nl4lt]

Used to ride all around there couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve raved the crap out of it for the echo

[@DMSProduktions]

When I 1st saw this I thought it was in Tasmania, as a lot of it looks like this!

[@Waspfella]

Good clip !!

[@AbandonedOZ]

Thank you :)

[@Thomas1980]

wow..... nice video :)

[@RaresightHD]

That's amazing well done 👍

[@AbandonedOZ]

For those who would like to help Abandoned Oz and donate please visit the link below. Alternatively the link is in the video description. Thank you all paypal.me/Lazarus13

[@doro1285]

Lol

[@colinmacgregor8718]

I used to work with a fellow named Grant whom lived on a bit of land near I think Otford tunnel or there abouts.He used to take shortcut through the tunnels to go to his mates place and get on the drink then stumble home.He was warned not to go through the tunnels and unfortunately a train hit him and killed hi..This happened around 1989 maybe early 1990.Rest in peace Grant you wild bugger.

[@fjd12]

9:23 i swear at school it was that tunnel. teachers be like 'can anyone make a prediction on where this tunnel goes?'

[@haskenvonbern5404]

This looks amazing! But anybody know whether it’s still like this? Or have they closed it off

[@leokimvideo]

Thank God for iPhones for making videos. They have come to the rescue for me many a time. This is like future looking at the Sydney rail network

[@Jester123ish]

I really like urban explorers that go into forbidden places and show us things we'd never see otherwise, this is not that guy, any fence here is insurmountable......

[@WeRussianGodwithus]

Exciting video! Touching of the past.

[@Jemmett0]

BTW tunnel 1 used to be waterfall tunnel 1.6kms south of the current waterfall station. It was cut open and is now the first cutting between waterfall and helesburgh.

[@Lighting_Desk]

Great locations! Such a shame about the condition but surprisingly in tacked.

[@crashweaverda]

I see they used agent orange on the tracks in Australia. They sprayed. It over 100 years ago and still very little grows.

[@HenrysHowTos]

great video mate, i always wanted to check out helensburgh. if you ever want to collaborate, give us a shout out !

[@AbandonedOZ]

+Henrys HowTos Thank you mate :) I'd love to collaborate with you! Your videos are great :)

[@HenrysHowTos]

Abandoned OZ legend! I been sharing your videos, it's about time someone did a channel on the abandoned planes Australia has to offer 😂

[@AbandonedOZ]

+Henrys HowTos Thank you :) I noticed there wasn't many KZbin Channels that cover this topic in Australia so i decided to start :) I just need to spread the word about Abandoned Oz 😂

[@HenrysHowTos]

Abandoned OZ with time you'll get there, I been sharing it with everyone so keep it up mate!!

[@AbandonedOZ]

+Henrys HowTos Thank you :) If you would like to explore with me you can email me at [e-mail] We can talk further there :)

[@gladysdingus8966]

2:40 sounded like an old steam train?

[@co.agmusic]

Interesting video

[@AbandonedOZ]

+CO.AG Music Cheers :)

[@SamSitar]

nice piece of aussie history. where do you tap on at the new station?

[@Jemmett0]

at the stair case thats leads out of the station, on the platform.

[@thatVintageGirl1940s]

Is this train station still operating?I mean the one that's opened as I'm curious it looks so deserted

[@AbandonedOZ]

The open one is yes, it is part of Sydney’s South Coast Line to Wollongong, Port Kembla & Kiama :)

[@TheMountain_Goat]

hi, have u gone inside Otfords tunnel yet I can't wait see the inside of that tunnel

[@AbandonedOZ]

+northchun1 Hi :) Not just yet but that is one that i really want to do

[@TheMountain_Goat]

@Abandoned OZ it's not a railway tunnel I heard from other youtubers

[@GaryNumeroUno]

I'm sure it will be black inside... like most tunnels!

[@AbandonedOZ]

+northchun1 I really want to explore Otford Tunnel. I will get to that asap :)

[@AbandonedOZ]

+northchun1 As far as i know Otford Tunnel was a railway tunnel. I'll look into it.

[@peterhoffman2639]

You might enjoy "Extreme Railbiking" on abandoned railroads on KZbin.

[@matteo_syd7271]

It's weird that you're able to just walk into the dangerous tunnel but not the other one.

[@aliaslisabeth]

Why are the rails still present? When a railroad is abandoned, the rails are usually pulled up and either re-used or sold for scrap.

[@AbandonedOZ]

The rails were donated by the Metropolitan Colliery. The old platform was uncovered a few years ago and was made a tourist attraction.

