APM Siding, Melbourne

MelbourneClosedRailwayStation
NAME=APM Siding
IMAGELINK=Apm-siding-alignment-melbourne.jpg
CAPTION=Looking south-east along the dismantled siding towards the paper mill
LINE=Outer Circle
DISTANCE=
PLATFORMS=
TRACKS=Dismantled
OPENED=29 July 1919
CLOSED=1994 (?)

The APM Siding was a convert|1.125|km|1|lk=on|sing=on long private railway siding in the suburb of Alphington, Melbourne, Australia that served the Australian Paper Manufacturers (now Amcor Fibre Packaging) paper mill. The siding branched from Fairfield station on the Hurstbridge line and ran south-east to the corner of Chandler Highway, Grange and Heidelberg Roads until entering the factory.

History

The line past the factory was opened on 24 March 1891 as the Outer Circle linecite book
author = David Beardsell and Bruce Herbert
title = The Outer Circle: A history of the Oakleigh to Fairfield Park Railway
publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division)
year = 1979
isbn = 0 85849 024 2 ] but the paper mill itself did not exist at this time. This section of the line was closed on 12 April 1893. It was not until 29 July 1919, that the line from Fairfield was reopened to the paper mill, and new sidings opened to serve it.cite journal
year = 1994
month = November
title = Closure of the Australian Paper Ltd siding at Fairfield
author = S Cauchi
journal = Newsrail
publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division)
pages = pages 328–331 ] From the Heidelberg Road - Chandler Highway intersection the track left the alignment of the former Outer Circle railway and slewed east into the mill itself. Once inside the factory the siding spread into three branches: the east was used to unload paper pulp, the centre siding for unloading of coal wagons, and the western one being the longest running almost to the mill's southern fence.

Electrification of the siding was provided in the 1950s at the same time as that on the Gippsland line to Traralgon, the overhead on the siding being removed in the 1980s except for a short section long enough for a six-car suburban train at the junction. In April 1994 V/Line announced that the mill would no longer have a need for siding, it being booked out soon after. Contributing factors included the demise of coal traffic, and changes at the paper mill meaning pulp would need to be double handled in the factory itself.

The rail was removed in 2003–2004 and ended up at the Yarra Valley Tourist Railway, with all overhead wiring on the siding gone by this time.cite web
url=http://www.railpage.com.au/f-p850814.htm
title=APM siding across the Grange Road/Heidelberg Rd - Railpage Australia™ Forums (Melbourne suburban)
publisher=www.railpage.com.au
accessdate=2008-03-25] A dwarf signal and overhead wiring stanchions remain in the paper mill grounds themselves. [cite web
url=http://www.railpage.com.au/f-p1027703.htm#1027703
title=Where is it ~ Melbourne Suburban (Photo) #3 - Railpage Australia™ Forums (Melbourne suburban)
publisher=www.railpage.com.au
accessdate=2008-03-25] The paper mill remains open today.

Traffic

Until the boilers at the paper mill were converted to gas firing, convert|400|t|ST|lk=on of coal per day was transferred in two trains per day from the company owned coal mine at Maddingley, near Bacchus Marsh. Wagons were unloaded by hand until a wagon tippler was provided in 1951.

Paper pulp was also transferred from the company Maryvale mill (near Traralgon) first by steam locomotives, then after electrification of the Gippsland line by E and L class electric locomotives, along with B and T class diesels. In later years T and P classes worked the siding, with VOBX or VFNX wagons loaded with white paper in cubed form entering the siding and empty wagons out.

References

External links

*Photo: [http://www.victorianrailways.net/photogallery/suburb/apml.html L class electric locomotive at the siding in 1984]
*
http://www.custommaps.net/images/031.jpgMelway 1966 edition, map 31]
*
http://www.street-directory.com.au/sd_new/mapsearch.cgi?y=-37.78195662745624&level=6&x=145.02504476660965 Today]

VictorianClosedStations
VICORMELB = Melbourne
Line1 = Outer Circle line
Next1 = Willsmere
Previous1 = Fulham Grange