CLARKEFIELD
(LANCEFIELD ROAD / LANCEFIELD JUNCTION)
| Sunbury | 31Miles 26Chains 36Links / 50.42km | Riddells Creek |
Clarkefield was opened around 1862 as 'Lancefield Road'. In 1881 the station became a junction when a branch was opened to Lance-field and the station was renamed 'Lancefield Junction'. The station was not interlocked until 1894, but the layout was eccentric in the extreme. The interlocking frame only worked the signals. There was no facing connection to the branch line (even though through trains to Lancefield were run from Melbourne on occasion) and the trailing connection was worked from a small ground frame. The station was renamed Clarkefield in 1926. The Lancefield line closed in 1956, but the remnant of the branch line became a refuge and the layout remained essentially unchanged until 1977 when the Auxiliary frame was abolished. The remaining connections were then slowly removed.
(Text from Andrew Waugh's 'Victorian Station Histories')
ABOVE: Looking east, toward Melbourne. The presence of the rodding for crosslocking of the Auxiliary frame, (below the signal wires), dates this photo to between 1894 and 1908. It is also likely to have been taken prior to the closure of the Lancefield-Kilmore line in July, 1903. The station office appears to be identical to that which was built at Sunbury, c1861.
Of interest is the bluestone platform coping. It appears to be somewhat thicker than the standard 8", subsequently adopted universally by the V.R.. A rock face, though fairly subdued, is also evident, along with 1"- 1 1/2" chiselled margins along the horizontal arris's. Although a very common finish to string courses and parapets, only one other similar example of its use like this has so far been identified, that being at Woodend.
On September 9, 1861 a contract was let for "removal of buildings from Diggers Rest and Sunbury to Lancefield" (Road). It is not known what those particular buldings were. (Photograph courtesy of PROV).
ABOVE: A D3 departs Clarkfield on a Lancefield bound special, date unknown. (photograph courtesy of PROV).
ABOVE: Taken from the up platform looking towards Bendigo we see the remains of the carriage dock, circa 1972. photo courtesy David Langley.
ABOVE: Looking towards Bendigo circa 1972. photo courtesy David Langley
ABOVE: Standing on the down platform looking towards Melbourne, circa 1972. photo courtesy David Langley
ABOVE: Standing on the up platform looking towards Melbourne, the stock loading facilities can be seen in the distance, circa 1972. photo courtesy David Langley
ABOVE: Looking towards Melbourne from the up platform, circa 1972. photo courtesy David Langley
ABOVE: The station office/signal box and goods shed on the up side. October 4, 1986. (Photograph courtesy of Australian Rail Maps)
ABOVE: X42, hauling V/Line train no 8042 from Bendigo to Melbourne calls at Clarkefield. October 4, 1986. (Photograph courtesy of Australian Rail Maps)
ABOVE: Looking toward Melbourne from the up platform, July 23, 1994. (photo courtesy Weston Langford).
ABOVE: Looking toward Riddells Creek from the up platform, July 23, 1994. (photo courtesy Weston Langford).
ABOVE: 1903 VR Plan.
Feel free to email me with any corrections or comments
Page modified Jan 31, 2022