VR timeline.
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I intend to provide a link from most entries on this page to further explain and illustrate the event. Any help with dates for notable events/corrections/suggestions etc. please email me When sending corrections please indicate your source.
Line opening dates are coloured green and are mainly sourced from Des Jowett and "VR to '62". Line closure dates are sourced from VR annual reports and a Newsrail article in the Sept. 1993, as well as other sources, are colured red and are usually not as exact, line closure can be the date that the last train ran or when the administration decided to take it off the books. Sometimes trains ran after the official closure date. The right hand column shows the type of government in office, red for labor, blue for conservative. |
EARLY DAYS ON THE VR
From 1919 to 1924 a retired VR driver, George Brown, put on paper his memories of the very early days (1860's)
on the VR, these articles appeared in "The Footplate" the newsletter for the enginemens union.
| 1851 | July 1 | Colony of Victoria established | Govt. |
| . | |||
| 1852 | June | Melbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Co formed | |
| August | Melbourne & Hobsons Bay Railway Company. formed | ||
| August | Prospectus appears for the Geelong and Melbourne Railway Co | ||
| . | |||
| 1853 | Sept. 23 | Turning of the first sod for the railway line at Geelong. | |
| . | |||
| 1854 | Sept. 12 | Flinders St. to Port Melbourne line opened by Hobsons Bay railway co. This was the first steam railway to operate in Australia. |
|
| . | |||
| 1856 | Mar. 19 | Victorian Railways department of the Victorian government created | |
| . | |||
| 1857 | May 13 | St Kilda Junction to St. Kilda opened | |
| June | Melbourne & Suburban Railway Co. was formed to build lines from Princes Bridge to Hawthorn and Brighton. | ||
| June 25 | Greenwich (Newport) to Geelong line opened, (38.51 miles) by the Geelong & Melbourne Railway Co. | ||
| . | |||
| 1858 | Williamstown workshops opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1859 | Jan. | Spencer St. station opened | |
| Jan. 17 | Footscray to Williamstown Pier opened, 5.87 miles | ||
| Feb. | Princes Bridge station opened | ||
| Feb. 8 | Princes Bridge to Richmond opened | ||
| Feb. 10 | Melbourne to Sunbury opened (23.95 miles) | ||
| Dec. 12 | Richmond to Cremorne opened | ||
| Dec. 19 | St Kilda to Chapel Street (Windsor) opened, (closed Oct. 1 1862) | ||
| Dec. 19 | Windsor to North Brighton opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1860 | Oct. 21 | Essendon Junction to Essendon opened, 3.5 miles | |
| Sept. 24 | Richmond to Picnic opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1861 | First "race trains" operated to Flemington racecourse. | ||
| Apr. 13 | Picnic to Hawthorn opened | ||
| July 8 | Sunbury to Woodend opened (24.7 miles) | ||
| Dec. 21 | North Brighton to Brighton Beach opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1862 | April 11 | North Geelong to Ballarat opened, 54.18 miles | |
| April 25 | Woodend to Kyneton opened (8.32 miles) | ||
| Oct. 21 | Kyneton to Bendigo opened (43.92 miles) | ||
| . | |||
| 1864 | July 1 | Melbourne and Essendon Ralway Co. closed their 4 year old line. | |
| Sept. 19 | Bendigo to Echuca opened (56.37 miles) | ||
| 1865 | June 30 | Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway Co. formed by amalgamating the Hobson's Bay and Melbourne Railway companies. | |
| Sept 1 | Hobsons Bay United Railway company assumed control of the St Kilda and Brighton company for £99,500 | ||
| 1866 | |||
| 1867 | July 4 | The Deniliquin and Moama Railway Co. line opened and connected to Echuca | |
| Nov. 30 | Newmarket Junction to Flemington racecourse opened, 1.5 miles | ||
| 1871 | Flat bottom rail introduced | ||
| . | |||
| 1872 | April 18 | Essendon to Schoolhouse lane (near Dysart) opened, 54 miles | |
| Aug. 26 | Schoolhouse Lane (near Dysart) to Seymour opened, 2.29 miles | ||
| Nov. 20 | Seymour to Longwood opened, 23.38 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1873 | March 20 | Longwood to Violet Town opened, 20.54 miles | |
| Aug. 18 | Violet Town to Benalla opened, 16.14 miles | ||
| Oct. 28 | Benalla to Wangaratta opened, 24.04 miles | ||
| Nov. 21 | Wangaratta to Wodonga opened, 41.6 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1874 | First interlocking of points and signals, in Victoria, at Swan St Richmond, controlling the junction of Hawthorn and Brighton lines, by Melbourne & Hobsons Bay United Railway Co. (Saxby & Farmer frame) See photo | ||
| July 7 | Castelmaine to Maryborough opened, 33.02 miles | ||
| July 7 | Ballarat to Creswick opened, 11.05 miles | ||
| Aug. 11 | Ballarat to Beaufort opened, 28.65 miles | ||
| Oct. 6 | Maryborough to Dunolly opened, 13.82 miles. | ||
| Nov. 16 | Creswick to Clunes opened, 11.19 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1875 | Feb. 2 | Clunes to Maryborough opened, 19.49 miles | |
| April 4 | Beaufort to Ararat opened, 28.64 miles | ||
| July 7 | Beechworth Junction, later Bowser, to Everton line opened, 12.05 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1876 | Feb. 15 | Ararat to Scallan's Hill (1 mile east of Stawell) opened, 17.85 miles | |
| April 14 | Scallan's Hill to Stawell opened, 1 mile | ||
| June 11 | First VR interlocking, Essendon Junction, near present day "Moonee Ponds Creek Junction" (McKenzie & Holland frame) | ||
| July 4 | Deniliquin to Moama opened by private company. (44.06 miles) Taken over by VR on Dec. 1 1923 | ||
| July 4 | Moama to Echuca opened (1.06 miles) | ||
| Sept. 19 | Bendigo to Bridgewater opened, 24.49 miles | ||
| Sept. 30 | Everton to Beechworth line opened, 10.21 miles | ||
| Oct. 21 | Maryborough to Avoca opened, 14.93 miles | ||
| Nov. 18 | Bridgewater to Inglewood opened, 4.44 miles | ||
| Nov. 25 | Geelong to Winchelsea opened, 25.64 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1877 | March 13 | Winchelsea to Birregurra opened, 12.79 miles | |
| April 24 | Ararat to Dunkeld opened, 47.02 miles | ||
| May 28 | Sale to Morwell opened | ||
| July 27 | Birregurra to Colac opened, 11.81 miles | ||
| Oct. 8 | Oakleigh to Bunyip opened | ||
| Oct. 29 | Dunkeld to Hamilton opened, 19.04 miles | ||
| Dec. 1 | Moe to Morwell opened | ||
| Dec. 19 | Hamilton to Portland opened, 53.82 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1878 | Telegraph branch established | ||
| Feb. 1 | Geelong Racecourse branch opened, 1.96 miles (closed May 28 1909) | ||
| March 1 | Moe to Bunyip opened | ||
| July 1 | Government purchase of Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway Co. authorised | ||
| Sept. 3 | Dunnoly to Bealiba opened, 12.16 miles. | ||
| Dec. 17 | Stawell to Murtoa opened, 35.44 miles | ||
| Dec. 23 | Bealiba to St Arnaud opened, 20.85 miles. | ||
| . | |||
| 1879 | Jan. 29 | Springhurst to Wahgunyah line opened (13.95 miles) | |
| Feb. 5 | Murtoa to Horsham opened, 18 miles | ||
| April 2 | Sth Yarra to Oakleigh opened | ||
| May 7 | Warrenheip to Gordons (Gordon) opened, 12.87 miles | ||
| May 21 | Geelong (Queenscliff Junction) to Queenscliff opened, 20.72 miles | ||
| Dec. 20 | Flinders St. to Spencer St. connected via a road level tramway in consequence of VR's purchase of Melbourne & Hobsons Bay United Railway Co's lines radiating from Flinders St. (Replaced by viaduct Nov. 23 1891) | ||
| . | |||
| 1880 | Jan 13 | Mangalore to Shepparton opened | |
| Jan. 13 | Toolamba to Tatura opened | ||
