Sydenham & Diggers Rest

 

ABOVE: An up pass arrives at Sydenham.

ABOVE: Sydenham looking towards Melbourne. This scene is unrecognisable today. As part of the project to electrify St Albans to Watergardens, the down platform, on the right, was demolished, along with the stock loading facility, to be replaced by stabling sidings. The down line was slewed significantly to the west. What remains of Sydenham station is now disused. A new station was built approx 1 kilometere towards Melbourne named Watergardens.  BELOW: From the same viewpoint looking north. The down platform, on the left is long gone, the up platform was drastically shortened during construction of the Watergardens shopping centre. The level crossing was replaced by an overpass in more recent years. Both photos circa 1970s courtesy David Langley.

 

ABOVE: A down Sunday afternoon Bendigo pass passes through the gates at Sydenham. Oct 9 1983 photo courtesy Warren Banfield.

ABOVE: A VR publicity photo of an employee posing next to the signal frame. The gate wheel for the interlocked gates can be seen in the background.

 

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Diggers Rest

ABOVE: 1903 VR diagram.

ABOVE: 1928 diagram issued in conjunction with the installation of interlocked gates. Of interest is that there is no defined up "starting signal" quite rare on Double Line Block.

 

ABOVE: A down goods at Diggers Rest. This photo shows the original station buildings and signal bay which were abolished in Aug 1928. photo circa 1922.

Diggers Rest was opened with the line and, for a short time, was the effective terminus as most traffic would have transferred to the Bendigo road. However, this status only lasted until 1861 when the line was extended to Woodend. Subsequently Diggers Rest was, and remains, a minor station. Block working was introduced by 1890, but Diggers Rest was effectively closed as a block in 1894. Unitl 1913 it was generally only opened as a Block post during the busy season and when the siding was being shunted. Despite this, the station was interlocked in 1902. A new frame was provided in 1928 in conjunction with the provision of interlocked gates at the level crossing. The gates were replaced by boom barriers in 1982 and Diggers Rest was, once again, a switching block post. The goods siding was removed in 1989 and the remaining crossover in 1992. (Text from Andrew Waugh's 'Victorian Station Histories') In July 1859, 5 months after the line's opening,a contract was let for the erection of a goods shed here. Three years later, a portion of it was removed to Gisborne, where it was reassembled (with additions). In December 1866, another contract was let for the remainder of the goods shed to be re-located to Sunbury. Refreshment rooms were provided at Diggers rest, with leases for the same commencing from at least March 1860. On November 11, 1898, Green lights were provided in the signals at Diggers Rest, in lieu of white.

ABOVE: View from the down platform looking towards Bendigo. 1980

ABOVE: View looking towards Melbourne showing the interlocked gates across the Calder highway and the signalbox at Diggers Rest. Feb. 1982. These gates were replaced by boom gates in Sept. 1982.

ABOVE: A 280 h.p. Walker railmotor approaches Diggers Rest while running the 12.20pm Spencer St to Kyneton service. 1979.

BELOW: 43 years later I returned to Diggers Rest to shoot a down Sunbury spark from the same spot as the photo above.  

 

ABOVE: A down enthusiast special departs Diggers Rest, 1979.

ABOVE: X 36 on the midday up Bendigo pass at Diggers Rest, 1979. 

BELOW: 31 years later, the same view showing N 470 on the afternoon up Swan Hill pass. Dec. 16 2010. This scene has changewd again when electrification went through to Sunbury.  (photo courtesy Mike Forsberg)

 

ABOVE: The gate mechanism photographed through the signal bay window, circa 1980.