- Victorian Goldfields Railway
-
Victorian Goldfields Railway 
Line details Completed 1884 Closed 1976 Reopened 1986 Length 17 km (10.6 mi) Stations Maldon to Castlemaine Tracks Single track Connections Bendigo line; Maryborough–Castlemaine line Former connections Shelbourne line Rail transport in Victoria Closed railways 
J 515 at Maldon, awaiting departure for Castlemaine, 20 January 2007
The Victorian Goldfields Railway is a 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge tourist railway in Victoria, Australia. It operates along a formerly disused branch line between the towns of Maldon and Castlemaine.
Contents
History
The original line was opened on 16 June 1884,[1] opening up rail access from the established station at Castlemaine to the towns of Muckleford and Maldon. The area was prosperous, as Castlemaine and Maldon had both experienced gold rushes in the preceding years, and local residents had been petitioning the state government for a railway since 1874. On 2 August 1884, a contract was let for an extension to Laanecoorie, however further construction was suspended after the line reached the small town of Shelbourne in 1891.[2]
The line was served by twice-daily trains for the first forty years of its life, which was increased to four-times-daily trains in 1924.[3] However, these were cut back at the end of the 1920s due to a decrease in the local population, and passenger services were eliminated altogether during World War II.[4] This meant that the line was only used by a weekly goods train which went through to Shelbourne. When bushfire damage caused the closure of the Shelbourne extension in 1970, the remainder of the line was rendered largely useless, and it was officially closed in December 1976.[5]
The response to the closure from the local community was swift, and the Castlemaine and Maldon Railway Preservation Society was founded in the same month, with the intention of reopening the line as a tourist railway. While Maldon station was intact, and was able to used as a base for their operations, they were faced with numerous problems: a line that needed substantial repairs, a lack of rolling stock, and rebuilding the demolished station at Muckleford.
Reconstruction
First train from Maldon approaches Castlemaine station, 19 December 2004Over the next decade, volunteers obtained and renovated rolling stock and by 1986, trains were able to operate on a one kilometre section of track out of Maldon.[5] By 1996, the line from Muckleford to Maldon had been restored, with the platforms being reinstated and a small replacement building being constructed.[5] Services were able to operate along a regular timetable, and the society set about reopening the Muckleford-Castlemaine section of the line.
The project received the support of the local,[6] state[7] and federal[8] governments. The necessary physical work had largely been completed by 2003, but it took another year to secure the necessary approvals and sign an agreement with freight operator Pacific National over the use of its line into Castlemaine station, which is still in regular passenger use today.[9] The section of line finally opened on December 19, 2004, approximately a year behind schedule.[10] As of April 2006[update], the Society has shown no plans to restore the dismantled Shelbourne extension in the foreseeable future.
Current operations
Steam locomotive K160The railway now operates two return trips to Castlemaine on Sundays, Wednesdays & public holidays. Steam locomotives operate most services, although the Society also operates diesels during days of total fire ban or when steam is not available.
Locomotives
K160: Operational, stand-by unit only pending maintenance. Owned by Victorian Goldfields Railway.
J515: Non-Operational due to failing boiler exam, on long term loan from Seymour Railway Heritage Centre.
J541: Operational, leased from a private owner.
J549: Non-Operational due to major overhaul, owned by the Victorian Goldfields Railway.
Y133: Operational, on long term loan from Seymour Railway Heritage Centre.
F212: Limited use within Maldon yard, owned by the Victorian Goldfields Railway.
T333: On long term loan to Seymour Railway Heritage Centre, based at their Seymour depot.
RM61(railmotor): Operational, owned by the Victorian Goldfields Railway. 15 June 2010 saw this unit transferred to The South Gippsland Railway on a long term loan. It is rumoured that Seymour Railway Heritage Centre's DRC unit will eventually transfer to Maldon to replace RM61.
Highlights
29 March 1986: First section of railway reopened between Maldon station and the Bendigo Road crossing (approx. 1 km). The reopening train consist being K160-2BCE-42BU-16BCPL.
1987: Diesel locomotives F212 and T333 acquired from VicRail. F212 was transferred from Melbourne to Maldon by road. T333 was railed from Bendigo to Maldon.
