Victorian Railways
Parent |
|
The Victorian Railways (VR), trading from 1974 as VicRail, was the state-owned operator of most rail transport in the Australian state of
from 1961.History
Formation
A
Because of political turmoil in the
On 1 November 1883, assent was given to the Victorian Railways Commissioners Act 1883, 47 Vic., No.767, to construct, maintain and manage 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.[4]
Growth
Victorian Railways grew to service all parts of the state, even extending some lines into
Conversion of the
Demise
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 the royal blue and gold livery used on rolling stock was retained until 1981.[5]
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
Management
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.[6] With the passing of the Victorian Railways Commissioners Act 1883, a board of four commissioners was put in charge, responsible to the Minister of Railways (the Minister of Transport from 1935 onwards).[7]
The Chairman of Commissioners of the Victorian Railways were:[8][9]
- Richard Speight: 1883 to 1892
- Richard Hodge Francis: 1892 to 1894
- James Syder: 1894 to 1896
- John Mathieson: 1896 to 1901
- William Francis Joseph Fitzpatrick: 1901 to 1903
- Thomas James Tait: 1903 to 1910
- William Francis Joseph Fitzpatrick: 1910 to 1915
- Charles Ernest Norman: 1915 to 1920
- Harold Winthrop Clapp: 1920 to 1939
- Norman Charles Harris: 1940 to 1950
- Robert George Wishart: 1950 to 1955
- Edgar Henry Brownbill: 1956 to 1967
- George Frederick Brown: 1967 to 1973
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 the board was discontinued under the Transport Act 1983.[9]
Fleet
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
In 1936, the company owned 590 locomotives, 38 railcars, 819 coaches, 716 brake vans and 20,945 goods wagons.[10]
The first locomotives used in the state were small
Early passenger services were operated with 4 and 6 wheeled "dogbox" passenger carriages, but larger bogie rollingstock started to appear from the turn of the century.
Early wagons were built on four wheeled under frames, but from 1871 bogie vehicles begun to appear.[14] The last four wheeled open wagons were built in 1958,[15] but were not scrapped in large numbers until the 1980s when new bogie wagons replaced them.[16] By 1987, the bogie wagon fleet numbered 5000.[16]
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.
Rollingstock
Railcars
Class | Image | Type | Gauge | Top speed (km/h) | Built | Number | In service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
102hp Walker Railmotor
|
Diesel | Broad | 72 | 1948–1955 | 13 | 1948–1978 | ||
153hp Walker Railmotor
|
Diesel | Broad | 80 | 1948–1955 | 16 | 1948–1978 | ||
280hp Walker Railmotor
|
Diesel | Broad | 97 | 1950–1954 | 12 | 1950–1980 | ||
Diesel Electric Railmotor (DERM) | Diesel | Broad | 60 | 1928–1931 | 10 | 1928–1953 | Built from Petrol Electric Railmotors | |
Diesel Rail Car (DRC) | Diesel | Broad | 112 | 1971–1973 | 4 | 1971–1994 |
Locomotives (Diesel/Electric)
Class | Image | Type | Gauge | Top speed (km/h) | Built | Number | In service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
