42-901: North Melbourne Locomotive Depot was the main location for maintenance of the Victorian Railways steam locomotive fleet based in Melbourne . Located in the middle of the Melbourne Yard precinct in the suburb West Melbourne near North Melbourne station , the site is now occupied by the Melbourne Steel Terminal. The depot was described by railway employees as "the hub of the universe" , "the VR's nearest approach to Dante's Inferno " , or "the Black Hole of Calcutta " depending on their disposition. The depot
84-473: A 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ) standard gauge line between Albury and Melbourne from 1961. A Department of Railways was created in 1856 with the first appointment of staff. British engineer, George Christian Darbyshire was made first Engineer-in-Chief in 1857, and steered all railway construction work until his replacement by Thomas Higinbotham in 1860. In late 1876, New York consulting engineer Walton Evans arranged
126-471: A "stylised capital lettered logo with the V and the L split by a deep slashing stroke". The Victorian Railways operated a number of named passenger trains, including the: The railways also operated a number of specialist trains that were used to bring services to rural and isolated populations. These included: From 1888, the Victorian Railways began to take on a role in tourism , operating
168-812: A board of four commissioners was put in charge, responsible to the Minister of Railways (the Minister of Transport from 1935 onwards). The Chairman of Commissioners of the Victorian Railways were: After the Bland Report of 1972, in May 1973 the Railways (Amendment) Act 1972 passed the management of the Railways from the Victorian Railways Commissioners to a Victorian Railways Board. The board could have up to seven members, with six being initially appointed. This remained until 1983 when
210-558: A new Ministry expressed a wish to redress the injustice by re-instating Higginbotham. However, at the sudden death of Higginbotham in 1880, William Elsdon took over for two years before his retirement in 1882, and Watson then returned to his former position as Engineer-in-Chief, which he held up to the time of his death. On 1 November 1883, assent was given to the Victorian Railways Commissioners Act 1883, 47 Vic., No.767, to construct, maintain and manage
252-737: A year with a mechanical engineer working on the erection of the Hanwell and the Warwick Lunatic Asylums. In 1852 he joined Messrs. Locke and Errington, working on the Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth and the Direct Portsmouth railway lines. Watson left England in November 1854, travelling to Melbourne, Victoria. This was a time when the infant colony was commencing large railway construction projects, in comparison with
294-592: The North East standard gauge project , with the last steam-hauled train leaving Melbourne on 18 May 1964 - R703 on the 18:05 to Geelong . The depot was ceremoniously demolished on 20 January 1965 when steam locomotive K188 pulled down the front wall of the depot with a steel rope in front of a crowd of onlookers. 37°48′32″S 144°56′20″E / 37.80889°S 144.93889°E / -37.80889; 144.93889 Victorian Railways The Victorian Railways ( VR ), trading from 1974 as VicRail ,
336-788: The State Coal Mine at Wonthaggi from the Mines Department. VR also operated Newport Power Stations A and B . Other operations included railway refreshment services, road motor services for passengers, and motor transport services for goods. The railways also operated two tram routes in Melbourne , the Electric Street Railways; the St Kilda to Brighton Beach Street Railway ( 1,600 mm or 5 ft 3 in gauge) from 1906 until 1959 and
378-672: The electrification of the suburban railways, with more powerful units acquired when the mainline to Traralgon was electrified. Dieselisation occurred from 1951, but the B class of 1952 revolutionised main line operations. Apart from the F class shunters, Clyde Engineering had a monopoly on Victorian diesel-electric locomotives, as the Australian licensee of General Motors EMD engines and traction motors, fitting them into locally designed bodies. Early passenger services were operated with 4 and 6 wheeled "dogbox" passenger carriages, but larger bogie rollingstock started to appear from
420-490: The 1970s most bogie vehicles wore the logo, until May 1983 pending the launch of V/Line. In 1974, the Victorian Railways was rebranded as VicRail, with a new logo unveiled on 12 April 1976, but the royal blue and gold image was retained until 1981, when the orange and silver "teacup" scheme was launched on locomotives, Comeng trains , and passenger carriages. This was the last livery, with V/Line launched in August 1983 with
