The original Blue Mountains line (1874) deviated from the current (1913) line about 1¼  miles west of Emu Plains station (near the cemetary). It then continued across Knapsack Creek, Knapsack viaduct and up to Lucasville via 'Lapstone Zig Zag'. After leaving Lucasville (near the RAAF Base at Glenbrook), the line followed what is now know as the Great Western Highway and joins the current line near McDonalds at Blaxland. The line was deviated in 1892, continuing  from Bottom Points on the Zig Zag, through Lapstone tunnel (which is now a mushroom farm) and rejoined the line near where the Visitors Centre/shops/traffic lights are at Glenbrook today. There were 3 different sites for Glenbrook station located in this area in the years 1877, 1892 and 1900. The line was deviated again in 1913 - this is the current line. Knapsack bridge was used as part of the Great Western Highway until the M4 was built.

I was using an old map from a book 'Lapstone Zig Zag Railway' by William A. Bayley (ARHS) to try and find my way around. This map didn't show all the street names and some streets have been made after the book was printed, so... here are some rough directions on how to follow the fomation/access parts of the original Blue Mountains line using the 2005 UBD CityLink street directory.

Map 162 Q7 - Emu Plains station. H8 - roughly where the current line leaves the original line. D10/11 the site of the pre deviation Knapsack sidings/John Whitton Memorial Place. C13 Knapsack viaduct. B15 Lapstone Zig Zag.

Map 182 1A/B/C - 1892 Lapstone deviation. 3D - Lapstone station.

Map 161 15P/N/Q - Lapstone tunnel. K15/K16/L15/L16 - sites of previous Glenbrook stations. G7/H7 - McDonalds.

I will try to get more information and pictures from books and the internet, but if you have any further information or photos, please email me.

Above: The site of the pre deviation Knapsack sidings. Emu Plains. New South Wales. January 26, 2006.

Above: The John Whitton Memorial. Emu Plains. New South Wales. January 26, 2006.

Above: Knapsack viaduct. Glenbrook. New South Wales. January 26, 2006.

Above: Lapstone Zig Zag walking track. Glenbrook. New South Wales. January 26, 2006.

Above: Lucasville platform. Glenbrook. New South Wales. January 26, 2006.

Above: Lapstone Zig Zag 'top points'. Glenbrook. New South Wales. January 26, 2006.

Above: A cutting on the Lapstone deviation. Lapstone. New South Wales. January 26, 2006.

Above: Further along the same cutting. Lapstone. New South Wales. January 26, 2006.

Above: The western end of Lapstone tunnel. New South Wales. April 6, 2006.

Above: The previous site of Glenbrook station. New South Wales. April 6, 2006.

Above: The previous site of Glenbrook station. New South Wales. April 6, 2006.