Apsley

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Type : Station
Line : Apsley Branch
Distance from Brighton Junction : 42.300km
Opened : 22 April 1891
Closed : 29 September 1947
Status : Closed
Name meaning : Unknown
Notes : Aspley was the terminus of the line (despite sporadic plans to extend it further to Bothwell). An isolated and small locality even now, it was more-so during the lifetime of the line and even up until near the end of the railway it remained quite small with the railway facilities being a major part of the village.
There were four cottages provided for railway staff, an overhead goods shed opposite the station building (similar to that in Kempton), a station building that was of a similar design to those on the rest of the line, although the station was sited on the Down side loop. The goods shed was located on the Up side loop and the mainline ran between both loops with a crossover situated near the stockyards (this was on a spur that extended off the goods loop). The main line ended at a dead end with a crossing to the carriage shed spur.  On the Up side was a spur leading to a 45' turntable (the second, and largest, on the line), an ash pit, a coal stage, a raised iron water tank and an engine shed constructed from corrugated iron that could hold one locomotive.
After 1930 (with the cessation of regular passenger services) the carriage shed was demolished and the Down loop truncated.
Intending passengers from Bothwell needed to catch a stage coach (initially) that connected with the trains, by 1916 this had been changed to a motor omnibus.
The station gained importance and was busy during the construction of Waddamana B hydro-electric power station from 1939 as construction material was delivered to Aspley and then trucked to the building site.

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Layout of the station site

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Apsley in 1940 (uncredited) (Libraries Tasmania)

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A train passes over a bridge on the Jordan River near Apsley, undated (1890s?) (Libraries Tasmania)

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a photo believed to have been taken at Apsley around 1910 (ARHS)

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Apsley yards (National Archives of Australia)

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Apsley yards (National Archives of Australia)