[@aliaslisabeth]

Thanks for the explanation. I'm sorry not to listen/view more carefully. You explained this in the narration. :-)

[@mysteriousgirl4438]

Um do you have the sound off because he explained that they aren’t original

[@TheDancingunicorn]

Theres a disused railway station at Marulan NSW and a disused railway line that goes from Goulburn to Crookwell NSW

[@TheDancingunicorn]

Plus Zig Zag Railway in the Blue Mountains on the Bellls Line Road going to Lithgow NSW

[@TheDancingunicorn]

The Young NSW to Harden NSW is also abandoned

[@TheDancingunicorn]

Also the old coal mines/train that the Senic Railway at Katoomba NSW goes down to

[@TheDancingunicorn]

In Mount Victoria NSW there's a turn off to your right,called Mont York, follow the road to the end, there's an old convict road that goes to Hartley. Also in Hartley the historical town are all the building frpm convicts and graveyard. There's also the marked tree at Katoomba that has convict graves. Then on the Kings Tableland Road Wentworth Falls is the abandoned geriatric Hospital called the Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital

[@TheDancingunicorn]

There's Kenmore Psychiatric Hospital Goulburn NSW and also the abandoned graveyards behind Goulburn Gaol NSW.

[@weirdosheep619]

The idea of a dam in Australia seems so foreign to me... I didn't even know there was water in Australia, you guys just drank sand and vegemite in my mind :P

[@billdoggonejones]

@lwf51 He was joking. Grow up.

[@andyjay729]

At first I thought that thumbnail shot was from a GoPro mounted on someone's garden railway.

[@alanrobertson9790]

Interesting but I would have liked to have known when and why it closed. Brits not very familiar with Australian railway history.

[@TheRealMycanthrope]

"No way of getting in" Riiiiiiight.

[@paulwhitear4983]

Pity they cant use the tunnel as a footpath or cycle track. Then they could make use of it.

[@oges74]

I visited here yesterday, was a little bit dryer along the track but not much, was another big rainfall there a week or so ago. I didnt bring a torch with me, so i'll have to go back again soon with a torch so I can go further in.

[@matteo5860]

That's a familiar voice; you're the Sydney Train Vlogs guy?

[@AbandonedOZ]

Haha yeah i am!

[@LiamYeahWhat]

You should come to port kembla tunnels if you do hit me up and ill show you around

[@AbandonedOZ]

+LiamYeahWat Ooh i wasn't aware of any tunnels in Port Kembla? I will definitely be interested in that.

[@game-azing]

Why can't they rebuild the old station? Or is there no point?

[@debbsrebornnursery]

When my boyfriend show me the tunnel with the station the station was very over grown n not able to see it

[@alexssydneytrainvlogs9413]

That was in Helensburgh

[@thetelltaletraveller7631]

I went to one of the tunnels and you could see glow worms in it! It's very cool to see.

[@daverave9483]

Cawley

[@AbandonedOZ]

+The Telltale Traveller That would be Metropolitan Tunnel :)

[@adrianneils2727]

WOW. Never would have been wide enough for the trains in the U.S. mate. Only for narrow gage mining cars. Former Soviet Union trains are the largest and widest.

[@AbandonedOZ]

+Adrian Neils I have seen many videos of U.S. locomotives, wow they are huge. We have a few U.S. style loco's in Western Australia :)

[@bradleytrevaskis9121]

do u any melbourne railways to please respond,

[@hi-ym1zc]

Where is this Australia?

[@barvdw]

What was the reason for the realignment for this line? Shorter route? And I noticed that many British and former British territories have overpasses instead of underpasses. Any idea why? I'd guess an underpass can be made with less stairs than an overpass...

[@paulkennedy8701]

+barvdw Not shorter, if I'm reading the map right. If you go to you should see the new Helensburgh station near the north edge edge with the old station labelled just to the SW. Trains from Sydney approach from the north and the old line went SSE through the middle of the town. The colliery is at the bottom of the map and the tunnel went straight there. The new line takes about 3 times the distance to get there. Maybe the old route was too steep. (It's at least steep enough that water reaching from halfway down a 600-m tunnel has reached the top of the tunnel at the lower end apparently.) It also wasn't to eliminate tunnels, as those other tunnels mentioned are on the diversion, along it easternmost section.

[@anfnifarr]

The abandoned tunnels on the old alignment were a little steep in the steam age, while the most southerly abandoned tunnel south of Otford was much too steep and trains often stalled part-way up. They were single track at a time when traffic was increasing. The new alignment was an easier grade and double track. Ironically, after electrification the old alignment would have been manageable, but by that time it was long out of service.

[@barvdw]

anfnifarr Thanks for the explanation.

[@TheRattleSnake3145]

anfnifarr I wonder why they didn't run the line in the lower gradient in the first place.

[@stephenarbon2227]

@@anfnifarr The grade was no steeper than other parts like on the Blue Mountains or out of Picton, and like other lines designed by Witton, were relatively straight. But the combination of single track tunnels with the steep grade made them a risk for crews and passengers from the smoke, and restricted loads for freight northbound. In Italy ? there had been an accident from an engine stalling and poor quality coal, suffocating the crew and passengers. And the NSW government rebuilt several sections of lines to lower the grade against the main loads, but extended track milage.

[@allenra530]

Do you happen to know the reason for the original line being abandoned?

