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Extending from Gembrook

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      CalLoch Beginner

    Location: Selby, Victoria, Australia
    [edit]Thread split from the old thread seen here:  http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11328731-0-asc-s25.htm  [/edit]

    old_fred wrote:


    In the early 1900s a Shire of Ferntree Guly Councilor suggested extending the Gembrook line to Noojee and beyond, linking the Walhalla and Whitfield lines. He suggested the line be continued to link to the Bombala line in NSW. Talk about silly ideas. He would leave some of you for dead.



    "Not many people know about that, and it takes a curious mind to find out". Razz

    I stumbled across an article saying in no uncertain terms that a FTG shire councillor proposed that the line be extended Gembrook - Noojee - Walhalla and it mentioned Omeo and Bombala. I can't remember whether he actually proposed it be extended there as well or if it was more a "possible future extension" once extended to Wally. I do remember the article also says straight out that there was much laughter at that council meeting after hearing that proposal. Razz Has anyone else found this article and can point me in the right direction to find it?
    Posted: 13 Dec 2013 10:10

    Last edited by CalLoch on 13 Dec 2013 22:14; edited 2 times in total

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      JimYarin Chief Commissioner

    Location: Adelaide, South Australia
    Oh dear...the mods will be unhappy...a 6+ year thread resurrected. Shocked

    Mike.
    The Vinelander

    this thread was well discovered.  i had no idea there were plans to extend the line past the current terminus. thanks to the user who would this in a deep ocean of posts.
    Posted: 13 Dec 2013 13:58
      woodford Chief Commissioner

    The tramways heading off from Gembrook are well covered in the book "Bellbrakes, Bullocks and Bushmen" by Mike McCarthy published by Light rail research society of Australia, 1987

    There was quite a network of tramways (note this network changed extensively over time) that extended so as one is said to have been able to travel  on the tramways as far as Powel Town and Noojee. There are extensive maps in the book.

    woodford
    Posted: 13 Dec 2013 17:56
      darcycammo Chief Train Controller

    Location: cockatoo vic
    I noticed the other night driving past Gemmy station that there truck with loaded railway was being dropped off next to the caged area do they plan to finally link the railway to the big Green shed a couple of hundred meters down the side road?


    Posted: 13 Dec 2013 18:32
      tom9876543 Train Controller

    I realise the proposal was over 100 years ago...,. but how did they determine the cost for the railway to Woods Point then Omeo????
    It's extremely hilly territory.
    Even as narrow gauge, wouldn't there have to be significant earth works / bridges built?
    I would have guessed it would be extremely expensive and probably a much higher cost than what the councillors are stating.
    Posted: 13 Dec 2013 21:33
      woodford Chief Commissioner

    I realise the proposal was over 100 years ago...,. but how did they determine the cost for the railway to Woods Point then Omeo????
    It's extremely hilly territory.
    Even as narrow gauge, wouldn't there have to be significant earth works / bridges built?
    I would have guessed it would be extremely expensive and probably a much higher cost than what the councillors are stating.
    tom9876543

    The cost estimate in this case 3000 pound per mile would have been based on previous experience of building railways through such territory. Even in Aus by this time railways had been being built for nearly 40 years and its likely a good portion of the enginnering staff would have had experience in Britain and possibly the USA. The latter being particularly significant as that country had plenty of experience in pushing lightly built railways through very rough country.

    Earth works were avoided like the plague as much as possible because every thing was done by pick, shovel and wheel barrow and always done on a zero external fill basis, ie all fill had come from CLOSE by cuttings. That is why one sees so many long bridges in early railway photos as these were far cheaper to build.

    woodford
    Posted: 14 Dec 2013 05:52
      tom9876543 Train Controller

    The cost estimate of £3000 per mile was over optimistic and simply wrong.

    Apparently the Walhalla line cost £4212 per mile: http://home.vicnet.net.au/~moehs/coachnews/2010V37No3Mar.pdf

    Politicians always screw up and get it wrong Smile
    Posted: 14 Dec 2013 18:52

    Last edited by tom9876543 on 14 Dec 2013 18:53; edited 2 times in total
      Valvegear Oliver Bullied, CME

    Location: Norda Fittazroy
    Politicians always screw up and get it wrong http://www.railpage.com.au/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif
    tom9876543
    Not always; they manage to get their superannuation and numerous other benefits organised well.Shocked
    Posted: 15 Dec 2013 11:19

    Last edited by Valvegear on 15 Dec 2013 11:20; edited 1 time in total
      L1150 Assistant Commissioner

    Location: Pakenham Vic.
    Wow! If the proposal to take it to Omeo had gone ahead, the trains would need to have sleeping cars! At 2' 6" gauge speeds, it would probably take a couple of days to get from Belgrave to Omeo. It could have been marketed as an "Unforgettable Scenic Holiday Experience".LaughingLaughing
    Posted: 15 Dec 2013 21:09
      Valvegear Oliver Bullied, CME

    Location: Norda Fittazroy
    Imagine how many stops there would have been for ER if they used NA's between Gembrook and Omeo.
    Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:53
      RustyRick Chief Commissioner

    Location: South West Vic
    Treat this with a handful of salt as it's old and unverified.

    Back in the early 1980's a bloke  I worked with was complaining that the railways were preventing him getting easy access to his newly purchased property about 5km east of Gembrook. There was an easement (possibly a covenant) on the title  in parallel with the access road for "future railway purposes", and he had to pay for a occupation crossing....

    I have no reason to doubt the story, but when something like this thread reminds me of that, I do a bit more looking but as yet I haven't been able to verify it one way or the other. Sort of my Lasseter's Reef...

    Rick
    Posted: 16 Dec 2013 14:17
      woodford Chief Commissioner

    Imagine how many stops there would have been for ER if they used NA's between Gembrook and Omeo.
    Valvegear

    You need to think in terms of the Antoforgasta, Chile and Bolivia Railway before it was regauged, 750 miles of 2 ft 6 in railway, over 200 miles being up an almost continouse 1 in 33 grade, haulling 1000 ton trains with 80 ton loco's. The international express taking something like 2 days or so to do the trip.

    Now that would have been a railway trip, the express was marketed at the time (latish 19th century)  as a tourist trip.

    woodford
    Posted: 16 Dec 2013 19:33

    Last edited by woodford on 16 Dec 2013 19:36; edited 1 time in total
      Valvegear Oliver Bullied, CME

    Location: Norda Fittazroy
    Now that would have been a railway trip, the express was marketed at the time (latish 19th century)  as a tourist trip.
    "woodford"
    Sensational experience (provided one survived it!)
    Posted: 16 Dec 2013 22:06
      GrahamH Chief Commissioner

    Location: At a terminal on the www.
    If the line had been constructed it would have been damaged beyond repair for much of its length in the Black Friday fires...
    Posted: 17 Dec 2013 23:30

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