462-630: The 1980s when new bogie wagons replaced them. By 1987, the bogie wagon fleet numbered 5000. When the Victorian Railways (now known as VicRail) was divided into two in 1983, the Metropolitan Transit Authority received the suburban electric multiple unit fleet, while the State Transport Authority took responsibility for remainder for the provision of country passenger and freight services. In 1929, D class comprising larger boilers The Victorian Railways
SECTION 10
#1732802130077504-402: The 20th century, no Victorian (apart from those in the mountain regions) was more than 25 miles (42 km) from a railway line. The period from the end of the 1930s saw a slow decline in route mileage as unprofitable branches were closed. Conversion of the Melbourne suburban system to electric operation commenced in 1919 and was completed by 1930, creating what was claimed at the time to be
546-513: The Metropolitan Transit Authority used that name until the Public Transport Corporation ("The Met") was formed in 1989. Between 1996 and 1999, V/Line and The Met were privatised. V/Line Passenger was franchised to National Express , returning to government ownership in 2002. The V/Line Freight division was sold to Freight Victoria and is now owned by Pacific National . The infrastructure is now managed by VicTrack with
588-668: The Railway Department. In 1878, a political crisis let to the Government dismissing the Engineer in Chief Thomas Higinbotham along with 137 other public services in what became known as "Black Wednesday" – 8 January 1878. Watson took over as Engineer-in-Chief. In 1880 a new Ministry expressed a wish to redress what had been regarded as a great injustice and wrong, by re-instating Higinbotham. Watson
630-588: The Sandringham to Black Rock tramway ( 1,435 mm or 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in standard gauge ) from 1919 to 1956. From 1930 until 1973, Victorian Railways News Letter was the Victorian Railways' inhouse journal . It was renamed Victorian Rail Ways in June 1973 and VicRail News in March 1981. Robert Watson (engineer) Robert Watson (21 November 1822 – 7 April 1891 )
672-665: The Victorian Government Tourist Bureau until it was taken over by the state government in 1959. In connection with their role of promoting tourism, the railways ran three guesthouses/ski lodges which were taken over from previous operators: the Mount Buffalo Chalet from (1925–1985), the Feathertop Bungalow (1927–1939) and Hotham Heights (1934–1951). In 1911, the Victorian Railways Commissioners assumed responsibility for
714-539: The board was discontinued under the Transport Act 1983. The Victorian Railways operated a wide variety of locomotives and rolling stock to provide passenger and goods services. This included equipment acquired from the private companies that built the first railways in Victoria. The majority was the fleet was broad gauge, with a specialised fleet used on the narrow gauge lines . In later years, gauge conversion
756-690: The colony were reduced to it. In his capacity as Resident Engineer in the Victorian Railways , Watson superintended the construction of the Geelong–Ballarat railway line , the Sandhurst and Echuca line, the North East railway line and its branches, the Gippsland line and branches, and many of the lines to the Western District. The line from Bacchus Marsh to Ballan, constructed some thirty years after his original survey follows literally
798-541: The control of the Surveyor-General, Captain (Sir Andrew Clarke), and Darbyshire. His first work was to lay out the main road from Melbourne to Ballarat, with instructions to examine the country with a view to possible future railway construction. The levels over this road were the first taken deep into the country. The datum was an assumed low-water mark in Hobson's Bay, and the levels for the whole railway system of
840-657: The country from the East Coast to the Gulf of Carpentaria , with a view to the construction of a railway. At the sudden death of Higinbotham in 1880, William Elsdon took over for 2 years before his retirement in 1882, and Watson was then asked to return to his former position as Engineer in Chief, which he held up to the time of his death. Watson was elected a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers on 1 December 1868. He
882-522: The design and construction of the Geelong–Ballarat railway line . Robert Watson; C.E. Member 1857 Government Railway Offices PIV Robert Watson; C.E. Member 1858 PIV Robert Watson; C.E. Member 1859 Geelong Government Railway Office PIV Geelong, Vic, Australia Robert Watson; C.E. Member 1860 Geelong Government Railway Office RSV Watson is credited with the introduction of lighter and therefore cheaper railways than those employed in English practice, through