| Feb. 16 | Carlshrue to Trentham line opened, 10.82 miles. (closed July 3 1978) | ||
| March 17 | Trentham to Daylesford line opened, 11.73 miles. (closed July 3 1978) | ||
| . | |||
| 1881 | June 7 | Lancefield Junction (later Clarkefield) to Lancefield line opened. (14.5 miles) (closed August 13 1956) | |
| Aug. 11 | Waubra Junction to Ballarat Racecourse branch opened, 2.1 miles | ||
| Sept. 1 | Shepparton to Numurkah opened | ||
| Dec. 19 | Caulfield to Mordialoc opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1882 | Jan. 26 | St Arnaud to Cope Cope opened, 16.33 miles. | |
| Feb. 23 | Stawell - Grampians, first train with stone from quarry, 15.84 miles Constructed by public works dept. inherited by VR commissioners under terms of VR commissioners act which stated that they own and operate all government railways in Victoria. (closed March 29 1949) | ||
| April 3 | Hawthorn to Camberwell opened | ||
| April 15 | Inglewood to Korong Vale opened, 20.2 miles | ||
| April 22 | Cope Cope to Donald opened, 7.53 miles | ||
| July 1 | Horsham to Dimboola opened, 21.46 miles | ||
| Aug. 1 | Mordialoc to Frankston opened | ||
| Dec. 1 | Camberwell to Lilydale opened | ||
| Dec. 15 | Eaglehawk to Raywood opened, 13.42 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1883 | April 20 | Korong Vale to Charlton opened, 22.62 miles | |
| June 14 | Wodonga to River Murray opened, 1.94 miles. First connection with New South Wales Government Railways made at Albury | ||
| June 21 | Raywood to Mitiamo opened, 22.44 miles | ||
| July 2 | Korong Vale to Boort opened, 17.75 miles | ||
| July 2 | Colac to Camperdown opened, 28.11 miles | ||
| Aug. 1 | Scarsdale Junction to Scarsdale opened, 13.12 miles | ||
| Sept. 3 | Benalla to St. James line opened, 20.33 miles | ||
| Oct. 1 | Charlton to Wycheproof opened, 16.48 miles | ||
| Nov. 13 | Traralgon to Heyfield opened | ||
| Nov. 16 | Tallarook to Yea line opened, 23.69 miles (Nov. 8 1978) | ||
| Dec. 17 | Everton to Myrtleford line opened, 16.56 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1884 | Comparative tests of continuous train brakes | ||
| Jan. 6 | Flinders St. to St Kilda Junction opened | ||
| Feb. 12 | Mitiamo to Pyramid Hill opened, 12.59 miles | ||
| Feb. 15 | Branxholme to Henty opened, 23.19 miles | ||
| April 2 | Sunshine to Melton line opened, 15.65 miles | ||
| June 16 | Castlemaine (Maldon Junction) to Maldon opened, 10.24 miles | ||
| Sept. 1 | Henty to Casterton opened, 8.9 miles | ||
| Sept. 9 | North Melbourne to Coburg opened, 5.07 miles | ||
| Oct. 25 | Pyramid Hill to Kerang opened, 24.54 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1885 | April 6 | Williamstown Racecourse (first site) opened extended on Nov. 26 1887 to final site, 0.69 miles | |
| April 10 | Morwell to Boolarra opened | ||
| Sept. 8 | Boolarra to Darlimurla opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1886 | Jan. 1 | Lal Lal Racecourse branch opened | |
| Jan. 7 | Darlimurla to Mirboo North | ||
| Feb. 1 | Clifton Hill to Alphington gas tram service commenced | ||
| April 1 | Melton to Pawan opened, 6 miles | ||
| May 6 | St. James to Yarrawonga line opened, 19.86 miles | ||
| May 12 | Murtoa to Warracknabeal opened, 31.2 miles | ||
| Nov. 15 | Ballarat cattle yards branch opened, 2.92 miles | ||
| Dec. 22 | Gordons (Gordon) to Ballan opened, 7.38 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1887 | Jan. 10 | "Adelaide Express" commenced running via Geelong - Ballarat | |
| Jan. 19 | Dimboola to Serviceton opened, 63.22 miles | ||
| Jan. 19 | North Creswick to Rocky Lead opened, 12.65 miles (Newlyn to Rocky Lead closed July 28 1953 | ||
| Feb. 16 | Parwan to Bacchus Marsh opened, 2.54 miles | ||
| March 18 | Heyfield to Maffra opened | ||
| April 21 | Wedderburn Junction to Wedderburn opened, 4.86 miles | ||
| April 23 | Camperdown to Terang opened, 13.87 miles | ||
| May 11 | Crash at Windsor kills 6 | ||
| June 1 | Rocky Lead to Daylesford Junction opened, 10.46 miles. (closed July 28 1953 | ||
| June 1 | Lubeck to Rupanyup opened, 9.77 miles | ||
| Aug. 19 | Tatura to Echuca opened | ||
| Aug. 25 | Horsham to Noradjuha opened, 19.95 miles | ||
| Sept. 2 | Brighton Beach to Sandringham opened | ||
| Sept. 24 | Newport to Sunshine line opened (Brooklyn Loop line) 4.29 miles. | ||
| Nov. 8 | Maffra to Stratford opened | ||
| Dec. 19 | Kew junction to Kew (closed May 13 1957) | ||
| . | |||
| 1888 | Newport workshops completed | ||
| May 8 | Royal Park Junction (Royal Park) to Clifton Hill to Collingwood | ||
| May 8 | Nicholson Street to Fitzroy opened, 0.89 miles | ||
| May 8 | Clifton Hill to Heidleberg opened (Alphington gas tram ceased previous day) | ||
| May 8 | Moe to Thorpdale opened | ||
| May 8 | Sale to Stratford Junction opened | ||
| May 8 | Stratford to Bairnsdale opened | ||
| May 15 | Lilydale to Yarra Glen opened (closed March 15 1981) | ||
| Oct. 1 | Numurkah to Nathalia opened | ||
| Oct. 1 | Shepparton to Dookie opened | ||
| Oct. 1 | Numurkah to Cobram opened | ||
| Oct. 1 | Pisgah Junction (Waubra Junction) to Waubra opened, 13.74 miles | ||
| Oct. 1 | Bendigo to Heathcote line opened, 27.64 miles. (closed Dec. 3 1958) | ||
| Oct. 1 | Dandenong (Great Southern Junction) to Tooradin opened | ||
| Oct. 1 | Kilmore Junction, later Heathcote Junction, to Kilmore opened, 9.51 miles (last train Nov 9 1968) | ||
| Oct. 1 | Frankston to Baxter opened | ||
| Nov. 20 | Inglewood to Dunnoly opened, 24.24 miles | ||
| Nov. 20 | Hamilton (Coleraine Junction) to Coleraine opened, 23.01 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1889 | Mar. 1 | Yarra Glen to Healsville opened (closed March 15 1981) | |
| Aug. 7 | Maffra to Briagolong opened | ||
| Aug. 7 | Irrewarra to Beeac opened, 8.7 miles. (closed Nov. 18 1953) | ||
| Sept. 10 | Wodonga to Huon Lane opened, 14.07 miles | ||
| Sept. 10 | Baxter to Hastings opened (13 miles) | ||
| Sept. 10 | Baxter to Mornington opened, 12.3 miles (closed June 15 1981) | ||
| Sept. 12 | Ballarat East to Buninyong opened, 6.84 miles (closed Feb. 28 1947) | ||
| Oct. 8 | Whittlesea Junction to Preston - Reservoir (renamed Resevoir Dec 1 1909) opened, 4.78 miles | ||
| Oct. 8 | Coburg to Somerton opened, 7.16 miles | ||
| Nov. 12 | Yea to Molesworth line opened, 10.68 miles (closed Nov. 8 1978) | ||
| Dec. 3 | Heathcote to Tooborac line opened, 10.56 miles. (last train Nov. 9 1968) | ||
| Dec. 4 | Ringwood to Upper Ferntree Gully opened | ||
| Dec. 4 | Bacchus Marsh to Ballan opened, 17.54 miles | ||
| Dec. 17 | Hastings to Stony Point opened (9.5 miles) | ||
| Dec. 23 | Preston - Reservoir (renamed Resevoir Dec 1 1909) to Whittlesea opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1890 | Feb. 4 | Terang to Mortlake opened, 12.16 miles | |
| Feb. 4 | Terang to Port Fairy opened, 49.25 miles | ||
| March 17 | Mount Moriac to Wensleydale opened, 10.92 miles. (closed Oct. 20 1948) | ||
| March 24 | Burnley to Oakleigh opened | ||
| May 12 | Warragul to Rokeby opened | ||
| May 30 | Kerang to Swan Hill opened, 35.16 miles | ||
| May 30 | Camberwell to Waverley Road opened | ||
| June 17 | Molesworth to Cathkin line opened, 2.74 miles (Nov. 8 1978) | ||
| July 18 | Huon Lane to Bolga line opened (6.61 miles) | ||
| Aug 10 | Hawthorn to Kew junction opened (closed May 13 1957) | ||
| Aug 22 | Kilmore to Tooborac line opened, 20.11 miles. (last train Nov. 9 1968) | ||
| Aug. 22 | Dunkeld to Koroit opened, 48.99 miles. (Dunkeld to Penshurst closed March 24 1891) |
