Victorian Railways train restored to the livery used in the 1960's.

Main article: Rail transport in Victoria

The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. See also Rail transport in Australia Rail transport in Victoria, Australia is provided by a number of railway operators who operate over the government For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations. Most of the lines operated by the Victorian Railways were of the 5' 3" (1600 mm) broad gauge, however the railways also operated up to five 2'6" (762 mm) narrow gauge lines between 1898 and 1977, and a standard gauge line between Albury and Melbourne from 1961. Broad gauge Railways use a Rail gauge (distance between the rails greater than the Standard gauge of. The former Victorian Railways, the state railway authority in Victoria, Australia built a number of experimental Narrow gauge railway lines around The standard gauge (also named the Stephenson gauge after George Stephenson, or Normal gauge) is a widely-used Rail gauge. Albury is a city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3

History

Formation

The Victorian Railways were initially known as the "Department of Railways", from the first appointment of staff in 1856. On 1 November 1883 assent was given to the Victorian Railways Commissioners Act 1883, 47 Vic. ,No. 767, to construct, maintain and manage the state's railways. The staff of the Department of Railways became subject to the authority of the Railway Commissioners and became commonly known as the Victorian Railways.

Growth

The Spirit of Progress headed by locomotive S301 Sir Thomas Mitchell near Kilmore East in 1938. Kilmore East is a Railway station on the North East railway serving the town of Kilmore, Victoria, Australia. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. (Photo: The late John L. Buckland)

Victorian Railways grew to service all parts of the state, even extending some lines into New South Wales and South Australia. South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country In the late 19th century the railways became something of a political football with politicians demanding new lines to be built in places where traffic levels never justified it. A political football is a political topic or issue that is continually debated but left unresolved In 1864 there was just 254 miles (409 km) of railway. The system expanded rapidly to reach 2,900 route miles (4,670 km) by 1891 and to its greatest extent of 4,755 route miles (7652 km) in 1939. The result was that by the beginning of the 20th century, no Victorian (apart from those in the mountain regions) were more than 25 miles (42km) from a railway line. The period from the end of the 1930's saw a slow decline in route mileage as unprofitable branches were closed.

Conversion of the Melbourne suburban system to electrical operation commenced in 1919 and was completed by 1930, creating what was claimed at the time to be the world's largest electric suburban rail system. Melbourne has a long history of railway development The city's first railway opened in 1854 when only 20 years earlier the city itself did not exist Railway electrification supplies electrical energy to railway Locomotives and Multiple units so they can operate without having a Reciprocating 1937 saw the introduction of the streamlined Spirit of Progress train, with air conditioning and all steel carriage construction. The Spirit of Progress was the premier express train passenger service on the Victorian Railways in Australia, running from Melbourne to the Diesel power was introduced in 1951 with ten F-class diesel-electric shunting locomotives, followed by B-class diesel-electric mainline locomotives in 1952-3. Diesel or Diesel fuel (ˈdiːzəl in general is any Fuel used in Diesel engines The most common is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum The Victorian Railways F Class locomotives were 0-6-0 Diesel-electric shunters. A number of vehicles use a diesel-electric Powertrain for providing locomotion. A standard gauge line connecting to the New South Wales system was constructed in 1961 allowing through trains to operate between Melbourne and Sydney, Australia's two largest cities, for the first time. The New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 The last steam locomotive was withdrawn in 1972.

Demise

VicRail logo from the early 1980s

In May 1973 the Railways (Amendment) Act 1972 passed the management of the Railways from the Victorian Railways Commissioners to a Victorian Railways Board. In 1974 the Victorian Railways was rebranded as VicRail, but the royal blue and gold livery used on rolling stock retained until 1981. See also Rail transport in Victoria The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983 ^[1]

A second change occurred in 1983, when VicRail was divided into two - the State Transport Authority taking responsibility for the provision of country rail and road, passenger and freight services; while the Metropolitan Transit Authority taking over suburban passenger operations. The State Transport Authority was a State Government of Victoria owned corporate body that operated country passenger and freight trains in Victoria, Australia See also Rail transport in Australia Rail transport in Victoria, Australia is provided by a number of railway operators who operate over the government The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA was a State Government of Victoria owned corporate body that operated country passenger and freight trains in Victoria Melbourne has a long history of railway development The city's first railway opened in 1854 when only 20 years earlier the city itself did not exist

The State Transport Authority traded under the V/Line name, while the Metropolitan Transit Authority used that name until the Public Transport Corporation ("The Met") was formed in 1989. V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. The Public Transport Corporation was a State Government of Victoria owned corporate body that operated passenger and freight trains trams and bus services in Victoria Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Between 1996 and 1999 "V/Line" and "The Met" were privatised. V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. "V/Line Passenger" was franchised to the National Express Group, who withdrew in 2002. National Express Group plc ( is a UK -based Transport group with headquarters in London that operates Bus, coach, rail The former "V/Line Freight" division was sold to Freight Victoria and is now owned by Pacific National, V/Line's former interstate rail freight infrastructure is controlled by the Australian Rail Track Corporation, and Connex Melbourne now operates the suburban railway network in Melbourne. Freight Australia was a railway company in Australia. Initially known as Freight Victoria, it operated rail freight services and controlled non-urban rail track in Pacific National is one of Australia 's largest private rail freight businesses Australian Rail Track Corporation is a federal government owned corporation established in 1997 that owns leases maintains and controls the majority of main line Connex Melbourne is a wholly owned subsidiary of French company Veolia Environnement. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3

Other functions

From 1888 the Victorian Railways began to take on a role in tourism, operating the Victorian Government Tourist Bureaux. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel In 1911 the Victorian Railways Commissioners assumed responsibility for the State Coal Mine at Wonthaggi from the Mines Department.

The railways also operated the Newport Power Stations A and B, railway refreshment services, the Mount Buffalo Chalet guesthouse, road motor services for passengers, and motor transport services for goods. Mount Buffalo is a mountain plateau in Victoria ( Australia) 200 km northeast of Melbourne. The railways also operated two tram routes in Melbourne - the 'Electric Street Railways'. List of Melbourne tram routes The city of Melbourne, the second-largest city in Australia first had trams introduced in 1885 and is now home to the largest Tram

See also

• Railways in Melbourne
• V/Line
• List of Melbourne railway stations
• List of regional railway stations in Victoria
• Narrow gauge lines of the Victorian Railways

References

• Public Record Office Victoria - Victorian Railways