31 March 1991: Locomotive J549 makes its first move under steam and returned to service later that year.
9 October 1993: Railmotor 61RM officially handed over to the VGR. It had been held by a group of railmotor drivers at Spencer St prior to being railed to Bendigo and then trucked to Maldon.
25 September 1995: Locomotive D3 646 retrieved from a park outside Maryborough Railway Station.
8 June 1996: Line officially reopened to Muckleford. J549 was used on the official train.
11–12 July 1998: First heritage rail weekend, promoted as "Steamfreight '98". A variety of passenger, goods and mixed trains ran with K160, J549, T333, F212 and 61RM over the 2 days.
July 1999: "Steamfreight '99", the 2nd such event held. A similar program of operations to the previous one. Highlights included K160 being renumbered K157 on the Sunday. A triple headed goods also operated with "K157"-T333-F212.
May 2001: "Steamfreight 2001", the 3rd such event to be held. K160, J549, T333 and 61RM operated. 2 L type sheep wagons were transferred by road from the collection at Castlemaine and restored for this event.
June 19–20, 2007: The VGR held a Steam on Show Event using J515, K160 & diesel Y133. A variety of passenger, goods and mixed trains operated from Maldon to Castlemaine on the 19th, while regular services ran as mixed trains headed by K160 and J515 on the 20th.
July 26, 2008: The VGR ran the first double-headed J Class working in thirty years, using J515 and J541.
September 6, 2008: The VGR held the first "Picnic at Muckleford" event, combined with Steam on Show. The major highlight of this event was the first triple headed steam on the VGR (and the Castlemaine-Maldon branchline) with K160-J515-J541. A variety of passenger and mixed trains ran throughout the day.
June 14, 2009: The VGR celebrated the 125th anniversary of the Castlemaine-Maldon line with a special train from Castlemaine hauled by doubled headed J class. Steamrail Victoria operated double headed R class from Melbourne as part of the festivities.
December 19, 2010: VGR owned E cars 2BCE, 20BE, 15BE & 18AE, were transferred from Maldon to Seymour for restoration. [11]
Maldon Station fire
During the late hours of October 20, 2009 a fire ripped through Maldon station building causing major damage and loss of equipment. Not to be brought down by the situation, The VGR ran regular services as usual on the 21st hauled by K160. At the time of this addition, the major brick work structure of the station is deemed safe to rebuild on, although the remaining damaged roof will have to be demolished, plans are underway to return the station building to its former glory as time and finances permit. Contract work on the roof through VicTrack commenced on 4th February 2011.
List of stations
Location of Shelbourne line on VR system
Victorian Goldfields Railway Legend
Castlemaine-Bendigo main line 
Castlemaine 
Melbourne-Castlemaine main line Maryborough-Castlemaine line 
Muckleford 
Shelbourne extension (closed 1970, later dismantled) 
Maldon 
Pollard 
Shelbourne See also
- Tourist and Heritage Railways Act
References
- ^ "VR History". www.victorianrailways.net. 2007-02-02. http://www.victorianrailways.net/vr%20history/history.html. Retrieved 2007-01-20.
- ^ "VGR Timechart 1881-1890". www.vgr.com.au. 2005-02-27. http://www.vgr.com.au/timechart/timechart1881-1890.htm. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
- ^ "VGR Timechart 1921-1940". www.vgr.com.au. 2005-02-27. http://www.vgr.com.au/timechart/timechart1921-1940.htm. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
- ^ "VGR Timechart 1941-1960". www.vgr.com.au. 2005-02-27. http://www.vgr.com.au/history.html. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
- ^ a b c "History & Preservation". www.vgr.com.au. 2006-09-16. http://www.vgr.com.au/history.html. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
- ^ "Mount Alexander Shire Annual Report 2004 Part 1" (pdf). pp. 34. http://www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/Files/AnnualReport2004Part1.pdf. Retrieved 2007-04-30.[dead link]
- ^ "PREMIER AND SCHOOL STUDENTS SEE THE SIGHTS OF MT ALEXANDER SHIRE VIA STEAM TRAIN" (pdf) (Press release). Victorian Government. 2005-03-07. http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/798c8b072d117a01ca256c8c0019bb01/297c4b491af148dcca256fbf000f8860!OpenDocument. Retrieved 2007-04-30.