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| Aug. 22 | Hamilton to Penshurst opened, 18.1 miles | ||
| Sept. 1 | Murchison East to Rushworth opened | ||
| Sept. 10 | Cathkin to Alexandra Road, later Koriella, opened, 4.41 miles (Nov. 8 1978) | ||
| Oct. 10 | Scarsdale to Linton opened, 7.97 miles | ||
| Oct. 17 | Myrtleford to Bright line opened (18.54 miles) | ||
| Nov. 10 | Cathkin to Merton line opened, 15.47 miles (Nov. 8 1978) | ||
| Nov. 11 | Tooradin to Loch opened | ||
| Nov. 18 | Ararat to Avoca opened, 39.04 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1891 | Jan. 15 | Redesdale Junction to Redesdale opened, 16.25 miles (closed Sept. 26 1954) | |
| March 24 | Fairfield Park to Riversdale opened | ||
| March 24 | Maldon (Laanecoorie Junction) to Shelbourne opened, 9.89 miles | ||
| March 24 | Penshurst to Dunkeld line closed | ||
| May 7 | Merton to Maindample opened | ||
| June 2 | Loch to Korumburra opened | ||
| June 5 | Birregurra to Forrest opened, 19.85 miles. (closed March 4 1957) | ||
| July 23 | Beechworth to Yackandandah line opened, 12.84 miles, (closed July 2 1954) | ||
| July 24 | Bolga to Tallangatta line opened (5.03 miles) | ||
| Oct. 6 | Maindample to Mansfield opened | ||
| Nov. 23 | First Flinders St. to Spencer St. viaduct opened (double track) | ||
| Dec. 17 | Korumburra to Leongatha opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1892 | Jan. 13 | Leongatha to Port Albert opened | |
| March 18 | Rokeby to Neerim South opened | ||
| April 5 | Curdie's River Junction (later Timboon Junction) to Timboon opened, 22.32 miles (closed Dec. 8 1986) | ||
| April 6 | Lancefield to Kilmore line opened, 18.1 miles (closed June 30 1904) | ||
| June 30 | Total miles of lines open 2,903 | ||
| Oct. 28 | Korumburra to Coal Creek opened | ||
| Nov. 22 | Dookie to Katamatite opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1893 | Jan. 5 | Warracknabeal to Beulah opened, 21.92 miles | |
| Jan. 30 | VR head office completed at 67 Spencer Street 3rd floor added 1912, 4th floor added 1922. (vacated in 1988) converted to Grand Central hotel. | ||
| March 28 | Donald to Birchip opened, 32.3 miles | ||
| April 12 | Fairfield Park - Riversdale closed. Fairfield Park-Deepdene reopened for spoil trains during construction of Flinders St - Collingwood line during 1900 | ||
| April 12 | Canterbury Loop closed | ||
| . | |||
| 1894 | March 6 | Beulah to Hopetoun opened, 16.01 miles (construction started as a private line by E.H.Lascelles then taken over and completed by VR) | |
| May 7 | Jumbunna Junction to Jumbunna opened (closed Oct 1 1953) | ||
| May 14 | Bendigo cattle yards line opened | ||
| June 1 | Strezlecki Junction (Coal Creek line) to Strezlecki opened | ||
| June 19 | Dimboola to Jeparit opened, 21.59 miles | ||
| July 31 | East Natimuk to Goroke opened, 28.64 miles | ||
| July | First issue of the "Weekly Notice" | ||
| August 7 | Boort to Quambatook opened, 21.96 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1895 | March 8 | Wycheproof to Sea Lake opened, 47.89 miles | |
| June 30 | From the annual report: 3,120 miles of track open. 40,210,733 passengers conveyed 2,435,857 tons of goods and livestock conveyed |
||
| Dec. 9 | Darling to Waverley Road closed | ||
| Dec. 9 | Camberwell to Ashburton closed, (re-opened July 4 1898) | ||
| . | |||
| 1896 | Feb. 5 | Jumbunna to Outtrim opened | |
| Dec. 15 | Nathalia to Picola opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1897 | June 1 | Lancefield - Kilmore closed. Commissioners agree to run an as required train between Lancefield and Goldie for a minimum load of 40 tons. One train ran in Sept 1897 (at least) | |
| Dec 10 | Up side station building at Woodend destroyed by fire | ||
| . | |||
| 1898 | July 4 | Camberwell to Ashburton re-opened | |
| . | |||
| 1899 | March 14 | First narrow gauge line opened Wangaratta-Whitfield, 30.49 miles, (closed Oct. 12 1953) | |
| Sept. 18 | Birchip to Woomelang opened, 26.45 miles | ||
| Nov. 2 | Jeparit to Rainbow opened, 18.47 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1900 | March 1 | Quambatook to Ultima opened, 30.23 miles | |
| Feb. 6 | Lancefield to Kilmore re-opened | ||
| May 14 | Reiversdale to Deepdene re-opened | ||
| Dec. 18 | Upper Ferntree Gully to Belgrave opened, narrow gauge. (reopened as broad gauge Feb. 19 1962 | ||
| Dec. 18 | Belgrave to Gembrook opened, narrow gauge | ||
| Dec. 26 | Bungaree Racecourse branch opened, 1.53 miles. (closed Sept. 4 1951) | ||
| . | |||
| 1901 | |||
| Oct. 21 | Melbourne (Princes Bridge) to Collingwood (later renamed Victoria Park) opened | ||
| Nov. 13 | Lilydale to Warburton opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1902 | March 1 | Colac to Beech Forest (narrow gauge) opened, 29.66 miles (closed June 30 1962) | |
| June 5 | Heidelberg to Eltham opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1903 | Jan. 15 | Woomelang to Hattah opened, 68.79 miles | |
| May 8. |
An ultimatum from the State Government forbidding the affiliation of the Enginemenís Association with the Victorian Trades Hall Council prompts a strike lasting one week. It is the first strike by state employees in Victoria and follows a year of tension between public servants and the conservative government. A minimal rail service is maintained by Railway officers, community volunteers and a few non striking enginemen. Union is defeated. Members of the executive are dismissed and pension rights of others are reduced although some are restored after litigation. |
||
| May 25 | Hattah to Nowingi opened, 11.94 miles | ||
| July 13 | Coburg to Somerton closed | . | |
| July 15 | Lancefield to Kilmore closed. Commissioners agree to run a load of eight trucks as required between Lancefield and Goldie until 1-11-1903 | . | |
| Sept. 30 | Nowingi to Yatpool opened, 16.19 miles | ||
| Oct. 27 | Yatpool to Mildura opened, 13.23 miles | ||
| Dec. 21 | North Geelong loop opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1904 | Jan. 1 | Burrembeet Racecourse branch opened, 1.14 miles. (closed July 1 1948) | |
| Feb 7 | Springvale to Springvale Cemetery opened, 2.3 miles (closed Dec 19 1951) | ||
| Dec. 5 | Northcote loop opened (direct connection from Merri to Rushall) | ||
| . | |||
| 1905 | Feb. 28 | Strathmerton to Tocumwal opened (temporary terminus south bank of river) | |
| June 26 | Welshpool to Welshpool Jetty opened | ||
| Dec. 1 | Prahran to Malvern steam bus service began, reputedly the first Victorian use of self propelled vehicles for public passenger traffic. Service was abandoned June 17 1906 | ||
| . | |||
| 1906 | May 7 | St. Kilda to Middle Brighton tram service commenced | |
| Nov. | Coburg to Fawkner Park (Fawkner) reopened for Cemetery trains. | ||
| Dec. 22 | Middle Brighton to Brighton Beach VR tram line opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1907 | March 7 | Fire at Elwood tram depot destroys entire VR tram fleet (17 cars) | |
| Dec. 2 | First A2 class steam locos in service. They would eventually number 185 and were VR's main passenger loco until the arrival of the diesel electric B class in 1952. | ||
| . | |||
| 1908 | April 20 | Crash at Sunshine killed 44 passengers, up Bendigo passenger train ran into the rear of a up Ballarat passenger train. VR's worst accident. | |
| July 9 | Tocumwal temporary terminus to Tocumwal opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1909 | Nov. 22 | Mining commenced at State Coal mines, Wonthaggi, as a result of a prolonged coal strike in New South where VR had previously obtained all their coal. | |
