>Does anyone have any information concerning a publication, apparently
>issued monthly in Melbourne in the late 19th and early 20th centuries,
>called "Sands & McDougall's Monthly Railway Diary"? I recently saw an
>auction catalogue in which this item was written up as follows:
>"Sands & McDougall's Monthly Railway Diary, Melbourne (May 1881, April,
>May & Oct. 1882, April 1885) five issues, each 72 pp. 4" x 2 1/2" with
>attractive pictorial wrappers depicting sail and steam ships. Each
>includes 35 pp. of timetables of the Victorian Railways and postal
>information. Estimated value 60 pounds."
>I'm searching for data concerning the establishment and development of
>the various railway lines in Victoria, and the possibility that this
>Sands/McDougall magazine may include timetables for those lines
>interests me greatly. Who has copies of these journals? (I'd like to
>borrow them or perhaps buy photocopies of the timetables---I'll gladly
>pay postage both ways and repro costs.) Has anybody ever seen one of
>these magazines or know anything about them?
>Hope to hear from somebody on this matter. Many thanks, and best
>regards to all aus.rail members!
>--
>George W. Bowman
>E-mail: gbowman@utech.net
>1141 Pellham Drive
>Lompoc, CA 93436-2353
Copies of this diary may be held in the Latrobe Library in Melbourne
[library.slv.vic.gov.au ]. The library certainly has most issues of
the competing "Bradshaw's Guide to Victoria" from the same period
(starting 1853, catalog # SLT 059.445 B72G ) and it has been used with
success by many people for the purposes you describe.
You can search most Australian library catalgues via the Web and
telnet.... try http://library.adelaide.edu.au/hytelnet/au0/au000.html
for access to a list of telnet addresses for Australian libraries
Geoff Lambert