B | Diesel-electric | Broad | 133 | 1952–1953 | 26 | 1952–1982 | ||
C | Diesel-electric | Broad, standard | 133 | 1977–1978 | 10 | 1977–1995 | ||
F | Diesel-electric | Broad | 32 | 1951–1953 | 16 | 1951–1987 | ||
H | Diesel-electric | Broad | 100 | 1968–1969 | 5 | 1968–1999 | ||
S | Diesel-electric | Broad, standard | 133 | 1957–1961 | 18 | 1957–1961 | ||
T | Diesel-electric | Broad, standard | 100 | 1955–1968 | 94 | 1955-2000 | ||
X | Diesel-electric | Broad, standard | 133 | 1966, 1970, 1975–1976 | 24 | 1966–1999 | ||
Y | Diesel-electric | Broad | 65 | 1963–1968 | 75 | 1963-present | ||
M | Diesel-hydraulic | Broad | 20 | 1959 | 2 | 1959-? | ||
V | Diesel-hydraulic | Broad | 16 | 1959 | 1 | 1959-? | ||
W | Diesel-hydraulic | Broad | 32 | 1959–1961 | 27 | 1959–1982 | ||
E | Electric | Broad | 65 | 1923, 1928–1929 | 12 | 1923–1984 | ||
L | Electric | Broad | 75 | 1953–1954 | 25 | 1953–1987 |
Locomotives (Steam)
Class | Image | Type | Gauge | Top speed (km/h) | Built | Number | In service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A2 | Steam | Broad | 115 | 1907–1915, 1915–1922 | 185 | 1907–1963 | Ran the Geelong Flier, reducing times from Geelong to Melbourne to 63, and then 55 minutes | |
AA | Steam | Broad | 1900–1903 | 20 | 1900–1932 | |||
B | Steam | Broad | 1861–1881 | 34 | 1862–1917 | |||
C | Steam | Broad | 96 | 1918–1926 | 26 | 1918–1962 | Ran during the war on the North Eastern, Ballarat, Bendigo, and Geelong lines | |
D (1876) | Steam | Broad | 1876 | 2 | Named Neil and Neil's Sister | |||
D (1887) | Steam | Broad | 1887–1888 | 20 | 1887–1928 | |||
DD | Steam | Broad | 1902–1916 | 261 D, 58 E | 1902–1974 | Reclassified into D1, D2, D3, and D4 class during the 1920s | ||
E | Steam | Broad | 1889–1890, 1892–1894 | 76 | 1889–1966 | |||
F | Steam | Broad | 1874, 1876–1877, 1879–1880 | 21 | 1874–1929 | Seven converted to FE class | ||
G | Steam | Narrow | 1925 | 2 | 1926–1964 | |||
G (1877) | Steam | Broad | 1877 | 2 | 1877–1904 | |||
H (1877) | Steam | Broad | 1877–1878 | 8 | 1877–1916 | |||
H | Steam | Broad | 1941 | 1 | 1941–1958 | Nicknamed Heavy Harry; largest locomotive ever built in Australia | ||
J (1859) | Steam | Broad | 1859 | 5 | 1860–1916 | |||
J (1954) | Steam | Broad | 1954 | 60 | 1954–1972 | |||
K | Steam | Broad | 1922–1946 | 53 | 1922–1979 | |||
L | Steam | Broad | 1859–1860 | 10 | 1861–1906 | |||
M | Steam | Broad | 1879, 1884–1886 | 22 | 1880–1922 | |||
N | Steam | Broad | 1925–1928, 1930–1931, 1949–1951 | 83 | 1925–1966 | Designed for conversion to standard gauge | ||
NA | Steam | Narrow | 1898–1915 | 17 | 1898– | |||
O | Steam | Broad | 1862–1864, 1866, 1871–1872, 1878–1879, 1881 | 44 | 1886–1919 | First entered service as Unclassed | ||
P | Steam | Broad | 1860 | 5 | 1860–1921 | |||
Q | Steam | Broad | 1873–1874 | 70 | 1873–1908 | |||
R | Steam | Broad, Standard | 1951–1952 | 70 | 1951–1974 | |||
S | Steam | Broad | 1928 | 4 | 1928–1954 | |||
T | Steam | Broad | 1874–1885 | 22 | 1874–1952 | |||
U | Steam | Broad | 1874–1875 | 9 | 1874–1908 | |||
V | Steam | Broad | 1899, 1901–1902 | 16 | 1900–1930 | |||
W | Steam | Broad | 1880, 1883 | 12 | 1880–1926 | |||
X | Steam | Broad | 1929, 1937-38, 1942-43, <1947 | 29 | 1929–1960 | |||
