Off topic but, I recon by around 2020 - 2030 or possibly earlier, we'll see a passenger train running to Leongatha again, due to the population increase and the Government by then may have a different view.

What is this population increase you're talking about?

Booming Bass Coast

I agree with kooka, the absence of scheduled passenger service to Leongatha WILL come to an end one day at least durng my lifetime (fingers crossed).

To answer that question about the tonnage limited, I'm not quite sure, but from what I can recall upn, number of carriages of freight trains was not THAT many - i.e. no more that 20 (usually within 15) althoguh on rare occasions there have been some longer trains than usual such as the hay train that arrived in early 1997 and I think also some long ones during the suspension of passenger services form '81-94.

Off topic but, I recon by around 2020 - 2030 or possibly earlier, we'll see a passenger train running to Leongatha again, due to the population increase and the Government by then may have a different view.

What is this population increase you're talking about?

Would it be the one the government announced today?

It probably won't be announced for a while. For the population growth down there, each year most the town's are increasing in numbers of people.

Off topic but, I recon by around 2020 - 2030 or possibly earlier, we'll see a passenger train running to Leongatha again, due to the population increase and the Government by then may have a different view.

What is this population increase you're talking about?

Would it be the one the government announced today?

It probably won't be announced for a while. For the population growth down there, each year most the town's are increasing in numbers of people.

Ah, I didn't hear of any annoucements. Is there a link to it?

Ah, I didn't hear of any annoucements. Is there a link to it?

Wait which announcement are you talking about. The South Gippsland Shire one or Government.

Ah, I didn't hear of any annoucements. Is there a link to it?

Wait which announcement are you talking about. The South Gippsland Shire one or Government.

You tell me- you were the one who mentioned it in the first place.

Here's the link for the brochure: http://www.southgippsland.vic.gov.au/Files/LeongathaStructureFinalDraft.pdf
Sorry it was the South Gippsland Shire one that started this, there wasn't any brochure or info from the Government.

Very Interesting. It is noted on Page 23

3.3.3 Railway connections

-Relevant issues and information
Leongatha has been fortunate to have, until recently, a passenger rail connection to Melbourne.

-The existence of the railway reservation and supporting infrastructure
represents a significant strategic advantage for Leongatha given energy, sustainability and climate change issues.

-The fact that the railway connection has currently been replaced by a bus service, and that the State Government has recently withdrawn its commitment to the short term return of the passenger rail service, should not be seen as an opportunity to remove the railway line, its supporting infrastructure or the railway reservation itself.

-The opportunity for the resumption of a passenger and/or freight railway connection to Melbourne in the future must be retained.

-Traffic management initiatives and opportunities to expand the Town Centre may require the railway station to be relocated.

-It is essential that the railway station remains within easy walking distance of the Town Centre.

Objective
Continue to lobby for the eventual return of rail services linking Leongatha and
Melbourne.

Strategies
1. To ensure that the necessary infrastructure and reservations to enable the
provision of passenger rail services to Leongatha are retained.
2. To ensure that future planning and development proposals do not jeopardise
the reestablishment of rail services to the town.
3. To ensure that if the existing railway station needs to be relocated to facilitate
expansion of the Town Centre or traffic management initiatives, that a new
facility is provided within 400 metres of the intersection of Bair Street and
McCartin Street.
4. To pursue opportunities for long-term potential for rail access to the
industrial estate.

I believe this is a VERY positive note!!!

Plus, i can't remember if this was mentioned earlier on in the thread & there are quite a lot of pages to browse through (About the following content being on the DVD).

I was watching 'Vic's Railways Vol 2' last night, bloody brilliant DVD. It showed a few of the following:

- Tripple K's to Leongatha & Having 190 unfortunately fail. This meant K183 operated Tender First on parts of the line funnel to funnel with K153.

- P class operating the Last UP Leongatha pass.

- Fuel trains to Barry Beach

& Finally Shunting in the Koala Sand Sidings!