[@vaughanwilliamson173]

As others have commented elsewhere, the original line was on relatively steep gradients of up to 1 in 40 against Sydney bound trains within the confines of tunnels, with the "mile long" Otford tunnel being most notorious. The deviation in current use eased the grades to 1 in 80, had shorter tunnels and provided for duplicate track. By the 1910's, the original single line was also close to saturation and track capacity was needed. 1 in 40 grades still exist on the line, but typically further back between Loftus and Waterfall against Wollongong bound trains, and no tunnels, so bank engines were used in steam days. Checking the curve and gradient diagrams either side of the Georges River may prove interesting as well. But the cost of the current grade-eased alignment was - and still is - substantial curves with low speed running. A look at the map will show that the current alignment is about 3km longer than the original with no less than four horseshoe curves with over 180 degrees change in direction each time. With modern diesel and electric traction, in fact the original alignment would provide substantially reduced running time as both distance is reduced and speed increased, as well as less wear and tear on both rail and wheel. This could be relatively easily achieved at least between Waterfall and Lilyvale. With a bit of map reading and imagination, the line curvature could be eased between Bald Hill tunnel and the Stanwell Park viaduct and then the range pierced with a tunnel through to the old Coalcliff cokeworks, again reducing distance and potentially increasing speed. But I dream on I suppose... I understand that the old Otford tunnel now carries the sewer main from Stanwell Park to Helensburgh, but this would have to be confirmed elsewhere, so the comment on the video about being "structurally unsound" (which I have heard elsewhere) would seem unlikely to me if the sewer main runs through now. Some references: CC Singleton "Railway History of the Illawarra"; John Oakes "Sydney's Forgotten Illawarra Railways" and Ron Preston has an enjoyable account of a traverse of the old Otford tunnel on page 140 of "Standards in Steam - the 32 Class". All good fun. Hey Phil, .... how many leeches did you get on yourself when in the moist areas??

[@HenrysAviation]

Vaughan Williamson Wow! Thanks for the info

[@hellototheworld]

Awesome video a but disappointed you didn't have a brighter torch and go all the way through the tunnels but I understand it's creepy

[@rozapavlova4131]

Is it true that those are not the original tracks? I mean is that a proven fact?

[@jimclarke1108]

Interesting

[@joshuabrown2669]

Are there any more abonded tunnels on the Illawarra line. IE Stanwell tops, Thirroul.

[@jjsjjs93]

Helens-berg .... or Helens-burrah?

[@danielcook9032]

The first pronunciation is correct

[@jjsjjs93]

@@danielcook9032 Look up Wikipedia. Helens-burrah.

[@danielcook9032]

@@jjsjjs93 This is the Australian town, different pronunciations exist

[@joeturner1597]

Your pronunciation sounds strange. I started my railway career at the original Helensburgh station in Scotland in 1979. It rhymes with Edinburgh or Kookaburra.

[@marty8535]

destaffed station?

[@AbandonedOZ]

+marty The current Helensburgh station is staffed

[@puddycat2325]

This looks *really* urban

[@jaydee9472]

if yyou look up GHOST TUNNEL WALK there is a video that shows the abandoned tunnel between Otford and Stanwell park

[@daverave9483]

much talking, blah blah, just show the tunnel

[@swipewrite]

Australians can pronounce it as whatever they like! In America they pronounce Edinburgh as Edinburrow, so what's the difference. In Scotland it should be Dun Airde, anyway, Edinburgh is the Anglo-Scot pronounciation. New Zealand has it closer as Dunedin. It is two words Dun (Doon) = a Fort/Castle and Airde = High/Height. Therefore 'The High Fort/Castle'.

[@antonv.]

Cool

[@ussuniquesillysociety3529]

You sound like Sydney trains vogs

[@SolidCold]

Seems like a great place to walk!

[@JayomaLaw]

The tunnels were closed because of excessive flooding and also to help the glow worm population

[@Johnthecardboardsmileyface]

Oh yeah, Aussie stuff! I'm Aussie

[@AbandonedOZ]

+Natsu Dragneel Cheers for watching mate :)

[@paulh3431]

What is the history of Helensburgh? Why have a station there 100 year ago and I wonder what you would have seen when you got off the train. I also think about the people who built the railway, all that work just to be closed down.

[@davidlp3019]

Its closed with a fence now due to vandalism.

[@Xantec]

why did they close the original one?

[@AbandonedOZ]

+Xantec 1915 im sure

[@Xantec]

but WHY did they close it?

[@ClamTram96]

Due to a line being found that defeated the Helensburgh tunnel's purpose and was more safer and quicker to go by

[@Jemmett0]

because of the deafening noise, soot in peoples lungs potentially killing them and the need for two tracks to increase freight capacity to wollongong (port Kembla).

[@ClamTram96]

Heritage Transport in NSW Along with the steepness of the gradients

[@Danny_Strawbz]

When I went to it it was waterlogegd

[@britannia55]

If that's the original station sign and the lines been close a 100years then I'm a monkey's uncle, the sign looks new, yet the amount of damp and green Algae around the tunnel that sign should be the same....

[@awesomesickness10]

Elaine Higham refurbished

[@sergeant5848]

The sign has been replaced many times over the years, mainly due to "souvenir" hunters; degenerate thieves in plain speak.

[@juliemaloney6585]

There is one at golburn a couple of places there

[@peterkirgan2921]

This is where apart from Oatley ! Are where the Crazy people live !!