Y | Steam | Broad | 40 | 1885, 1888–1889 | 49 | 1885–1963 | ||
Z | Steam | Broad | 1893 | 3 | 1893–1911 |
Carriage stock
Class | Image | Type | Gauge | Top speed (km/h) | Built | Number | In service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DERM Trailer | Railmotor Trailer | Broad | 1930 | 5 | 1930–1982 | |||
Walker Trailer | Railmotor Trailer | Broad | 1948–1949, 1952–1954 | 15 | 1948–1983 | |||
E Type Carriage | Passenger Carriage | Broad | 1906–1911, 1919–1924, 1930 | ~103 | 1906–1995 | |||
N Type Carriage | Passenger Carriage | Broad, standard | 1981–1984 | 57 | 1981-present | |||
PL Type Carriage | Passenger Carriage | Broad | 1918–1921 | 141 | 1917–1988 | |||
S Type Carriage | Passenger Carriage | Broad, standard | 115 | 1937–1956 | 40 | 1937-2010 | ||
Short W Type Carriage | Passenger Carriage | Broad, standard | 1911–1914, 1918–1919, 1922, 1925 | 136 | 1911–1984 | |||
Long W Type Carriage | Passenger Carriage | Broad, standard | 1926–1927 | 25 | 1926–1986 | |||
V Type Carriage | Passenger Carriage | Broad | 1897–1899 | 53 | 1897–1983 | |||
Z Type Carriage | Passenger Carriage | Broad, standard | 1957–1966 | 25 | 1957-present |
Electric Multiple Units
Class | Image | Type | Gauge | Top speed (km/h) | Built | Number | In service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Swingdoor | Electric | Broad | 83 | 1887–1909 | 288 | 1887–1974 | ||
Tait | Electric | Broad | 110 | 1910–1953 | 623 | 1910–1985 | ||
Harris | Electric | Broad | 130 | 1956–1971 | 436 | 1956–1988 | Converted to H set carriages | |
Hitachi | Electric | Broad | 116 | 1972–1981 | 354 | 1972–2014 | ||
Comeng | Electric | Broad | 115 | 1981–1988 | 570 | 1981-present |
Operational branches
The Victorian Railways 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:[17]
- Secretaries: headed by the Secretary for Railways, dealt with policy, administration, transport regulation and legal matters.
- Rolling Stock: headed by the Chief Mechanical Engineer, was responsible for design, construction, operation, and maintenance of all locomotivesand rolling stock.
- Way and Works: headed by the Chief Civil Engineer, it constructed and maintained all fixed infrastructure such as track, bridges, stations, signalling and safeworking.
- Traffic: headed by the Chief Traffic Manager, it operated all goods and passenger services both on rail and road.
- Electrical Engineering: headed by the Chief Electrical Engineer, it managed the suburban railway electrification system, as well as power supply to stations.
- Accountancy: headed by the Controller of Accounts, it recorded all payments, prepared budgets, conducted audits, and paid salaries and wages to employees
- Commercial: headed by the Chief Commercial Manager, it set goods rates and passenger fares, solicited for new traffic to rail, and took action against by-laws offenders.
- Stores: headed by the Controller of Stores, it received all incoming stores and materials, and controlled the railway printing works.
- Refreshment Services: headed by the Superintendent of Refreshment Services, it controlled food and bookstore services at station, managed advertising at stations, as well as the railway bakery, butchery, poultry farm and laundry.