- ^ "$20 Million For 13,000 New Work For The Dole Places". Commonwealth of Australia; Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. 1998-12-18. http://mediacentre.dewr.gov.au/mediacentre/AllReleases/1998/December/20MillionFor13000NewWorkForTheDolePlaces.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-30.
- ^ Catharine Munro (2004-12-20). "Goldfields railway trundles into history". The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Goldfields-railway-trundles-into-history/2004/12/19/1103391638716.html. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
- ^ "MUCKLEFORD - CASTLEMAINE RESTORATION". www.vgr.com.au. 2004-10-20. Archived from the original on 2004-11-28. http://web.archive.org/web/20041211225512/www.vgr.com.au/muckleford-castlemaine.html. Retrieved 2007-01-20.
- ^ http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11351359-0-asc-s135.htm
External links
Maldon railway station- Victorian Goldfields Railway Official VGR website
- Mark Parker's Victorian Goldfields Railway Photos Various photographs of the Muckleford to Castlemaine restoration, 2002–2004
- Railpix Australia (VIC) Victorian Goldfields Rwy Photographs of VGR operations from 1998
Railway Lines in Victoria Main lines
Bendigo Line · Mildura line · North East Line · (Melbourne-Sydney) · Orbost Line · Port Fairy Line · Portland line · Serviceton Line · South Gippsland Line · Tocumwal line · Western SG line (Melbourne-Adelaide)Branch linesAlexandra line · Alvie line · Balranald line · Bolangum line · Briagolong line · Bright line · Buninyong line · Carpolac line · Casterton line · Cobram line · Cohuna line · Coleraine line · Cudgewa line · Daylesford line · Deniliquin line · Forrest line · Grampians line · Heathcote line · Kulwin line · Lancefield line · Maffra line · Mansfield line · Mortlake line · Mirboo North line · Navarre line · Noojee line · Oaklands line · Outtrim line · Patchewollock line · Peechelba East line · Picola line · Portland line · Redesdale line · Red Hill line · Robinvale line · Skipton line · Strzelecki line · Stony Crossing line · Tatong line · Thorpdale line · Timboon line · Wahgunyah line · Waubra line · Wedderburn line · Wonthaggi line · Woodside line · Yackandandah line · Yanac line · Yaapeet line ·
Cross Country linesAvoca line · Geelong-Ballarat line · Eaglehawk–Inglewood line · Moolort Line · Toolamba–Echuca line
V/Line servicesGeelong Line · Warrnambool Line · Ballarat Line · Maryborough Line · Ararat Line · Bendigo Line · Swan Hill Line · Echuca Line · Seymour Line · Shepparton Line · Albury-Wodonga Line · Traralgon Line · Bairnsdale Line
Melbourne suburban servicesCity Loop · Werribee line · Williamstown line · Sydenham line · Craigieburn line · Flemington Racecourse line · Upfield line · Epping line · Hurstbridge line · Lilydale line · Belgrave line · Alamein line · Glen Waverley line · Pakenham line · Cranbourne line · Frankston line · Stony Point line (unelectrified) · Sandringham line
Inner Circle line · Outer Circle line · Rosstown Railway · St Kilda - Windsor line · Spring Vale Cemetery line · Mont Park line · Kew line · Red Hill line · Whittlesea line · Warburton line · Mornington line · Healesville line · St Kilda line · Port Melbourne line Tourist railwaysBellarine Peninsula Railway · Daylesford Spa Country Railway · Mornington Railway · Puffing Billy Railway · South Gippsland Railway · Victorian Goldfields Railway · Walhalla Goldfields Railway · Yarra Valley Tourist Railway
Narrow gauge branch linesWhitfield line · Gembrook line · Crowes line · Walhalla line
Melbourne goods linesNewport-Sunshine line · Albion-Jacana line · South Kensington-West Footscray line
Coordinates: 37°1′8.29″S 144°8′44.34″E / 37.0189694°S 144.14565°E
Categories:- Tourist railways in Victoria (Australia)
- Heritage railways in Australia
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