Craven

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Type : Station/Loop
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 290.517km
Opened : 4 February 1913
Closed : Prior to 1983 (station)
Status : Closed (station), Open (loop)
Name meaning : After Craven's Flat, so called after an old shepherd known as "Old Craven Jack". He is said to be so-called due to his continual "craving for more wages" or "craving to leave the area"
Notes : Opened as a siding 4/2/1913, platform and waiting shed added 15/11/1913. The Down side platform was 76.2 metres in length and had a building containing a ticket office and general waiting room. An interlocked loop of 422 metres was added on 30/10/1922 on the Up side. The back siding opened 25/4/1914 and closed 14/8/1980. The station building was demolished 20/11/1984. The location is now called South Craven Loop (after North Craven Loop opened 28/01/2009) and holds a 958 metre Up side passing loop which in turn has a short 229 metre dead end siding that terminates near to Woods Road.

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Craven (1982, Graeme Skeet)

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Craven (1982, Graeme Skeet)

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A view from the Driver's cab of NT-26, the Up "Grafton XPT" standing in the Loop at Craven as NT-3, the "Murwillumbah XPT" passes through, on 15-12-1993. (Graeme Kirkby)

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4492 on 272N at Craven 5-10-83 (Garry Holt)

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Craven (undated) (Marie Germon)

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4492 on 272 at Craven 5-10-83 (Garry Holt)

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XP2010 Craven 14/01/1984
(image by Brad Coulter)

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Photo of Craven on the North Coast when I was a SWSA there. Taken around 1980-81. Electric Train Staff Working was still in use but as can see CTC was under construction. There was another road we called the back road. It went around behind the CTC hut and used to serve a sawmill. (Garry Gibson)

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Location of Craven, the platform was opposite the CTC hut with a railway house behind the station (Six Maps)

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Pete Miller:

I worked there intermittently between 1979 and 1982. Two railway cottages at the back. A bloke named Clark in one and Ben Taylor in the other. ASM was named Pat Mcardle I think. Other staff there included a bloked named Boorer. The trike we used to service the kerosene signal lamps had no seat and no brakes. Lost a couple of staffs while I worked there. We always thought someone was taking them off the ground exchanger.

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Appears a covered 8 lever Frame A was provided on 4.2.1913 - see opening diagram. A platform was provided several months later on 28.09.1913 hence the opening in the platform face. The precast concrete box was opened on 14.10.1922 when Craven was opened as an electric staff station and crossing station with a loop provided between the main line and goods siding.