Re: Webb Dock Rail Access -oops we need a new bridge!!!

[steam4me@enternet.com.au (Yuri J Sos/Melbourne AUS)]

On Wed, 30 Jun 1999 06:14:44 GMT, mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie
Daly) wrote, and I selectively quote:

>Does any of the original line still exist.?

>Pretty sure that the last time I went over the West gate Bridge I could see 
>bits of an unused rail line on the Northern Side , although it didnt appear to 
>be dual guage.

The line is completely intact from the Bolte bridge to the yard on the
south side of the West Gate Bridge.  The line used to run into Webb
Dock, but has been truncated and a large warehouse now sits on the
former right of way.  An addition to the line could easily curve into
the new Webb Dock being reclaimed from the mouth of the Yarra west of
the current Webb Dock.  

It was built as BG with welded rail on wooden sleepers for easy
conversion to SG.  However, someone in the planning department really
stuffed up when they built the bridge for this line over the Yarra as
dual gauge rail fasteners were incorporated into the bridge structure
and dual gauge track was laid across the bridge (I understand the
planner responsible was subsequently sacked for foresight and
competence <g!>).  

I seem to remember that the Charles Grimes bridge (CGB) and the rail
bridge were built about the same time, the rail bridge parallelling
the CGB to minimise the impact on the river shipping at that time.
IIRC, there was controversy about trapping the Polly Woodside b/w the
CGB and the Spencer Street bridge.  There was also a floating dock
just downstream from the bridges until just before the city link was
announced (I remember taking some sunset silhouette shots of its
cranes there one hot summer's evening).

It's interesting to watch how much trouble they're having jack
hammering up these fastenings (it doesn't look as though they had true
sleepers on the bridge itself - any VR driver, feel free to help me
out/correct me here).

Beyond the bridge, the approach to the bridge has been demolished and
all rail, roadbed and other infrastructure all the way to the Bolte
bridge. 

I saw Ts, Xs and Gs on that line on a regular basis in the 80s on my
way to work each day.  I was often held at the railway crossing at the
entrance to Victoria Dock as a long train of containers were dragged
up into Melbourne Yard.

It's always been my contention that the bridge should have remained as
a rail bridge.  With the proposed narrowing of Footscray Road, the
line could have been moved onto the westernmost lane of Footscray Road
and cross the intersection of Footscray Road and Dudley Street
entering into NR's Melbourne steel yard.

Perhaps the fact that the line was left intact distal to the Bolte
bridge indicates that the planners had already decided there would be
a low level river crossing at that point.  I'd imagine Transurban will
be pretty dismayed at their wasted expense to go high with the Bolte
bridge to allow clearance for shipping if this rail bridge is
permitted.

I don't know where else the connection to the rest of the system could
be made  -- Jeff's shed and the Casino block on the south side  and
the World Trade Centre on the north bank block any crossing of the
river by rail from the Webb Dock area.

There was a plan to re-connect Swanson Dock West to the rail system
with a line to cross Footscray Road through an old soccer oval, but
there was an outcry over the loss of "parkland" and "recreation areas
close to the city".  The land was sold/leased soon after to FCL who've
built a large facility on that site.  The Swanson Dock West line could
be rebuilt to connect with the Appleton Dock line (the easement still
exists, and the Dock Link Road has a rail crossing embedded in it).

An easement exists off the Appleton Dock line curving westwards
towards Swanson Dock West, and a line could be easily built right into
Patrick's Swanson Dock area.  The rest of the dock land there is
covered in containers, except for this easement.

Regards

Yuri
-- 
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Yuri J Sos
Melbourne VIC AUS

Unless otherwise stated, all locations mentioned 
are in Victoria, Australia

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