| June 15 | Rupanyup to Marnoo opened, 15.33 miles | ||
| July 1 | Ultima to Chillingollah opened, 20.17 miles | ||
| Oct. 28 | Alexandra Road to Alexandra opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1910 | Present day Flinders Street station building completed. | ||
| Feb. 22 | Wonthaggi coal mine shipped first train load of coal | ||
| May 3 | Moe to Walhalla opened (narrow gauge) | ||
| May 9 | Nyora to Powlett Coalfields (Wonthaggi) opened | ||
| July 4 | Mildura to Merbein opened, 6.92 miles | ||
| July18 | Crash at Richmond killed 9, injured 500, up Elsternwick pass. rear ended up Brighton pass. | ||
| Dec. 1 | Beeac to Cressy opened, 10.95 miles. (closed Nov. 18 1953) | ||
| . | |||
| 1911 | June 20 | Beech Forest to Crowes (narrow gauge) line opened, 14.11 miles. (Weeaproinah to Crowes closed Dec. 10 1954.) (Beech Forest to Weeaproinah closed June 30 1962) |
|
| Aug |
GEELONG, Wednesday. Visits of inspection were made to-day by the Railways Commissioners. They spent most of the time on the Wensleydale line which is now only used for one wood train per week. Mr. Fitzpatrick said that the commis- |
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| Sept. 25 | Cressy to Newtown opened, 24 miles. (closed Nov. 18 1953) | ||
| 1912 | May 13 | 2 McKeen cars went into service, Ballarat-Maryborough and Hamilton-Warrnambool | |
| Electrification of Melbourne suburban area authorised | |||
| June 25 | Eltham to Hurstbridge opened | ||
| June 25 | Ouyen to Murrayville opened, 67.83 miles | ||
| August 26 | First installation of Miniature Electric Staff, Dobie to Ararat and Buangor | ||
| Sept. 24 | Noradjuha to Toolondo opened, 11.24 miles | ||
| Dec. 10 | Jeparit to Lorquon opened, 13.68 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1913 | All suburban platforms standardised to 425 feet long. | ||
| Aug. 8 | Gheringhap to Maroona opened, 99.76 miles | ||
| Oct. 20 | Kilmany Park steam tramway, 2miles 23 chains, (closed June 6 1919) | ||
| . | |||
| 1914 | Jan. 28 | Chillingollah to Manangatang opened, 18.46 miles | |
| May 28 | Ben Nevis to Navarre opened, 22.87 miles, (closed Feb. 24 1954) | ||
| June 26 | Rainbow to Yaapeet opened, 10.59 miles | ||
| June 29 | Sea Lake to Nandally opened, 17.68 miles | ||
| June 30 | Benalla to Tatong line opened, 18 miles, (closed July 1 1947) | ||
| July 6 | Crib Point to Naval Base, 1.7 miles (June 22 1981) | ||
| Aug. 26 | Rushworth to Colbinabbin opened | ||
| August | Declaration of World War I (The Great War) | ||
| . | |||
| 1915 | 2nd Flinders St. to Spencer st. viaduct opened | ||
| May 27 | Swan Hill to Piangil opened, 27.39 miles | ||
| July 29 | Murrayville to Pinnaroo opened | ||
| Oct. 3 | 3 position signals introduced. (South Yarra to Hawksburn, Prahran, Richmond) | ||
| Nov. 1 | Hamilton to Cavendish opened, 14.26 miles | ||
| Nov. 10 | Elmore to Cohuna opened, 57.09 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1916 | Jan. 17 | Linton to Skipton opened, 12.75 miles | |
| April 10 | Bairnsdale to Orbost opened | ||
| June 13 | Tallangatta to Shelley opened, 22.86 miles | ||
| June 20 | Heywood to Dartmoor opened, 25.71 miles | ||
| June 27 | Lorquon to Yanac opened, 18.38 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1917 | Jolimont workshops opened | ||
| March 27 | Neerim South to Nayook opened | ||
| April | Ballarat workshops opened | ||
| May | New Geelong loco depot opened. Only 360 degree roundhouse on VR | ||
| May 15 | Rushworth to Girgarre opened | ||
| November | Bendigo workshops opened | ||
| Nov. 28 | Dartmoor to Mount Gambier opened | ||
| Dec. 17 | Toolondo to Kanagulk opened, 10.55 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1918 | Sept. 9 | North Geelong to Fyansford opened, 2.93 miles | |
| Nov. 11 | End of World War I | ||
| . | |||
| 1919 | March 10 | Sandringham to Black Rock tram opened (closed Nov 1956) | |
| April 10 | Shelley to Beetomba line opened (9.73 miles) | ||
| April 28 | Nayook to Noojee opened (closed Oct 1 1958) | ||
| May 28 | First electric service operated Sandringham - Essendon and Flemington racecourse | ||
| May 28 | Nandally to Mittyack opened, 11.07 miles | ||
| June 16 | Kanagulk to Balmoral opened, 8.16 miles | ||
| Aug 31 | Electric train services commenced from Flinders St to St Kilda | ||
| Oct. 26 | Electric train services commenced from Flinders St to Port Melbourne | ||
| May | VR carried 39,947 tons of coal. 51,443 tons of firewood. 544,605 bags of wheat were loaded at country stations. 2,027,570 bags of wheat and 291,881 bags of flour were handled at Williamstown. | ||
| June | VR carried 34,522 tons of coal. 64,396 tons of firewood. 269,094 bags of wheat were loaded at country stations 1,696,353 bags of wheat and 129,766 bags of flour were handled at Williamstown. | ||
| . | |||
| 1920 | March 24 | Piangil to Kooloonong opened, 15.87 miles | |
| June 16 | Mittyack to Kulwin opened, 8.61 miles | ||
| July 31 | Electric train services commenced from Princes Bridge to North Carlton | ||
| July 31 | Electric train services commenced from Clifton Hill to Reservoir | ||
| July 31 | Electric train services commenced from Clifton Hill to Heidelberg | ||
| Aug 27 | Electric train services commenced from Flinders St to Williamstown | ||
| Nov. 19 | Cavendish to Balmoral opened, 25.03 miles | ||
| Dec 2 | Electric train services commenced from Flinders St to Fawkner | ||
| . | |||
| 1921 | Parcels Coach's commenced running, (last parcels coach ran Jan. 7 1986) | ||
| Feb. 8 | Alberton to Yarram opened | ||
| March 8 | Manangatang to Annuello opened, 14.44 miles | ||
| May 5 | Beetomba to Cudgewa line opened (9.74 miles) | ||
| Sep 4 | Electric train services commenced from Essendon to Broadmeadows | ||
| Oct 2 | Electric train services commenced from Footscray to St Albans | ||
| Dec. 2 | Bittern to Red Hill opened, 15.9 miles (closed July 1 1953) | ||
| Dec. 16 | Yarram to Won Wron opened | ||
| . | |||
| 1922 | Jan. 11 | Hernes Oak to Yallourn opened | |
| March 5 | Electric train services commenced from Flinders St to Oakleigh | ||
| March 5 | Electric train services commenced from Caulfield to Glenhuntly | ||
| June 6 | Electric train services commenced from Glenhuntly to Mordialloc | ||
| Aug 27 | Electric train services commenced from Mordialloc to Frankston | ||
|
|
|||
| June 29 | Koo Wee Rup to Strzlecki opened | ||
| Dec 11 | Electric train services commenced from Oakleigh to Dandenong | ||
| Dec 11 | Electric train services commenced from Springvale to Springvale Cemetary | ||
| Dec 17 | Electric train services commenced from Flinders St to Box Hill | ||
| Dec 17 | Electric train services commenced from Hawthorn to Kew | ||
| Dec 17 | Electric train services commenced from Burnley to Darling | ||
| . | |||
| 1923 | Jan 30 | Electric train services commenced from Box Hill to Ringwood | |
| April 15 | Electric train services commenced from Heidelberg to Eltham | ||
| June 21 | Colac to Alvie opened, 9.65 miles. (closed Dec. 18 1954) | ||
| June 22 | Won Wron to Woodside opened | ||
| July 20 | Electric locomotives introduced (steeple cabs numbered 1100 and 1101) | ||
| Aug 1 | Melbourne bound "Adelaide Express" derails at Glenorchy due to floodwaters. | ||
| August 22 | First "wig-wag" level crossing signal installed at Ames St. North Carlton. Last wig-wag at Tylden (Daylesford line) removed from service in 1971 | ||
| Dec. 1 | Deniliquin to Moama railway taken over by VR | ||
| . | |||
| 1924 | Jan. | VR magazine first published, some news from the first year.