Visual identification
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,[citation needed] and was refined to 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
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 the 1970s most bogie vehicles wore the logo, until May 1983 pending the launch of V/Line.[18]
In 1974, the Victorian Railways was rebranded as VicRail, with a new logo unveiled on 12 April 1976,[19] but the royal blue and gold image was retained until 1981,[5] 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 a "stylised capital lettered logo with the V and the L split by a deep slashing stroke".[18]
Named trains
The Victorian Railways operated a number of named passenger trains, including the:[20]
- Fruit Flyer
- Geelong Flier
- Great Northern Limited
- The Overland
- The Boat Train
- Spirit of Progress
- The Gippslander
- Intercapital Daylight
- Mildura Sunlight
- Southern Aurora
- The Northerner[citation needed]
- The Vinelander
- The West Coaster
The railways also operated a number of specialist trains that were used to bring services to rural and isolated populations. These included:
Other functions
From 1888, the Victorian Railways began to take on a role in tourism, operating the Victorian Government Tourist Bureau until it was taken over by the state government in 1959.[21] 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),[22] the Feathertop Bungalow (1927–1939) and Hotham Heights (1934–1951).
In 1911, the Victorian Railways Commissioners assumed responsibility for the State Coal Mine at Wonthaggi from the Mines Department.[23] 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
Publications
From 1930 until 1973, Victorian Railways News Letter was the Victorian Railways' inhouse journal.[26] It was renamed Victorian Rail Ways in June 1973[27][28] and VicRail News in March 1981.[29][30]
References
- ISBN 0-473-02845-X.
- ^ Harper, Brian (4 September 2003). "The True Story of the Design of the Bendigo Railway". Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
- ^ Sands & McDougall's Melbourne and Suburban Directory, 1865, 1870, 1885
- ^ Geoff Peterson (February 1993). "67 Spencer Street". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). pp. 44–45.
- ^ ISBN 0-949817-76-7.
- ^ Leo J. Harrigan (1962). Victorian Railways to '62. Public Relations and Betterment Board. p. 273.
- ^ Leo J. Harrigan (1962). Victorian Railways to '62. Public Relations and Betterment Board. p. 274.
- ^ Leo J. Harrigan (1962). Victorian Railways to '62. Public Relations and Betterment Board. p. 275.
- ^ ISBN 0-9592069-3-0.
- ^ World Survey of Foreign Railways. Transportation Division, Bureau of foreign and domestic commerce, Washington D.C. 1936. p. 21.
- ^ ISBN 0-949817-76-7.
- ^ "VR – V/Line – VLP/ FA Locomotives". Locopage. Archived from the original on 8 February 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2008.
- ^ a b "Victorian Railways—Loco hauled Passenger Carriages". Peter J. Vincent's Website. Retrieved 8 February 2008.
- ISBN 0-9775056-0-X.
- ^ Mark Bau. "Four wheeled open wagons of the Victorian Railways". Notes from the Victorian Model Railway Society Prototype Modellers Meet 2007.
- ^ a b "V/Line Freight Rollingstock Fleet – 1 July 1987". Newsrail. Vol. 15, no. 10. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). July 1987. p. 303.
- ^ Leo J. Harrigan (1962). Victorian Railways to '62. Public Relations and Betterment Board. p. 162.
- ^ ISBN 0-9775056-0-X.
- ISBN 0-9592069-3-0.
- ^ Leo J. Harrigan (1962). Victorian Railways to '62. Public Relations and Betterment Board. pp. 256–268.
- ^ Leo Harrigan (1962). Victorian Railways to '62. Public Relations and Betterment Board. p. 168.
- ^ Mount Buffalo Chalet Newsrail November 2006 pages 348–355
- ^ Leo J. Harrigan (1962). Victorian Railways to '62. Public Relations and Betterment Board. p. 165.
- Running JournalJune 1969
- ^ The Sandringham Tramway Running Journal October 1969
- ^ Victorian Railways News Letter National Library of Australia
- ^ Welcome to Rail Ways Victorian Rail Ways June 1973 page 82
- ^ Victorian Rail Ways National Library of Australia
- ^ VicRail News – your new magazine VicRail News March 1981 page 2
- ^ VicRail News National Library of Australia
External links
- Media related to Victorian Railways at Wikimedia Commons