Warrnambool railway line

Warrnambool railway line
Warrnambool railway line
	The twin broad gauge and single standard gauge tracks near Lara, 2006
Overview
Other name(s)	Port Fairy railway line; Dennington railway line; South West railway line;
Status	Operational with passenger services from Flinders Street to Warrnambool; Dismantled beyond Warrnambool – Port Fairy to Warrnambool Rail Trail;
Owner	Geelong and Melbourne Railway (G&MR) (1857–1860); Victorian Railways (VR) (1860–1974); VR as VicRail (1974–1983); MTA (The Met) (1983–1989); STA (V/Line) (1983–1989); PTC (The Met) (1989–1997); PTC (V/Line) (1989–1995); West Coast Railway (1993–2004); PTC (V/Line Passenger) (1995–1997); VicTrack (1997–Current);
Locale	Victoria, Australia
Termini	Southern Cross; Port Fairy;
Connecting lines	All metropolitan, regional, and interstate; Deer Park–West Werribee; Geelong–Ballarat; Newport–Sunshine;
Former connections	Alvie; Colac–Ballarat; Crowes; Forrest; Gheringhap–Maroona; Hamilton–Koroit; Queenscliff; Maribyrnong; Mortlake; Timboon; Wensleydale;
Stations	29 current stations; 41 former stations; 8 sidings; 15 former sidings;
Service
Type	Former Victorian regional service
Services	Geelong Warrnambool Werribee Williamstown
Operator(s)	Geelong and Melbourne Railway (G&MR) (1857–1860); Victorian Railways (VR) (1860–1974); VR as VicRail (1974–1983); MTA (The Met) (1983–1989); STA (V/Line) (1983–1989); PTC (The Met) (1989–1998); PTC (V/Line) (1989–1995); West Coast Railway (1993–2004); PTC (V/Line Passenger) (1995–1998); Bayside Trains (1998–2000); V/Line Passenger (1998–2010); M>Train (2000–2004); Connex Melbourne (2004–2009); V/Line (2010–Current);
History
Commenced	25 June 1857
Opened	Greenwich to Geelong on 25 June 1857; Southern Cross to Newport on 17 January 1859; Geelong to Winchelsea on 25 November 1876; Winchelsea to Birregurra on 13 March 1877; Birregurra to Colac on 27 July 1877; Colac to Camperdown on 2 July 1883; Camperdown to Terang on 23 April 1887; Terang to Port Fairy on 4 February 1890;
Completed	4 February 1890
Electrified	Flinders Street to North Melbourne on 28 May 1919; North Melbourne to Altona junction on 2 August 1920; Altona junction to Werribee on 27 November 1983;
Closed	Newport to Greenwich on 18 July 1857; Dennington to Port Fairy on 12 September 1977;
Technical
Line length	298.486 km (185.471 mi)
Number of tracks	Six tracks – Flinders Street to Footscray; Double track: Footscray to Geelong; Single track: Geelong to Warrnambool;
Track gauge	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Electrification	1500 V DC overhead Southern Cross to Werribee
Operating speed	160 km/h (99 mph)
Signalling	Automatic block signaling: Southern Cross to Altona Junction; Automatic and Track Control: Altona Junction to North Geelong; Automatic block signaling: North Geelong to Geelong; Track Block: Geelong to Waurn Ponds; Automatic and Track Control: Waurn Ponds to Warrnambool;
Route map
Route map
	Legend
	Multiple lines
	via Richmond or Jolimont
	Albury, North East & Western lines
	to Albury, Sydney & Adelaide
	Upfield line
	to Upfield
	Craigieburn, Seymour & Shepparton lines
	via Essendon
	Flemington Racecourse line
	to Flemington Racecourse
	South Kensington–West Footscray line
	to West Footscray
Metro section (Werribee Line)
	Melbourne Metro Tunnel
	to Caulfield
	Maribyrnong line
	to Maribyrnong River Terminal
	South Kensington–West Footscray, North East SG & Western SG lines
	to Albury, Sydney & Adelaide or Southern Cross
	Multiple lines
	via Sunshine
	Newport–Sunshine & Western SG lines
	to Sunshine & Southern Cross
	Williamstown lines
	to Williamstown
	Altona line
	to Laverton
	Maidstone Street
	(Removing by 2030)
	Altona line
	to Newport
	Deer Park–West Werribee line
	to Deer Park
Geelong section
Manor (demolished)
	Western SG line to Adelaide &
	Geelong–Ballarat line to Ballarat
	Geelong–Ballarat line to Ballarat &
	Fyansford line to APC Fyansford (dismantled)
	Queenscliff line
	to Queenscliff
Warrnambool section
Pettavel (demolished)

