News Flash

VR has advised that as the Cement plant has closed today that all sercive on the branch line will cease to run on 31 December 2010. The line will officially close on 12 Jan 2011

New Blog to start shortly will be Hunter Valley & Liverpool Range Line. Keep a look out for it

Passenger Service

For most of Victoria V/Line Pass has operated a frequent passenger service on most lines and this Branch Line is no exception. Currently there are three return services from Melbourne each day. The trip takes 90 minutes each way. Trains arrive with half an hout turn around before departing at 0800, 1300 and 1900. Trains are usually hauled by B or occasionally an A class unit and consist of three cars including one car with a buffet section. N class diesels are expected to take over as the train engine later this year Following is a typical service arriving and departing


A84 in an all over orange scheme arrives at the platform. This was the only loco ever painted in this scheme


Once the passengers have disembarked the loco is uncoupled from the train in readyness to run around the passenger set. The uncoupling is done by the loco crew. The loco has been uncoupled and the crew member is about to re-board the loco



The loco is crossing from the Main Line to the Loop as it runs around its train


The loco is now attached to the Melbourne end of the train ready for the 1300 service to the State Capital. The crew are taking a short tea break. Arrival time in Melbourne is 1430 if it is on time

A Rare Branchline Visitor

Whilst out on trials after servicing the first steam loco to visit the line. It operated as a light engine in both directions. Some time was spent moving around the station yard for the locals to view the spectacular. It was a bust thre hours from arrival to departure

6028 seen in the yard near the Cement Works shunting a few wagons

Assorted Pictorial Views

This is a pictorial of the goods train that runs at least three days a week M W F) and more (usually T S) depending on traffic. B class units have taken over operating the train because of the increasing loading for this train.. In these photos B84 is the train engine and Y146 is the Yard Shunter

As you can see it is busy some days. There is at least one and sometimes two cement trains for loading.

New Industrial Siding

Business is booming so a new Industrial Siding was installed to serve five industries and a loco shed for a single diesel unit which has now been allocated to the station. The first industry is Henry's Grain. Sharing the next siding is Mountain Top Export Wines and and The Hills Distribution Warehouse. The siding not yet connected is for container loaded cattle run by Snowy Cattle . The points will be put in when the council finally approves the land use and traffic plan. Until then the containers will be unloaded in the goods yard At the end is another warehouse building for Bob's Builoding Products. Next to that is the VR Loco depot . Currently Y146 is allocated there with a new loco being allocated when the loco has to for a service.

The landscapers still need to arrive and put in road access . A bit messy in the wet. The current wet and cold weather is holding the task up.

VR Cement Train

Click on photos to enlarge
A photo pictorial of the arrival, loading and departure of one of the cement trains












T364 on the Cement Train leaving the fiddle yard












T364 arrives in the loop in order that the loco can run around the train
























The crew have uncoupled the loo and it is about to move forward and cross over to the main track













T364 has crossed over to the main track and the points have been set for it to run around. The loco is seen from the sawn timber siding and the Cement works is in the background












T364 stops just short of coupling up so that the crew member can signal the driver back onto the train












The train has now been pushed back into the silo siding and will shortly be in position for loading to commence












Cement wagons never look clean except the first couple of days back in service. It is a while since this car has seen the workshop












Loading continues as the first of six cars to be loaded has emerged from the silo












The last car has just finished loading and the train is ready to proceed up to the platform for the final paperwork ans wait for the staff to the next section












The staff for the next section has been received and the Cement train is about to depart the loop. This saga will be played out later again that day when the next Cement Train arrives

Stay tuned for another in depth view of another service on this branch line

Viewing photos in posts

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Doing blogs and getting them right is a pain in the neck.