|
|
| April 11 | Red Cliffs to Werrimul opened, 35.4 miles | ||
| June 5 | Annuello to Robinvale opened, 19.65 miles | ||
| Oct. 1 | VR took over Williamstown Race course to Altona, 1.85 miles. Originally opened 1888 by Altona Bay Company | ||
| Oct 12 | Electric train services commenced from Ringwood to Upper Ferntree Gully | ||
| Oct 30 | Electric train services commenced from Camberwell to Ashburton | ||
| Nov 28 | Electric train services commenced from Ringwood to Croyden | ||
| Dec. 20 | Kerang to Murrabit opened, 16.11 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1925 | Feb 11 | Deepdene to East Kew re-opened for goods | |
| May 6 | Hopetoun to Patchewollock opened, 26.96 miles | ||
| June 27 | Merbein to Yelta, 5.87 miles | ||
| Aug. 16 | First remotely controlled signal location, Goulburn Junction, (controlled from Seymour "A box") see photo | ||
| Oct. 30 | Werrimul to Meringur opened, 15.23 miles | ||
| Nov 30 | Electric train services commenced from Croyden to Lilydale | ||
| . | |||
| 1926 | Spotswood workshops opened | ||
| March 26 | Barnes to Balranald line opened, 119.62 miles | ||
| March 29 | Kooloonong to Yungera opened, 6.71 miles. (closed Aug 6 1957) | ||
| April 9 | Dimboola to Rainbow railmotor discontinued, replaced by a mixed train service. | ||
| April 26 | Up electric train from Upper Ferntree Gully collides with "motor van" at Boronia, 9 killed. | ||
| May 3 | "Geelong Flier" commenced running, (1st named trained on VR) | ||
| . | "Train Control" system commenced operating. | ||
| June | Adelaide Express renamed "The Overland" | ||
| May | Provide electric headlights on locomotives. | ||
| August | First use of automatic staff exchangers, Mangalore to Barnawartha. | ||
| Aug 2 | Electric train services commenced from Eltham to Hurstbridge | ||
| Sept. 1 | Black Rock to Beaumaris tramline opened | ||
| Oct 2 | Electric train services commenced from Newport to Altona | ||
| . | |||
| 1927 | May 3 | Goroke to Carpolac opened, 9.05 miles | |
| July 25 | Marnoo to Boloangum opened, 6.4 miles | ||
| Oct. 31 | Bowser to Peechelba opened, 12.32 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1928 | March | PERM 55 entered service (later called DERMs after conversion from petrol to diesel engines in 1951 - 1953) | |
| March 5 | Fawkner to Somerton (dead end) reopened. | ||
| March 16 | Murrabit to Stony Crossing opened, 38.59 miles | ||
| June 18 | New country timetable published, CLICK HERE to view it | ||
| Sep 14 | Electric train services commenced from Mcleod to Mont Park | ||
| Oct 21 | South Kensington to West Footscray opened (goods lines via bunbury St tunnel) | ||
| . | |||
| 1929 | Feb. 3 | Darling to East Malvern opened with electric train services | |
| July 1 | Albion to Broadmedows double track line opened (8.58 miles) Up line converted to standard gauge 1962. | ||
| Dec 16 | Electric train services commenced from Reservoir to Thomastown | ||
| . | |||
| 1930 | Port Melbourne to Port Melbourne pier platform opened (closed 1965) | ||
| May 5 | East Malvern to Glen Waverley opened with electric train services | ||
| Oct. 20 | Linton to Skipton passenger service ends | ||
| Oct. 21 | Wangaratta to Whitfield passenger service ends (a postal motor passenger service replaced regular passenger service) | ||
| Nov. 17 | Maffra to Briagolong passenger service ends | ||
| Nov. 22 | Triholm to Strezlecki closed | ||
| Nov. 24 | Ballarat to Buninyong passenger service ends | ||
| . | |||
| 1931 | Feb, 26 | Funeral train for Dame Nellie Melba operates from Melbourne to Lilydale. | |
| June 16 | Meringur to Morkalla opened, 9.64 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1932 | March 16 | First flashing light signal (for road traffic) installed at Mentone (Moorabin Road) | |
| . | |||
| 1934 | April 10 | Electric train services commenced from Port Melbourne to Port Melbourne Pier | |
| 1935 | Introduction of 70 MPH as maximum speed, | ||
| July 15 | Warrnambool to Hamilton, passenger service withdrawn (Rail Motor) | ||
| . | |||
| 1936 | |||
| March 7 | The "Boat Train" commenced running, (discontinued Oct. 1939) | ||
| Sep | Flash butt rail welding machine installed at Spotswood. | ||
| Oct | VR newsletter reports: First application of new suburban train colour scheme, red and moonstone grey. First cars in Overland service painted green. | ||
| Oct | VR newsletter reports that new station colour scheme of Ivory and green will be adopted as standard. | ||
| . | |||
| 1937 | Nov 23 | "Spirit Of Progress" commenced running, a streamlined, all air conditioned train between Melbourne and Albury. | |
| . | |||
| 1938 | Sleeper plates, (between the rail and the sleeper) first used. 90 lb rail welded into 225 foot lengths (introduction of welded rail) all in conjunction with the relaying of the Geelong line. | ||
| Aug. 15 | Yarrawonga to Oaklands line opened, (38.2 miles) | ||
| . | |||
| 1941 | H 220 "Heavy Harry" enters service, VR's biggest steam locomotive. | ||
| Jan. 1 | Welshpool to Welshpool Jetty line closed, 3.23 miles | ||
| Sep 7 | Yannathan to Triholm line closed, 14 miles | ||
| . | |||
| 1942 | May 12 | Nowingi towards Millewa South, 15.69 miles (VR took line over from Construction Branch and last six miles dismantled back to Raak Plain gypsum loading site and line rented to Brunswick Plaster Mills, later CSR Ltd) | |
| . | |||
| 1943 | May 8 | Victoria's (and Australia's) worst rail-road crash. A2 863 hits a bus carrying soldiers at Tallangatta Road, Wodonga. 25 people die in this appalling collision. | |
A few statistics from the 1943 annual report:
|
|||
| . | |||
| 1944 | April 1 | Platina to Walhalla line closed | |
| 1945 | Oct. 29 | Cathkin to Alexandra passenger (mixed train) service ends. | |
| Nov | Labor government elected | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1946 | . | ||
| . | . | ||
| 1947 | Feb. 28 | Eureka to Buninyong line closed | . |
| July | Last new installation of interlocked gates, Carrum. | . | |
| July 1 |
Benalla (MP 122 1/4) to Tatong line closed, 17.04 miles |
. | |
| Nov 8 | Liberal/Country party coalition government elected | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1948 | June 2 | Naval Base loop opened | . |
| June 28 | Ashburton to Alamein re-opened | . | |
| July 1 | Burrumbeet Racecourse Junction to Burrumbeet Racecourse line closed, 1.13 miles | . | |
| Aug. 9 | Rushworth to Colbinabbin passenger service ends | ||
| Oct. 20 | Moriac to Wensleydale line closed, 10.92 miles | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1949 | Feb. 14 | Alberton to Port Albert line closed, 4.2 miles | . |
| March 29 | Stawell to Grampians line closed, 15.84 miles | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1950 | "Operation Phoenix" plan unveiled; £80,000,000 to be spent over 10 years:
|
. | |
| April 15 | Bayles to Yannathan line closed, 6.5 miles | . | |
| May 13 | Liberal and Country party government elected | . | |
| May 22 | Williamstown Racecourse line closed | . | |
| Oct. 15 |
The longest railway strike in Victoria commences halting all services for 55 days. Several unions combine in this dispute over the issue of passive time and the payment of overtime after eight hours. Reactions to industrial unrest in Australia at this time prevent cooperation between parties to overcome deficiencies in the Arbitration system and the unions call off the strike. Resumption of full rail services is slow further assisting alternative transport modes competing with rail. Later amendments to the Arbitration system attempt to overcome deficiencies highlighted in this dispute. Obvious tensions within the labour movement culminate in the 1955 ALP split. |
||
| . | . | ||
| 1951 | Jan | Newport "A" power station taken over by the State Electricity Commision. (Newport "A" was built by the VR and went into operation in 1918 to generate power for the newly electrified suburban system.) | . |