SECTION 20
#1732802130077924-721: The end of the 'railway mania' in Britain and the decline in railway construction, which saw many of the new profession of civil engineer unemployed. The obituaries of a number of these early members of the profession published by the Institution of Civil Engineers refer to the member being forced to retreat to the family property to be supported through the downturn, or for those from less well established families to find employment overseas. Watson almost immediately joined George Christian Darbyshire , Engineer of Construction, then District Surveyor at Williamstown. The surveys were under
966-621: The final form with the arrival of the B class diesel electric locomotives in 1952. The revised logo was inspired by that of the Erie Railroad in the United States. While the Spirit of Progress carriages wore the royal blue and gold striping, the remainder of the passenger fleet wore a more plain red livery. Additional carriages did not appear in the blue and gold until the 1954 Royal Tour by HM Queen Elizabeth II . Freight stock
1008-412: The front from the main goods yard, three from the stabling roads, and one at the rear. A three road coal stage was located to the south of the depot, along with a number of open air stabling roads. As late as the 1950s the depot housed 160 locomotives, but with dieselisation from 1952 the end was near. The new South Dynon Locomotive Depot was opened across the creek for the new locomotives as part of
1050-675: The interstate rail freight infrastructure leased to the Australian Rail Track Corporation . Metro Trains Melbourne now operates the suburban railway network. When first formed in 1857, the management of the Railways Department was initially vested in the President of the Board of Land and Works, this situation remaining until 1884. With the passing of the Victorian Railways Commissioners Act 1883,
1092-406: The railways became something of a political football with politicians demanding new lines to be built in places where traffic levels never justified it. In 1864, there was just 254 miles (409 km) of railway. The system expanded rapidly to reach 2,900 route miles (4,670 km) by 1891 and to its greatest extent of 4,755 route miles (7652 km) in 1939. The result was that by the beginning of
1134-458: The route he marked out, notably in the difficult part immediately after leaving Bacchus Marsh , where there is a steep ascent of 300 feet in a distance of less than a mile. Having satisfactory carried out these works, he was granted twelve months' leave of absence on account of ill health, and visited Europe, accompanied by his wife, who died in England. He returned to Melbourne and resumed work in
1176-620: The royal blue and gold livery used on rolling stock was retained until 1981. In 1983, VicRail was divided into two—the State Transport Authority taking responsibility for the provision of country rail and road, passenger and freight services , and the Metropolitan Transit Authority taking over suburban passenger operations. The State Transport Authority traded under the V/Line name, while
1218-545: The state's railways. The staff of the Department of Railways came under the authority of the Railway Commissioners, which became commonly known as Victorian Railways. The elaborate headquarters at 67 Spencer Street were opened in 1893. Victorian Railways grew to service all parts of the state, even extending some lines into New South Wales under the 1922 Border Railways Act . In the late 19th century,
1260-606: The supply of two 4-4-0 locomotives manufactured by the Rogers Locomotive Works of New Jersey , US to the Victorian Railways. Because of political turmoil in the Victorian Government , Higginbotham was one of 137 officials removed from office on Black Wednesday on 8 January 1878 when the Government was denied supply. He, like a number of other senior officers, was not reappointed. Robert Watson then took over as Engineer-in-Chief. But in 1880,
1302-697: The turn of the century. On the Melbourne suburban network electric multiple units were introduced speeding up services. Experiments were also made with various diesel and petrol railcars for use on smaller branch lines. By the late 1970s, country passenger services were run down, and older wooden rolling stock was now approaching their use by date. As a result, the New Deal saw modern steel carriages introduced from 1981. Early wagons were built on four wheeled under frames, but from 1871 bogie vehicles begun to appear. The last four wheeled open wagons were built in 1958, but were not scrapped in large numbers until