I'd love to see rail returning to Leongatha as much as anyone since it's one of my favourite lines. My worry though is that locals who are lobbying may be under the misapprehension that returning the rail service means unplugging the toilets, quick splash of paint on the station building and replacing the batteries in the level crossing relay cabinets. They may not be aware of the issues with swampland around Koo Wee Rup / Caldermeade / Lang Lang etc. and the distinct difference between restoring the line and rebuilding the line.

I'd love to see rail returning to Leongatha as much as anyone since it's one of my favourite lines. My worry though is that locals who are lobbying may be under the misapprehension that returning the rail service means unplugging the toilets, quick splash of paint on the station building and replacing the batteries in the level crossing relay cabinets. They may not be aware of the issues with swampland around Koo Wee Rup / Caldermeade / Lang Lang etc. and the distinct difference between restoring the line and rebuilding the line.

I agree with Ballast_Plough  It would be great to see trains return to Leongatha.  It is a question of how much use they might get.  Provide the service and the passengers will come works most of the time. A friend of mine who lives just out of Warragul always catches the train to the city rather than driving.  would the same happen from say Leongatha and Korrumburra?  Hopefully time will tell.

My understanding might be wrong but haven't the locals sort of done their dash in the past anyway? I had a feeling the service was pulled but the locals petitioned to get it back. It was re-instated but not utilised to the level they promised and it got pulled again? Was that the case? If so, I wouldn't think they have a hope second time around?

Considering the current 'record numbers' of passenger trips on other lines in Vic I wonder what the patronage for Leongatha would be these days? Surely it would be substantially greater than originally forecasted a few years back?

The only thing is, the huge increase in patronage can be pretty much put down to 2 things.

1. Big decrease in rail fares. Agreed, this could assist in bumping up potential patronage to Leongatha.

2. Dramatically increased capacity on main Geelong / Ballarat / Bendigo / Traralgon lines. Assuming that Leongatha only had a service (and capacity) comparable to the timetable a few years ago, you wouldn't really expect an increase such as seen on the other lines listed.

The only thing is, the huge increase in patronage can be pretty much put down to 2 things.

1. Big decrease in rail fares. Agreed, this could assist in bumping up potential patronage to Leongatha.

2. Dramatically increased capacity on main Geelong / Ballarat / Bendigo / Traralgon lines. Assuming that Leongatha only had a service (and capacity) comparable to the timetable a few years ago, you wouldn't really expect an increase such as seen on the other lines listed.

If ever occurs again, Leongatha would probably still get 3 daily services, same as the old days. 4 could be a possible. I think it's a joke that Warrnambool and Bairnsdale still only get 3 daily service and those are very large regional towns, basically cities in those areas.

If ever occurs again, Leongatha would probably still get 3 daily services, same as the old days. 4 could be a possible. I think it's a joke that Warrnambool and Bairnsdale still only get 3 daily service and those are very large regional towns, basically cities in those areas.

I thought Leongatha had 2 return services a day, with a few more coach connections.

Why is it a joke that places like Warrnambool and Bairnsdale get only 3 daily services?

If ever occurs again, Leongatha would probably still get 3 daily services, same as the old days. 4 could be a possible. I think it's a joke that Warrnambool and Bairnsdale still only get 3 daily service and those are very large regional towns, basically cities in those areas.

I thought Leongatha had 2 return services a day, with a few more coach connections.

Why is it a joke that places like Warrnambool and Bairnsdale get only 3 daily services?

For Leongatha I meant if a rail service returns, not the bus.

Well it's a joke because Warrnambool and Bairnsdale are practically regional cities in the places they are in Victoria. Traralgon gets around 20 daily services and even though Bairnsdale is another 70km's, I recon 3 services isn't enough. That means they get 1 morning service, a mid day - early afternoon service and a night one that arrives around 6. Same applies for Warrnambool on the point I made about Bairnsdale, has Geelong on the route which gets around 30 daily services. This might not make sense to some people, but I don't get how those two large regional cities get 3 daily services. Leongatha had 3 till it was withdrawn and isn't even close to the amount of people that live in those cities.