| Jan. 15 | Dunnolly to Inglewood passenger service ends | ||
| May 10 | Black Diamond Junction to Black Diamond line closed, 1.52 miles | . | |
| Aug. 20 | Horsham to Balmoral passenger service ends | . | |
| Sep. 4 | Jumbunna to Outtrim line closed, 2.4 miles | . | |
| Sep. 4 | Bungaree Junction to Racecourse Reserve line closed, 1.53 miles | . | |
| Sep. 7 | Up and Down "Overlands" crash head on at Serviceton, one (fireman) dies. | ||
| Dec. 19 | Springvale Cemetery line closed, 1.6 miles | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1952 | Jan. 14 | Gheringhap to Maroona passenger service ends | . |
| Feb. 1 | Kerang to Koondrook (VR take line over from Kerang Shire Council, opened 1889) 14 miles | . | |
| April 30 | Birregurra to Forrest passenger service ends | . | |
| June 11 | Wangaratta to Bright passenger service ends | . | |
| July 14 | Mainline dieselisation of VR commences with delivery of B 60 | . | |
| July 16 | Maffra to Briagolong line closed, 11.79 miles | . | |
| July 28 | Hamilton to Coleraine passenger service ends (mixed train) | . | |
| July 29 | North Creswick to Daylesford passenger service ends. | ||
| July 30 | Rushworth to Girgarre passenger service ends | . | |
| Aug. 15 | Hawthorn to Kew passenger service ends | . | |
| Oct. 1 | Erica to Platina (narrow gauge) line closed. | . | |
| Dec | Labor state government elected | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1953 | April 10 | Everton to Beechworth passenger (mixed) service ends | . |
| April 29 | Shepparton to Katamatite passenger service (Diesel Rail Car) ends | . | |
| May 25 | Yarram to Woodside line closed, 18.1 miles | . | |
| June 29 | Bittern to Red Hill passenger service ends | . | |
| July 1 | Bittern to Red Hill line closed, 9.91 miles | . | |
| July 28 | Daylesford to Newlyn line closed, 14.25 miles | . | |
| Sept. 6 | Moe to Yallourn opened (direct line) | . | |
| Oct. 1 | Korumburra (Jumbunna Junction) to Jumbunna line closed, 3.74 miles | . | |
| Oct. 12 | Wangaratta to Whitfield (narrow gauge) line closed, 30.49 miles (postal motor passenger service finished Oct. 10 1953) | . | |
| Oct 13 | B class haul "The Overland" for first time. | . | |
| Nov. 18 | Irrewarra - Cressy - Newtown line closed, 43.65 miles | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1954 | . | ||
| Jan. 30 | Dimboola to Rainbow passenger service ends (Diesel Railcar) | . | |
| Feb. 24 | Ben Nevis to Navarre line closed, 22.87 miles | . | |
| March | Queen Elizabeth II tours Victoria by train, the first time a reigning monarch had travelled on the VR.. Trips included: Sale to Melbourne, Melbourne to Goorambat, Tatura - Echuca - Bendigo - Maryborough - Ballarat - Geelong - Melbourne, Melbourne to Warburton and return. | . | |
| March 27 | Nayook to Noojee line closed | . | |
| April 30 | Upper Ferntree Gully to Belgrave (narrow gauge) line closed. (Last train ran Feb. 23 1954) Re-opened as Broad gauge and electrified Feb 18 1962) | . | |
| April 30 | Emerald to Gembrook passenger service ends | . | |
| April 30 | Lakeside to Gembrook (narrow gauge) line closed, 6.68 miles (re-opened by Puffing Billy Railway, Oct. 18 1998) | . | |
| June 25 | Moe to Erica (narrow gauge) line closed, 18.49 miles (pass service Moe to Platina closed June 24 1954) | . | |
| June 29 | Redesdale Junction to Redesdale line closed, 16.25 miles (last train ran June 28 1954) | . | |
| July 2 | Beechworth to Yackandandah line closed, 12.84 miles (last train ran July 1) | . | |
| July 22 | Warrugul electrification opened, first mainline electrification in Australia | . | |
| July 22 | Melbourne to Bairnsdale passenger train named "The Gippslander" | ||
| July 30 | Numurkah to Picola passenger service (Leyland railmotor) ends | . | |
| Sept. 3 | Piangil to Yungera passenger service ends | . | |
| Dec. 9 | Ferguson to Crowes passenger service ends | . | |
| Dec. 10 | Weeaproinah to Crowes (narrow gauge) line closed, 9.9 miles | . | |
| Dec. 17 | J 559 enters service, VR's last steam locomotive. (scrapped April 1975) | ||
| Dec. 18 | Colac (Alvie Junction) to Alvie line closed, 8.76 miles | . | |
| . | |||
| . | . | ||
| 1955 | Jan. 13 | Colac to Ferguson passenger service ends | . |
| March 9 | Hamilton to Balmoral pasenger service ends | ||
| June | Liberal/National state government elected | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1956 | Jan. 14 | Murchison to East Rushworth passenger service ends | |
| Feb. 6 | First automatically operated "boom gates" in service at Toorak Road Tooronga. | . | |
| March 14 | First electric passenger train between Melbourne and Traralgon, hauled by L1150 | . | |
| March 15 | "Harris" suburban trains commenced running | . | |
| March 26 | .The "Intercapital Daylight" commenced running Melb - Albury (last Broad Gauge run on April 16 1962) | . | |
| May 5 | Fawkner to Somerton (dead end) closed | ||
| July 31 | Branxholme to Casterton passenger service ends (Diesel Railcar) | . | |
| Aug. 11 | Clarkefield to Lancefield passenger service ends | ||
| Aug. 13 | Clarkefield to Lancefield line closed, 14.5 miles (last train ran Aug 11 1956) | . | |
| Nov. 5 | Sandrigham to Black Rock VR "electric street railway" closed, 2.42 miles | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1957 | Jan. 1 | Park Street to Brighton Beach VR "electric street railway" closed | . |
| Jan. 1 | The term "Porter" is dropped and replaced with "Station Assistant" | ||
| March 4 | Birregurra to Forrest line closed, 19.8 miles | . | |
| March 31 | Hernes Oak to Yallourn line closed, 2.45 miles, (due to track upgrading/re-location) | . | |
| May 4 | Maryborough to Ararat passenger service ends | ||
| May 13 | Hawthorn to Kew line closed | . | |
| July 1 | Elwood to Park Street VR "electric street railway" closed | . | |
| Aug. 5 | Kooloonong to Yungera line closed, 6.71 miles (last train ran Aug. 5 1957) | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1958 | March | First run of "Train of Knowledge" (Macleod High School chartered a train that took 200 students Melbourne - Warrnambool - Hamilton - Portland - Stawell - Bendigo - Echuca - Kyabram - Melbourne) | . |
| Sep 7 | First installation of Centralised Traffic Control, CTC (East Malvern to Glen Waverley) | . | |
| Oct. 1 | Warragul to Nayook line closed. | . | |
| Dec. 3 | Heathcote to Ranglea (Freezing Co's siding) line closed. | . | |
| Dec. 4 | Moe (Thorpdale Junction) to Thorpdale line closed, 10.67 miles | . | |
| One class suburban travel introduced, (previous to this there were 1st and 2nd class cars) | . | ||
| . | . | ||
| 1959 | Feb. 4 | Koo Wee Rup to Bayles closed, 4.5 miles | . |
| Feb 28 | St Kilda to Elwood VR "electric street railway" closed | . | |
| April 15 | Korumburra to Coal Creek line closed | . | |
| July 8 | Avoca to Ararat line closed (re-opened Oct. 29 1966) 39 miles | . | |
| July 19 | Somerton to Fords siding reopened | ||
| Aug. 17 | Fawkner to Upfield reopened | ||
| Nov. 28 | Epping to Whittlesea passenger service ends | . | |
| Nov. 29 | Lalor to Whittlesea line closed, (Lalor to Epping later re-opened and electrified) 13.7 miles | . | |
| November | First section of Standard Gauge laid, Wangaratta - Bowser | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1961 | July 2 | Diesel shop at South Dynon in full operation | |
| Sept 26 | Flexi-Van service begins between Melbourne and Adelaide | . | |
| Sept. 30 | Wodonga to Tallangatta passenger (Diesel Rail Car) service ends | . | |
A few facts & figures from the annual report for year ending June 30 1961
|
|||
| . | . | ||
| 1962 | Jan. 3 | First S.G. freight arrived Dynon, first S.G. freight departed Dynon | . |
| Feb. 13 | Provide bell communication between driver and guard on Tait trains | . | |
| Feb 18 | Upper Ferntree Gully to Belgrave re-opened | . | |
| April 13 | Springhurst to Wahgunyah (car goods) passenger service ends | ||
| April 16 | Last B.G. run of "Spirit of Progress" | . | |
