Shepparton railway line, Victoria

VictorianRailwayLineInfobox
type = vic
name = Shepparton
yearcommenced =
yearopened =
yearcompleted =
yearclosed =
fate =
lengthkm =
stations = 4
tracks = 1
users = V/Line and Pacific National
servicepattern =
RollingStock =
connections = l
formerconnections =

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The Shepparton line (also known as the Tocumwal line) is a railway line in Victoria, Australia. It branches off the Albury-Wodonga railway line at Seymour and has 4 passenger stations up to Shepparton.

History

The Melbourne and Essendon Railway Company opened the first section of the Shepparton railway line from North Melbourne to Essendon in 1860. Following its take over by the Victorian Government in 1867, the line was extended to Tallarook and Mangalore in 1872. This line was completed to Albury in 1883 (see Albury-Wodonga line).

A line was built from Mangalore to Toolamba and Shepparton in 1880 and extended to Numurkah in 1881, Strathmerton in 1905 and connecting with the New South Wales Government Railways at Tocumwal at a break-of-gauge in 1908.

Passenger services to Tocumwal ended on November 8, 1975 with the last train operated by T class diesel locomotive T324 and 3AS - 31BE - 2AE - 22CE. Before this time the Strathmerton - Cobram section of the line was operated as the 'branch line' with a 102hp Walker railmotor connecting with the main line train. A bus service was then introduced for the Tocumwal branch, connecting with the Cobram service. By 1977/78 the service between Cobram and Tocumwal was being operated by a VicRail owned station wagon driven by the Cobram station master.cite journal | year = 1997 | month = March | title = Rail Passenger Service Withdrawals Since 1960 | author = Chris Banger | journal = Newsrail | publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) | pages = pages 77 - 82 ]

The last passenger service from Toolamba station to Echuca ran on March 2, 1981 with Y class diesel locomotive Y161 an ABE carriage and a C van. This consist had only been introduced a few months prior, with a DERM usually being rostered.cite journal | year = 1997 | month = March | title = Rail Passenger Service Withdrawals Since 1960 | author = Chris Banger | journal = Newsrail | publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) | pages = pages 77 - 82 ] Toolamba finally closed as a station on December 20, 1987.cite book | author = Bob Whitehead | title = Tocumwal Railway Centenary | year = 2008 ]

The passenger service from Numurkah north to Cobram was withdrawn on 24 April 1981 but was restored on 14 August 1983.cite journal
year = 1997
month = March
title = Rail Passenger Service Withdrawals Since 1960
author = Chris Banger
journal = Newsrail
publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division)
pages = pages 77–82 ] The service from Melbourne to Shepparton then to Cobram was again withdrawn on 21 August 1993, with Hoys Roadlines taking control of the train as far as Shepparton from 22 August; hiring locomotives, carriages and train crews from V/Line. This arrangement remained until 2004. [cite web
url=http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/doi/doielect.nsf/2a6bd98dee287482ca256915001cff0c/a3da3b97a6cc8a96ca256f0b00112ea9/$FILE/trkrcd19.pdf
title=Track Record: 19 April to June 2004
publisher=www.doi.vic.gov.au
accessdate=2008-07-13]

There have been calls for the line to be standardised as part of the proposed Melbourne to Brisbane 'Inland Railway'. In April 2008 it was announced that the Shepparton – Tocumwal section of the line would also be upgraded, as part of the Victorian core grain network in a A$23.7 million package with 6 other lines. [cite web
url=http://business.theage.com.au/43m-to-upgrade-rail-freight-lines/20080421-27nl.html
title=$43m to upgrade rail freight lines | theage.com.au
publisher=business.theage.com.au
accessdate=2008-04-27]

Branch lines

A branch line was subsequently built from Murchison East to Rushworth and Colbinabbin, with a branch from Rushworth to Stanhope. A line was completed between Toolamba and Echuca in 1887.

A short branch line was opened from Shepparton to Dookie in 1888. A private tramway was opened between Dookie and Katamatite in 1890, and was taken over by Victorian Railways in 1896. [cite web | url=http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/ncas/multimedia/gazetteer/list/katamatite.html | title=Katamatite | publisher= [http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/ncas/multimedia/gazetteer Australian Places] |accessdate=2006-06-07 ] . Another short branch line was opened from Strathmerton to Cobram in 1888.

Line guide

The Shepparton line is served by daily V/Line services from Southern Cross Station in Melbourne. V/Line Seymour line services also operate along the inner section of the line, and is a branch line from the North East railway.

Bold stations are termini, "italic" stations are staffed at least part time (this has been confirmed).

References

External links

* [http://www.vline.com.au http://www.vline.com.au]
* [http://www.vline.com.au/maps/maps/northeast.html Official map]
* [http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=infrastructure&section=lineguide&line=Tocumwal Statistics and detailed schematic map] at the [http://www.vicsig.net/ vicsig] enthusiast website

Category:V/Line rail services