Re: History of Melbourne Electrification

[G.Lambert@unsw.edu.au (Geoff Lambert)]

On Tue, 18 Apr 2000 11:21:39 +1000, "Robert Lee"
<robsl@ozemail.com.au> wrote:

>I am working on a comparative study of suburban railway electrification in a
>number of cities in the Asia-Pacific region.  Two of these are Sydney and
>Melbourne.  There is an excellent article summarising the decision-making
>process that  resulted in elctrification in Sydney.  It is Ian Brady,
>"Jubilee of Syndey's Electric Trains", ARHS Bulletin, Vol. 27, No. 461,
>March 1976.  However, so far I have been unable to locate anything similar
>on Melbourne.  Does anyone know of any such articles or books, or is it a
>case of off to Melbourne and the La Trobe Library and going through the
>parliamentary papers?  (I live in Sydney by the way.)  I would very much
>appreciate any advice people in this newsgroup could offer.

The original Merz report/proposal on the electrification of
Melbourne's railways and some reports in response are held on the
open-access shelves at Uni NSW library, thus:

    1 
      Report, including review and comments, of the Victorian Railways
      Commissioners in connection with the report by Mr. Charles H. 
      Merz on
      the Application of electric traction to the Melbourne suburban 
      railway
      system. 
      Victorian Railways.
      Melbourne : The Commissioners, 1908.
      PQ625.609945/2 Level 6 

    2 
      Further report in respect of the Application of electric 
      traction to the
      Melbourne suburban railway system : and report and comments    
      thereon /
      by the Victorian Railways Commissioners. 
      Merz, Charles H.
      Melb. : Railways Commission, 1909.
      PQ625.609945/3 Level 6 

    3 
      Report upon the Application of electric traction to the 	
      Melbourne
      suburban railway system / Charles H. Merz. 
      Merz, Charles H.
      Melbourne : Victorian Railways, [1908]
      PQ625.609945/1 Level 6