| April 16 | First S.G. run of "Spirit of Progress" SOP (last run, August 3 1986) | . | |
| April 16 | First run of "Intercapital Daylight" | . | |
| April 16 | First run of "Southern Aurora" (last run, August 3 1986) | . | |
| . | July 1 | Colac to Weeaproinah (narrow gauge) line closed, 33.8 miles | . |
| 1963 | April 7 | ATC introduced Bacchus Marsh - Ballan (Bank Box loop opened) | . |
| April 8 | Dynon bogie exchange centre opened | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1964 | Feb. 5 | Kerang to Stony Crossing line closed, 54.7 miles | . |
| March 19 | Meringur to Morkalla line closed | . | |
| June 28 | East Malvern to Glen Waverley duplication completed | ||
| June 30 | Macleod to Mont Park line closed | . | |
| Dec. 13 | Lilydale to Warburton passenger service ends | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1965 | Jan. 20 | North Melbourne steam locomotive depot demolished. | . |
| April 16 | Horsham to Goroke passenger service ends | . | |
| May 2 | North Fitzroy to Rushall line closed | . | |
| May 21 | North Fitzroy to Northcote Loop line closed | . | |
| June 20 | Heathcote Jct to Heathcote passenger service withdrawn | ||
| July 29 | Lilydale to Warburton line closed | . | |
| . | A few statistics from the 1965 annual report:
|
. | |
| . | |||
| 1967 | July 1 | Mildura to Merbein passenger service ends | |
| July 17 | Mini Buffet service commences on Melbourne to Albury trains using "MBS" cars | ||
| . | |||
| 1968 | Jan. 8 | Last train ran from Maldon to Shelbourne, line damaged by bushfires. | |
| Jan. 31 | Ballarat Racecourse platform, MP 81 50Ch to Waubra line closed | . | |
| May 6 | Portland North to Portland line closed. (Portland North re-named Portland at this time) | . | |
| Sept 7 | Morwell to Mirboo North passenger service ends | . | |
| Nov. 1 | Ouyen to Pinaroo passenger service ends | ||
| Nov. 9 | Last train Heathcote Junction to Heathcote (line officially closed Nov. 7) | . | |
| Dec. 28 | Wonthaggi to Kirrak line closed | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1969 | Feb 7 | "Southern Aurora" crash at Violet town, 8 killed | . |
| March 3 | Last morse code transmission from Mildura to Melbourne, bringing to an end 103 years of morse code use on the VR. At one stage it was estimated that half of Victorian Railway stations had morse code equipment. | . | |
| Apr. 2 | Barry Beach line opened, closed June 30 1992 | . | |
| Apr. 29 | Long Island Junction to Long Island opened (3.9 miles) | . | |
| Dec. 20 | Mining ended at State coal mines, Wonthaggi, mining had commenced in 1909. | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1970 | Jan. 1 | Shelbourne Junction to Shelbourne line closed | . |
| April 17 | Waubra Junction to Ballarat Racecourse line closed | .. | |
| April | "Second class" renamed "economy class" | . | |
| Nov. 2 | Club car introdued on "The Overland" | ||
| Dec 9 | Melbourne hump yard commisioned (last used Sept. 1987) | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1971 | Jan. 20 | Spotswood to Newport Power House line closed (last train Jan 29 1971) | . |
| Feb. 22 | Cafeteria car introduced on "The Overland" | ||
| May 30 | Upfield line loses its Sunday passenger service | ||
| June 22 | Construction commenced, Melbourne Underground Loop | . | |
| May | First Diesel Rail Car (DRC 41) in service | . | |
| Sept. | First electronic weighbridge installed at Dynon | ||
| . | |||
| 1972 | August 8 | Melbourne to Mildura overnight sleeping train named "The Vinelander" (last run Sept. 12 1993) | . |
| Nov. 27 | Paltforms 1 & 2 at North Melbourne are taken out of service to allow for underground loop construction. (reinstated after loop works completed) | ||
| Dec. 24 | Silver (Hitachi) suburban trains commenced operating | . | |
| VR reports a $36,484,888 defecit for the 1971 - 1972 financial year | |||
| . | . | ||
| 1973 | May 8 | Victorian Railways commisioners became Victorian Railways board with 7 members. | . |
| July 1 | Motorail service began between Melbourne and Sydney on the "Southern Aurora" | ||
| July 1 | Metric system adopted on Victorian Railways | ||
| Sept. 10 | First run of C.A.E "Arts Train" 42 day tour of Western Victoria | ||
A few statistics from the 1973 - 1974 annual report:
|
|||
| . | . | ||
| 1974 | Jan. 26 | Farewell day of swing door suburban train operation. (last regular service Dec. 1973) | . |
| April 12 | VicRail name adpoted as trading name | . | |
| June 27 | Last train from Morwell to Mirboo North, Y 130. (line officially closed June 24) | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1975 | Jan. 20 | Extension of suburban train service from Dandenong to Pakenham | . |
| March 1 | Stanhope to Gigarre line closed | . | |
| June 10 | The driver of B 69 on an up, loaded steel train loses control approaching Frankston colliding with a Silver train at the platform. (27M is destroyed) | . | |
| Sept. 8 | Kananook station opens | ||
| Oct. 27 | Royal train provided for Princess Margaret, L 1150 to Moe and return | ||
| Nov. 10 | Echuca to Balranald passenger service ends | ||
| . | . | ||
| 1976 | July 20 | Laverton derailment, last VR passenger fatality, 1 killed | . |
| Sept. 20 | Apex quarry train commenced operation. | ||
| Nov. 6 | Cheetham siding to Queenscliff line closed | . | |
| Dec. 1 | Allendale to Newlyn line closed | . | |
| Dec. 3 | Castelmaine (Maldon Junction) to Maldon line closed | . | |
| Dec. 17 | Ballart to Skipton passenger service withdrawm (Rail Motor) | ||
| Dec. 30 | Everton to Beechworth line closed | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1977 | May 7 | Last Bendigo to Sea Lake railmotor service operated | . |
| May 27 | Last Mansfield to Melbourne railmotor service (RM 91) | . | |
| July 8 | Collision between pilot (Y 145) and goods train (X 42) at Ararat results in the death of the fireman on the pilot | . | |
| July 9 | Last Traralgon to Maffra railmotor service operated (RM 28) | . | |
| July 9 | Last Castlemaine to Maryborough railmotor service operated (RM 24) | . | |
| Aug. 25 | Last Bendigo to Cohuna railmotor service operated | . | |
| Sep. 10 | Last Port Fairy to Warrnambool passenger service operated (B 75 on pass.) | . | |
| Sep. 12 | Dennington to Port Fairy and Koroit to Hamilton (Coleraine Junction) lines closed | . | |
| Sep. 12 | Coleraine Junction to Coleraine line closed | . | |
| Sep. 12 | Branxholme to Casterton line closed | . | |
| Sep. 23 | Last Woodend to Daylesford railmotor service operated | . | |
| Oct. 29 | VR hands over operation of "Puffing Billy" to Emerald Tourist Railway Board | . | |
| Dec. 4 | Last Nyora to Wonthaggi railmotor service operated | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1978 | March 1 | ANR takes over operation of all non metropolitan services in South Australia | |
| June 3 | Last Bendigo to Robinvale passenger (railmotor) service | ||
| July 3 | Carlshrue to Daylesford line closed | . | |
| Aug. 1 | Terang (Mortlake Junction) to Mortlake line closed | . | |
| Nov. 6 | Motorail service introduced on "The Overland" | ||
| Nov. 8 | Tallarook to Mansfield and Alexandra lines closed | . | |
| Nov. 21 | Nyora to Wonthaggi line closed | . | |
| Dec. 2 | Horsham to Serviceton last day of operation of Diesel Rail Car | ||
| Dec. 11 | 3rd Flinders St. to Spencer St. viaduct opened (now a total of 6 tracks) | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1979 | VR adopts National 4 letter codes for freight wagons | . | |
| ??? | South Geelong to Cheetham siding closed | . | |
| Jan 11 | Last Echuca to Deniliquin railmotor service | . | |
| July 1 | Noradjuha to Hamilton line closed | . | |
| Aug. 3 | Test of through working of locos between Melbourne and Adelaide, C 505 and C 506, 1755 tonnes ran a down jet from capital to capital. | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1981 | Jan. 24 | Underground loop opens (Burnley tunnel) along with Museum station | . |
