Yaapeet & Yanac lines
Dimboola to Jeparit opened June 19 1894
Jeparit to Rainbow opened Nov 2 1899
Jeparit to Lorquon opened Dec 10 1912
Rainbow to Yaapeet opened June 26 1914
Lorquon to Yanac opened June 27 1916
Jeparit to Yanac closed Dec. 8 1986
Dimboola to Yaapeet converted to Standard gauge 1995
Dimboola to Yaapeet
ABOVE: K 174 is on an Up goods ex Rainbow on the 1 in 75 Wilson’s Bank between Arkona and Dimboola on 7-9-1959. (photo courtesy Des Jowett)
ABOVE: The caretaker in charge at Antwerp station obviously had a bit of pride in the appearance of the station and surrounds. It’s a pity there were no passengers to appreciate it. 18 August 1971. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: T 378 hauls a Melbourne to Yaapeet day return tour through Antwerp on 16 March 1974. The train ran with B 69 via Castlemaine and Maryborough on the re opened line through Avoca. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE & BELOW: In Jan 1979 I rode the down Dimboola to Yanac goods, here is our train at Antwerp waiting for the guard to walk up to detach the GYs. BELOW: The empty GYs are placed in the silo road.
ABOVE: J 555 on an Up goods ex Rainbow near Tarranyurk on 3-8-1959. (photo courtesy Des Jowett)
ABOVE: The up goods from Yanac hauled by Y110 passes through Tarranyurk on 18 August 1971. There are considerable grain storage facilities at this location. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: Station buildings and facilities at Jeparit are being rationalised prior to the station having a repaint. 18 August 1971. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: By 1974 the building looks to be in a much better condition although many of the original outbuildings and station fencing have been removed. 58 DERM is on a special excursion to Yanac. 24 November 1974. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE & BELOW: Jeparit station, Dec 30 1986. Not a trace remains of this building now.
ABOVE: A Dimboola to Yanac empty wheat train stops at Jeparit, the junction for the Yanac and Yaapeet lines. It is about to set off on the Yanac line, Jan. 1979
ABOVE: Constructing the wheat silos at Jeparit, circa 1930s. (PROV collection)
ABOVE: The 3 staff ticket boxes at Jeparit, March 1979. (photo courtesy David Harvey)
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ABOVE: The basic station shed at Pullut contains a telephone, notice board and little else. It retains its original timber platform coping. 18 August 1971. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: The Train Staff for the section Rainbow to Yaapeet rests on the coupler of Y 146 April 1 1971. (photo courtesy Doug Miles)
ABOVE: A down goods train at Rainbow, April 1 1971. (photo courtesy Doug Miles)
ABOVE: Y 109 has arrived at Rainbow having run bona from Yaapeet. It will assemble a train here before heading southwards. Seven boxes of day old chickens seen on the platform will accompany the guard in his Z Van. 19 August 1971. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: Rainbow station was renovated around the same as Jeparit and green was obviously the colour choice at the time. The station appears to be in good condition as DERM 58 pauses on its way to Yaapeet in June 1975. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: T 378 is seen running around its small consist of 5 BCE, BZ and BCPL at Yaapeet. 16 March 1974. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: It's late afternoon at Yaapeet and the train will soon to depart on the long run back to Melbourne. 16 March 1974. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: The guard and caretaker have completed shunting and are about to couple Y 109 to the ZL van ready to depart Yaapeet, running bona as far as Rainbow. 19 August 1971. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: A couple of rolls of wire are still on the platform as the caretaker’s wife chats to the guard shortly before departure to Rainbow. 19 August 1971. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: Y 109 has arrived at Yaapeet from Dimboola and is placing a few GY wagons in the siding ready for outward loading on the next train. 19 August 1971. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE & BELOW: An down goods at Yaapeet, April 1 1971. (photos courtesy Doug Miles)
ABOVE: An up goods departs Yaapeet, April 1 1971. (photo courtesy Doug Miles)
Jeparit to Yanac
ABOVE: Returning from Yanac Y 110 is crossing the Wimmera River Bridge at the southern end of Lake Hindmarsh. This river crossing is not far from the junction station at Jeparit. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: Lorquon on the now closed Jeparit to Yanac branchline is buzzing with activity as the guard uses the party line phone to tell train control how they are progressing while the driver does brakes, looks like the fireman is having a drive as he is sitting in the drivers seat. Whilst this train was not making much revenue for the VR, trains on this and all wheat lines swelled to impressive lenghts during the harvest. BELOW, a rake of GY's awaits pick up on the return journey. Jan. 6 1971. (photos courtesy Tony Smith)
ABOVE: Lorquon station is as basic as it gets with the shelter shed devoid of everything except a name board; the platform coping seems to be in good condition. 18 August 1971. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: Beer is obviously popular at Netherby judging by the loading on the platform. This is a typical country station of the region with peppercorn trees providing shade from the summer sun. 18 August 1971. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: A cheery hand wave from the Netherby station officer as Y 110 rumbles by non stop on route to Jeparit. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: A down Yanac bound goods pauses at Netherby, March 31 1971. (photo courtesy Doug Miles)
ABOVE: A short down goods pauses at Netherby, Jan 6 1971. (photo courtesy Tony Smith)
ABOVE: DERM 58 pauses briefly at Netherby on an enthusiasts special en route to Yanac. 29 November 1974. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: The location board for Yanac is rather faded but the wording is still legible as Y 110 stands at the station platform ready to depart back to Dimboola on the weekly goods train. 18 August 1971. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: The driver is assisting with platform work while the fireman has the billy boiling ready for a meal prior to shunting at Yanac. 18 August 1971. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE & BELOW: The weekly down goods arrives at Yanac, below, the train ready for departure back to Dimboola, March 31 1971. (photo courtesy Doug Miles)
ABOVE: An overall view facing Jeparit across the rationalised Yanac station and yard soon after DERM 58 has arrived from Dimboola on an enthusiasts special, 29 November 1974. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
ABOVE: With shunting completed the ASM is turning the train out of No. 2 road at Yanac. Much of the station building seen here was demolished not long after this time with only a small section remaining intact. (photo courtesy Neville Gee)
BELOW: The following three photos were taken by Tony Smith of the weekly Yanac goods at Yanac. Jan 6 1971.
ABOVE: Upon arrival at Yanac the locos ran around and shoved the empty GYs into the silo road, we then departed Yanac "bona" Jan 1979.
ABOVE: T 389 - T 388 are seen at the very end of the line at Yanac, a branchline in far west Victoria that was officially closed on Dec. 8 1986. Photo date March 1984 (Tony Tuccio collection)