Traralgon (and Moe and Morwell) are significantly larger than Bairnsdale. Same for Geelong vs Warrnambool.

Traralgon (and Moe and Morwell) are significantly larger than Bairnsdale. Same for Geelong vs Warrnambool.

Of course, but for Bairnsdale it also has Sale and Warrnambool has Colac as well, a thought.

Just read my latest ARHS news, and apparantly the Glen Waverley line had a "local betterment rate", whereby losses for the first 5 years were recouped.
As such, did such a thing exist on this line?? If not, hypothetically if services were restored, should such a thing be imposed to assist with costing it??

Regards

Traralgon (and Moe and Morwell) are significantly larger than Bairnsdale. Same for Geelong vs Warrnambool.

Of course, but for Bairnsdale it also has Sale and Warrnambool has Colac as well, a thought.

There are, apparently, many Sale people who regularly drive to Traralgon to catch a train there. No doubt it applies to Bairsdale too, although maybe to a lesser extent. I'm less than 100m from Stratford station and I too tend to drive to Traralgon to get a train to Melbourne. I'd much rather catch the train from Stratford, but why should I get up early to catch a train that arrives hours before I want to be in Melbourne and gets me back hours later that I want to return?
It's also a joke that there are NO services on the line beyond Traralgon that are of any use to commuters. Driving into Sale at 6pm I am often the only one going in that direction, but I'm almost blinded by the constant stream of car headlights going the other way. Meanwhile the adjacent railway has no trains in either direction.  

Mary WWOTBAG also said that a lot of people in the Nagambie / Murchison area would sooner drive to Seymour rather than wait for an infrequent Shep pass.

I managed to answer a few things that I had been trying looking up this month.

The maximum tonnage on the majority of the line was 750. This was for 1 loco for memory with 100% power something. It was less in parts due to the gradients in certain parts (Koo Wee Rup, Bena Bank, Tarwin Bridges, Mount Hoddle). The largest load for a freight train was usually around 20 freight cars or possibly more depending the tonnage limit.

The managed to find a 90km/h section on the line. This was section was right near Koala Siding and went for a distance and ended near Nyora. I thought this was unusual becuase the maximum speed for the majority of the line that was in service till 1993 was 80km/h.

When the 4 Tarwin Bridges got to the state that the tonnage had to be limited around the 1980's this also affected the speed limit. I never knew the speed limit of the bridges originally before they were reduced to 15km/h in the 1980's. Almost 20 years after Barry Beach was cut back in 1992 the bridges have decayed to a state with many holes. In a few years time parts bridge deck could possibly fall apart.

The reaming section Beyond Leongatha in 1980's was reduced to a maximum speed of 65km/h. There were a few speed restrictions in a few sections of the track.
Most curves were around 50km/h.
The Tarwin Bridges as I mentioned was 15km/h.
Most the trestle bridges didn't need speed restrictions for memory, but I think around the 90's the ones near Barry Beach Junction did have speed restrictions enforced.  
Barry Beach Junction - Barry Beach Oil Marine Terminal had a maximum speed of 35km/h.

For people who don't know this P Class locomotive 18 towing an FSH set ( Four H cars) ran the last Leongatha Pass on Saturday the 24th of July 1993 and departed around 4pm.

I've heard about the Tottenham rail yard clean up and many tankers have been scraped. Is there any more fuel tankers around there and even the state? I'm saying this becuase in the future Barry Beach could possibly be reopened, well I hope.

I doubt barry beach would be re-opened. For one thing, the line between Cranbourne and Nyora would need to be completely rebuilt. Although the rails are there, the track has become overgrown and most of the sleepers would be stuffed.

Between Nyora and Leongatha, it has only been maintained as a tourist railway, so would need substantial work to bring it back to mainline standard.

Beyond Leongatha... Well, there's nothing left!

I think it's not looking good for passenger trains to ever return to Leongatha. As for Barry Beach, I think it's extremely unlikely

Its 18 years today since the last Barry Beach train ran..........