Re: Vicrail rail closures

[Mark Cauchi <Mark.Cauchi@med.monash.edu.au>]

> Michael Walker <walker@hotkey.net.au> wrote:
> 
> >> > >> North Fitzroy to Fitzroy
> >> > >
> >> > >9-5-1892
> >> > >
> >> > >> Royal Park to North Fitzroy
> >> > >
> >> > >15-11-48
> >> > >
> 
> >> > Surely these two dates cannot be correct.  I travelled to Fitzroy on a
> >> > fan trip - and even though I am getting old and senile I am sure it
> >> > was later than 1892 :-)
> 
> >According to the map quoted from in posting the dates originally, the
> >dates for the opening and closing of the line are as follows:
> >All sections between Royal Park, Rushall and Fitzroy inc stations opened
> >8-5-1888.
> >Langridge Street renamed to N Carlton 19-8-1889
> >Nicholson Street renamed N Fitzroy 16-10-1889
> >Fitzroy closed 9-5-1892
> >Royal Park to Rushall closed 15-11-1948


The opening date for the Inner Circle was indeed, the 8 May, 1888.  The
ecxeption being the section St Georges Road Junction to Northcote Loop
Junction (North End) opened on the 8 October, 1889.  The various
sections were closed on different dates as follows:

North Fitzroy - Rushall  2 May, 1965
St Georges Road Junction - Northcote Loop Junction (North End)  21 May,
1965
Royal Park - North Fitzroy - Fitzroy  1 Aug, 1981

There are some excellent articles written on this line.  The article by
Bleakley and Foley in the ARE Mag (Sept 1991) which details the remains
of the line, shows a photo of a fan trip to Fitzroy with X36 in the
Fitzroy yard on 14 March, 1981. Andrew Waugh has written a terrific
article on the safeworking and operation of trains on the inner circle
and is a must read for safeworking and signalling enthusiasts.  A copy
is held in the ARHS archives.  In both of these articles are the
relevant signalling diagrams of the entire line.

Closing dates for all lines can generally be found in the VR Annual
Report of the VR Commissioners.  Another excellent source is the current
National Railway Atlas Project which gives the opening and closing dates
for every line built in Australia.  The draft Victorian section can be
found in the ARHS Bulletin of November, 1995 (well worth having a copy
even before the release of the atlas).

Someone the other day mentionned that the Redan line was still in use. 
I think that it has been booked out of service.  The points at Linton
Junction are not yet spiked for the ballast siding (as at 5/1) but are
spiked where the line meets the up end of the Ballarat Cattle Yards
loop.

Regards
Mark Cauchi