| March 1 | Bandiana to Cudgewa line closed | . | |
| March 1 | Diggora West to Cohuna line closed | . | |
| March 1 | Kerang to Koondrook line closed | . | |
| March 15 | Coldstream to Healesville line closed | . | |
| June 15 | Baxter to Mornington line closed | . | |
| July 31 | Royal Park to Fitzroy line closed | . | |
| Sept 28 | Comeng suburban trains enter revenue service | . | |
| Sept | First "N" set (country passenger carriages) enters service. | . | |
| Sept. | Duplication of Melbourne to Geelong line completed | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1982 | Feb 15 | Through working of C class diesel locos began between Melbourne and Adelaide. Previously VR locos were detached from their trains at the state borders. | . |
| April | Labor state government elected | . | |
| June 17 | S 317, on an up standard gauge goods runs into the back of the up Spirit of Progress at Barnawartha, killing both crewmembers on the goods train. | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1983 | July 1 | VR became State Transport Authority with V/Line and The Met as its operations | . |
| Oct. 28 | Lubeck to Bolangum line closed | . | |
| Nov. 30 | Myrtleford to Bright line closed | . | |
| Dec. 16 | Sale Wharf line closed | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1984 | November | Last Tait suburban trains withdrawn from service | . |
| . | . | ||
| 1985 | Jan. 20 | Altona to Westona opened | . |
| April 11 | Westona to Laverton opened | . | |
| Nov. 11 | First two man freight train, Ararat to Portland freight, (guards van and guard abolished) | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1986 | Jan. 7 | Last suburban parcels coaches ran | . |
| Withdrawl from service of last wooden bodied passenger cars | . | ||
| Aug. 3 | Last run of "Spirit of Progress" and "Southern Aurora" replaced by Melbourne and Sydney Express | ||
| October | Livestock traffic ceases | . | |
| Dec. 8 | Timboon Junction to Timboon line closed | . | |
| Dec. 8 | Hopetoun to Patchewollock line closed | . | |
| Dec. 8 | North Creswick to Allendale line closed | . | |
| Dec. 8 | Jeparit to Yanac line closed | . | |
| Dec. 8 | East Natimuk to Carpolac line closed | . | |
| Dec. 8 | East Natimuk to Noradjuha closed | . | |
| Dec. 8 | Moulamein to Balranald line (services suspended) | . | |
| Dec. 8 | Wedderburn Jct to Wedderburn line closed | . | |
| Dec. 8 | Elmore to Diggora West line closed | . | |
| Dec. 8 | Piangil to Kooloonong line closed | . | |
| Dec. 8 | Dookie to Katamatite line closed | . | |
| Dec. 8 | Numurkah to Picola line closed | . | |
| Dec. 8 | Bowser to Peechelba East line closed | . | |
| Dec. 8 | Moe to Yallourn line closed | . | |
| Dec. 8 | Traralgon to Cowwarr line closed | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1987 | Feb. 15 | Extension of sparks from Pakenham to Warragul (last spark to Warragul Dec. 5 1998) | . |
| March 25 | Williamstown to Williamstown Pier line closed | . | |
| April 13 | Bowser to Myrtleford line closed | . | |
| Aug. 1 | Flinders St to St Kilda line closed, (later converted to tram line) | . | |
| Aug. 21 | Bairnsdale to Orbost line closed | . | |
| Aug. 31 | Cowwarr to Maffra line closed | . | |
| Sept. | Melbourne yard hump last used. | . | |
| Oct. 11 | Flinders St to Port Melbourne line closed, (later converted to tram line) | . | |
| Oct. 12 | Murchison East to Colbinabbin line closed | . | |
| Oct. 12 | Rushworth to Stanhope line closed | . | |
| Oct. 26 | Welshpool to Yarram line closed | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1988 | Feb. 17 | Linton Junction to Skipton line closed | . |
| June 16 | Harris suburban trains withdrawn from service | . | |
| Sep. 14 | Nowingi towards Millewa South line closed | . | |
| Oct. | Horsham to East Natimuk line closed | . | |
| Dec. | Red Cliffs to Meringur line closed | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1989 | Guards removed from passenger trains | . | |
| July 1 | Metropolitan Transit Authority and State Transport Authority amalgamated to form "Public Transport Corporation" | . | |
| Nov. | G 543 enters service, last new locomotive purchase before privatisation. | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1991 | May 17 | Last day of DERM operations | . |
| . | . | ||
| 1992 | June 30 | Leongatha to Welshpool line closed. | . |
| June 30 | Barry Beach Jct to Barry Beach line closed | . | |
| Sep. 21 | Springhurst to Wahgunyah line (services suspended) | . | |
| Oct | Lib/Nat state government elected | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1993 | June | Driver only suburban trains commenced running (Newport to Williamstown) | . |
| Sept. 3 | Last passenger service to Mildura, (last up service departed Mildura Sept. 5) | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1994 | May 27 | Last Ballarat to Ararat passenger service (reopened July 10 2004) | . |
| Dec. 15 | Nyora to Leongatha line closed | . | |
| . | |||
| 1995 | March 9 | Maffra to Stratford Jct line closed | . |
| March 25 | Dandenong to Cranbourne electrification brought into service. | ||
| April 11 | Heywood to Mount Gambier line (services suspended) | . | |
| April 14 | Linton Jct to Ararat line closed, (re-opened for passenger traffic July 10 2004) | . | |
| May | Melbourne to Adelaide Standard Gauge line opened. (converted from existing broad gauge line) | . | |
| Nov. | V/Line introduces its maroon and blue scheme replacing the V/Line tangerine scheme | . | |
| Nov. 22 | Last suburban train crewed by a guard (all suburban trains "driver only" from this date) | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 1997 | Sept. 7 | V/Line split into V/Line pass and V/Line freight | . |
| . | . | ||
| 1998 | July 1 | Bayside Trains, Hillside Trains and V/Line Passenger split off from P.T.C. | . |
| . | . | ||
| 1999 | May 1 | V/line (Freight) sold to Rail America, known as Freight Victoria (end of government ownership) | . |
| Oct | National Express takes over Bayside Trains; Connex takes over Hillside Trains | . | |
| Oct. | Labor government elected | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 2000 | March 1 | Freight Victoria changes name to Freight Australia | . |
| . | . | ||
| 2002 | Jan. 27 | St Albans to Sydenham electrification brought into service. | . |
| Dec. | National Express "walks away" from M>Train and V/Line Pass. | ||
| . | |||
| 2004 | Feb. 29 | Last upper quadrant semaphore signals removed from service. (Middle Brighton) | . |
| April 18 | Connex assumes control of entire suburban network. Franchise ends Nov. 30 2009 | . | |
| April | Overhead catenary system removed between Pakenham and Warragul | . | |
| May 3 | Sale to Bairnsdale reopened to passenger traffic | . | |
| July 10 | Ballarat to Ararat re-opened to passenger traffic | . | |
| Sept. 1 | Pacific National assumed control of Freight Australia | . | |
| . | . | ||
| 2005 | Dec | Spencer Street station renamed Southern Cross station | . |
| . | |||
| 2006 | April 28 | VLocity railcar collides with truck at level crossing near Trawalla while running a Ararat to Melbourne service resulting in 2 passengers deaths. | . |
| August | 160 km/h running introduced with new VLocity timetable | . | |
| 2007 | June 5 | Truck collides with up Swan Hill passenger train near Kerang resulting in 11 passenger deaths. | |
| Sept 30 | Broadmeadows to Craigieburn electrification brought into service. | ||
| . | |||
| 2008 | Dec 1 | Broad Gauge line from Seymour to Wodonga closed and handed over from V/Line to ARTC in preparation for conversion to standard gauge. (Last train was a 1655 Wodonga Coal siding to North Shore log train from Wodonga on Nov. 27) | |
| . | |||
| 2009 | Nov 30 | Connex franchise ends, suburban system now operated by "Metro" | |
| 2012 | Nov. 18 | Sydenham to Sunbury electrification brought into service. |
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