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Port Melbourne Line

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      Zone3 Beginner

    Hey everyone

    Just wondering if anyone has much info on the Port Melbourne line.

    I know it closed in October 1987.

    What was the reaction like to it closing?

    Does anyone have any pics?

    Thanks
    Posted: 31 Oct 2013 20:31

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      retromelb Chief Commissioner

    What was the reaction like to it closing?

    Does anyone have any pics?
    Zone3


    Posted: 01 Nov 2013 06:15
      bevans Site Admin

    Location: Melbourne, Australia
    Further references can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Melbourne_railway_line Traffic on the line included timber from Gippsland and of course petroleum from the now gone BP refinery. Of course the line connected to Station Pier where many travellers would board e cars for their trips into Victoria having just arrived from overseas.














    (The last two images having been taken by and belong to Les Brown)

    Regards
    Brian
    Posted: 01 Nov 2013 08:15

    Last edited by bevans on 03 Jan 2014 22:43; edited 2 times in total
      Ballast_Plough Chief Commissioner
    Posted: 01 Nov 2013 08:19
      bevans Site Admin

    Location: Melbourne, Australia
    The sandridge railway bridge. note the timber decking.



    Y160 on the Port Melbourne Line




    L Class on the Port Melbourne Line



    Regards
    Brian
    Posted: 01 Nov 2013 08:21
      michaelgreenhill Administrator That's Numberwang!

    Location: Melbourne
    The sandridge railway bridge. note the timber decking.



    Y160 on the Port Melbourne Line




    L Class on the Port Melbourne Line



    Regards
    Brian
    bevans
    Author attribution for those photos would be nice, Brian Smile
    Posted: 01 Nov 2013 11:26
      bevans Site Admin

    Location: Melbourne, Australia
    MGH, these images came up by searching port melbourne railway line in google and asking for images. looking again not all can be identified other than museum victoria, one from brownfam.com.au, busaustralia.com but these are linked so it is what it is. One is yours of course but that is already identified.Trams downunder another.  But these are the sites which link the images, not necessarily the images themselves.

    This image from Railpage:



    Something a little more interesting.  Electrification to station pier meaning onto the pier.  brownfam.com.au



    Regards
    Brian
    Posted: 01 Nov 2013 11:33

    Last edited by bevans on 01 Nov 2013 11:35; edited 1 time in total
      Ballast_Plough Chief Commissioner

    Location: Lilydale, Vic
    Probably for the E classes.
    Posted: 01 Nov 2013 11:42
      Gauntlet Chief Commissioner

    Location:
    Using Google I found this pic of Montague station from 1981
    http://tdu.to/179341.msg , although I hope that you've found that already.
    There's also this thread from 2007.
    Also, I remember some protest about "bleeding stumps" since the was less access for people with disabilities, but a Google search wasn't very helpful.
    Posted: 01 Nov 2013 12:20
      LamontCranston Chief Commissioner

    By the end of the 1970s there had been 10 years of manic road development coupled with ignoring railways they were seeing a drop in patronage, hard to imagine I know, so the Hamer government commissioned the Lonie Report to find ways to revive rail, headed by one Murrey Lonie - a former CEO of General Motors, an ideal man to ask for advice on railways. Its secretary was the former head of the Country Roads Board, another railway expert.
    It recommended shutting down Port Melbourne, St Kilda, Sandringham, Alamein, and Hurstbridge past Eltham.
    Also wanted to close all the Regional lines except Geelong.
    And half the trams.
    And also cancel all late night and weekend services replacing them with buses.

    There was a change of government with Thompson taking charge and that was considered a bit much so they only closed 10 regional lines. And introduced the  zone ticketing.

    John Cain was then elected and reopened three of the regional railways*, and had the Port Melbourne and St Kilda lines prepared for conversion to tram.
    Industry was leaving the area, the port was relocating, it was a fairly lightly populated area at the time. The argument was not enough demand for freight or passengers.
    And there was the Southbank redevelopment being planned which the bridge and railway cut through. I'm not sure but I think the loading gauges may not have been ideal for the Hitachi and Comengs, anyway they only ran the Harris trains on them as it was direct to Flinders St since they couldn't go through the Loop being wooden.

    *And Kennett rereclosed 2 of them!
    Posted: 02 Nov 2013 12:29

    Last edited by LamontCranston on 02 Nov 2013 12:35; edited 2 times in total
      alstom_888m Chief Commissioner

    Location:

    bevans
    Might sound a stupid question, but isn't that platform a little high for a B2 tram?

    And there was the Southbank redevelopment being planned which the bridge and railway cut through. I'm not sure but I think the loading gauges may not have been ideal for the Hitachi and Comengs, anyway they only ran the Harris trains on them as it was direct to Flinders St since they couldn't go through the Loop being wooden.
    "LamontCranston"

    That would have been the Taits. Harris were of a steel contraction. However, I've never seen a photo of a Comeng on the Port Melbourne or St Kilda lines, and the only photos I've seen of a Hitachi on those lines were in their pre-1978 set up (M-D 2-car sets).
    Posted: 02 Nov 2013 16:22
      LamontCranston Chief Commissioner

    Taits! My mistake.
    Posted: 03 Nov 2013 20:55
      retromelb Chief Commissioner

    Hitachis ran right up until the end:
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ^
    Port Melbourne
    25-Aug-1987
    Robert Aquilina
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ^
    Port Melbourne
    6-Jun-1987
    Robert Aquilina
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ^
    Port Melbourne
    20-Feb-1987
    Andrew Cook
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ^
    Port Melbourne
    1985
    Mollyschase
    Posted: 04 Nov 2013 08:15
      Nightfire Minister for Railways

    Location: Gippsland
    Might sound a stupid question, but isn't that platform a little high for a B2 tram?

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    That would have been the Taits. Harris were of a steel contraction. However, I've never seen a photo of a Comeng on the Port Melbourne or St Kilda lines, and the only photos I've seen of a Hitachi on those lines were in their pre-1978 set up (M-D 2-car sets).
    alstom_888m
    There was a bridge plate that folded down on the trams or something like that, others would know better.

    Well and truly out of use now as the high platforms have been closed and replaced by low platforms.
    Posted: 04 Nov 2013 10:04
      retromelb Chief Commissioner

    Only B1 trams 2001 and 2002 were fitted with retractable steps that could meet the level of the original platforms.  It was overly ambitious in 1984 when built, but for the B2 roll out from 1987 it was decided not to include this feature.  Shortly after, the B1's had their retractable steps removed.  The photo referred to above shows B2 2100 running to the buffers, most likely for the camera (eg. enthusiast charter), and making space for the B2 class behind it to arrive, occupy and depart the low-level platform.
    Posted: 04 Nov 2013 18:43

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