North Melbourne Locomotive Depot - Misplaced Pages Continue
1344-490: The world's largest electric suburban rail system. 1937 saw the introduction of the streamlined Spirit of Progress passenger train, with air conditioning and all steel carriage construction. Diesel power was introduced in 1951 with ten F-class diesel-electric shunting locomotives, followed by B-class mainline diesel-electric locomotives in 1952/53. A standard gauge line connecting to the New South Wales system
1386-661: Was also a surveyor, and for a while was residing at Sandhurst in Victoria. In the 1830s Watson became articled pupil to Henry Symons, of Plymouth, where he had experience in the construction of the South Devon Railway, and was also engaged under William Froude on the South Devon and Tavistock Railway and the North Devon Railway . Between 1849 and 1861 he spent a year with an architect in London, and
1428-577: Was an English and Australian civil engineer . He was also a surveyor and railway engineer . Robert Watson was born on 21 November 1822 at Dartington, near Totnes , Devonshire, England. He was educated first at local schools, and subsequently at the Exeter Diocesan College. Watson married Elizabeth Galsworthy not long after arriving in Victoria, who died several years afterwards in England. He had two sons, only one of whom, Robert, survived him. Robert Watson's brother Mr. G. H. Watson,
1470-413: Was constructed in 1961 allowing through trains to operate between Melbourne and Sydney , Australia's two largest cities, for the first time. The last steam locomotive was withdrawn in 1972. In May 1973, the Railways (Amendment) Act 1972 passed the management of the Railways from the Victorian Railways Commissioners to a Victorian Railways Board. In 1974, the Victorian Railways was rebranded as VicRail, but
1512-452: Was divided up into a number of branches, each with a set of responsibilities. These branches were reorganised a number of times, in 1962 they were: For most of the 20th century, the colours of royal blue and gold were the distinctive feature of the Victorian Railways. It was first introduced on the Spirit of Progress express train in 1937 along with the winged "VR" logo, and was refined to
1554-762: Was elected as the founding president of the Victorian Institute of Engineers when it commenced in 1883 and was also president 1884. He was also a member of the Philosophical Institute of Victoria from 1857–1859, and its successor the Royal Society of Victoria, from 1860, whose records identify him as being employed in the Government Railway offices in Geelong between 1857 and 1860, demonstrating his close involvement in
1596-495: Was offered the position of Senior Resident Engineer, without any alteration in the salary he had been receiving, and his position was to be only temporary, as changes were contemplated which would make it possible for him to resume the office of Engineer-in-Chief. However, he elected to retire, and Mr. Higinbotham was re-instated. Watson instead took on a challenging expedition for the Queensland Government to explore
1638-562: Was opened sometime in the 1880s by the Victorian Railways , replacing its first locomotive depot located in the Spencer Street station yard. It was located beside the Railway Canal, a section of Moonee Ponds Creek that enabled the direct unloading of coal transported by sea from New South Wales . The rectangular building was built of brick and iron with three turntables located inside. There were six track entrances, two at
1680-435: Was painted in a slightly different red / brown with only identifying lettering painted in white on the side. With the coming of the standard gauge line into Victoria in 1961, the Victorian Railways held a competition to find a "symbol, sign or slogan" to be carried on new freight vehicles for the line. The winner was an 18-year-old art student from Bentleigh , with the logo being a stylised VR with arrowheads on either end. By
1722-528: Was the state-owned operator of most rail transport in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations. Most of the lines operated by the Victorian Railways were of 5 ft 3 in ( 1,600 mm ). However, the railways also operated up to five 2 ft 6 in ( 762 mm ) narrow gauge lines between 1898 and 1962, and
North Melbourne Locomotive Depot - Misplaced Pages Continue
1764-474: Was used to place stock from the main VR fleet onto standard gauge . In 1936, the company owned 590 locomotives, 38 railcars, 819 coaches, 716 brake vans and 20,945 goods wagons. The first locomotives used in the state were small steam locomotives , the majority being imported from the United Kingdom, with later years seeing larger units being built locally. Electric locomotives were acquired with
#76923