The section of railway from Murrumburrah to Young opened for traffic on 26th March 1885. It was the first part of the Murrumburrah to Blayney Railway, connecting the Great Southern and Western trunk lines of the colony of NSW and was thus also of national significance. Visitors from the surrounding districts poured into town on Thursday morning. Decorations included ‘a triumphal arch over the line at the Lynch Street gate, which was erected by the decoration sub-committee, and consisted of a wooden framework, covered with evergreens and surrounded by flags. On the side facing Murrumburrah it bore the word WELCOME while on that towards the station appeared the now historical legend WELL DONE. In Lynch Street a line of flags spanned the interval between the Royal Hotel and Mrs Barnet’s, and in the centre appeared the same words as was on the railway arch. Another line of flags was stretched between Watson Bros. and Mr Ehrlich’s in Burrowa Street, and a third one nearer the Mechanics Hall (now Town Hall)’. Alongside these decorations, there were flags and streamers hung from various balconies. The first train, arriving at 9am, carried the band and visitors from Sydney. The second train, at 10am, ‘brought children from Murrumburrah and Kingsvale to participate in the picnic at the showground and the march to the station’. The third train arrived at 11am with the Ministers: Mr Wright (Minister for Works), James Squire Farnell (Minister for Lands and former Premier) and Mr Trickett (Minister for Education), alongside other Parliamentarians, Harrie Wood (Mining Department) and Mr Reed (Railway Department). The school children sang ‘Advance Australia Fair’, then Attwood William Honour, Town Clerk, read an address of welcome from the Mayor and the Chairman of the Railway Demonstration Committee to the Ministers. A crowd of about 1,000 school children and 2,500 adults attended. The station buildings at Young were built by John George Gough & Co. using bricks from his Binalong Street brickworks: ‘The passenger station, a very spacious and elaborate brick structure, with iron roof, is of a pleasing appearance, having two approaches from Lovell-street, and verandahs supported by iron columns to both road and platform fronts’. This building contained a general waiting room, a parcel office, ladies' waiting and ante rooms, left-luggage, stationmaster’s and ticket offices. There were also porters' and lamp rooms placed apart from the main building, the intervening space on either side being allotted to yards, sheds, etc. The water supply at the station was obtained from underground water-tanks. Karen Schamberger - Young Historical Society
