Re: South Melbourne Line

["David Lindstrom" <D_Lindstrom@Bigpond.com>]

<jshugg@westpac.com.au> wrote in message 9086t2$26s$1@nnrp1.deja.com">news:9086t2$26s$1@nnrp1.deja.com...
> In article <9081tm$kim$1@arachne.labyrinth.net.au>,
>   "Paul Hambleton" <P.Hambleton@bom.gov.au> wrote:
> > Its absolutely true! In fact the bridge serviced two lines - the St.
> Kilda
> > line (via Sth. Melbourne and Albert Park) and Port Melbourne. The Port
> > Melbourne (Sandridge) line was I think the first railway in Victoria.
>
> ... and in fact the first steam operated railway in Australia, opened
> in 1854. Both lines were closed c1987 and reopened shortly after as
> light rail lines, connecting to the tramway network not far from the
> old rail bridge.
>
> James
Yes all of this is true. The previous labour government was going to
demolish the bridge, but they lost office before they were able to do so.
Strangely, the Liberal government made no moves to demolish it, but did run
several competition ideas for how it might be utilised.
Meanwhile if you catch the appropriate tram in the city it's really
something when it suddenly turns off the road and belts along on old railway
tracks activating boom gates and everything as it goes along.
I overheard one girl say to another on a  train one day: have you ever been
on that tram that turns into a train?
Regards,
David Lindstrom
(The railway tracks have, of course, been converted to standard gauge, by
moving one of the rails. You can see the marks on the sleeper where the rail
used to be.)