The Warrnambool railway line is a railway serving the south west of Victoria, Australia. Running from the western Melbourne suburb of Newport through the cities of Geelong and Warrnambool, the line once terminated at the coastal town of Port Fairy before being truncated to Dennington (just west of Warrnambool). This closed section of line has been converted into the 37 km long Port Fairy to Warrnambool Rail Trail. The line continues to see both passenger and freight services today.

Services

V/Line VLocity train near Little River, 2006

Metro Trains Melbourne operates suburban passenger services along the inner section of the line as far as Werribee, while V/Line operates the Geelong and the Warrnambool services. For 11 years, from 19 September 1993 until 31 August 2004, the Melbourne to Warrnambool passenger service was run by the private West Coast Railway company.^[1]^[2] Freight services also run on the line, operated by Pacific National and, for a brief period, El Zorro to the WestVic container terminal, between Warrnambool and Dennington.

History

N class locomotive hauled train running near Lara, 2006

V/Line train crossing the Breakwater Bridge, 2006

The Warrnambool line was originally built by the private Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company and opened on 25 June 1857, the line being sold to the Victorian Railways in 1860.^[3] The line was designed by English engineer Edward Snell, and built as a single track. The standard of engineering was called into question as the light timber bridges required extra maintenance and had a short life span, while the decision to build only a single track resulted in slow and infrequent trains. Travelers between Melbourne and Geelong continued to prefer the bay steamers across Port Phillip Bay, leading to diminished profits for the company.^[4] At a railway commission enquiry, Snell defended his approach as necessary to complete the work in time, with the expectation that the engineering works would be upgraded as traffic and revenue increased.^[5] The railway had the misfortune of a fatal accident on its first run. The company's superintendent – and a friend of Snell's – was struck when leaning out of the train's engine as it approached a bridge. An inquiry cleared the company of any negligence.

Colac station goods shed and platform, 2006

The line was progressively duplicated from the 1950s to the 1980s.^[6]

The line was later extended south-west, to Winchelsea in 1876, Colac in 1877, Camperdown in 1883, Terang in 1877 and Warrnambool, Dennington and Port Fairy in 1890. This line is now closed beyond Warrnambool,^[7] with the last train leaving Port Fairy on 10 September 1977, hauled by B75, with the line officially closing on 12 September 1977.^[8] A branch line was built from Koroit (between Warrnambool and Port Fairy) to Hamilton (on the Ararat – Portland railway), via Penshurst, in 1890. At the same time a short-lived connection was opened between Penshurst and Dunkeld (also on the Ararat – Portland railway). It closed eight years later.

Branch lines were also constructed from South Geelong to Queenscliff in 1879, from Moriac (between Geelong and Winchelsea) to Wensleydale and Terang to Mortlake in 1890, from Birregurra (between Winchelsea and Colac) to Forrest in 1891, from Camperdown to Timboon in 1892, from Irrewarra (east of Colac) to Cressy in 1910, and from Colac to Alvie in 1923.

A 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge branch was also opened from Colac to Beech Forest in 1902, principally to carry timber, and was extended to Weeaproniah and Crowes in 1911.

The branch lines began to be closed from the late 1940s, the Wensleydale line being the first in 1948, followed by the Forrest line in 1957, the Irrewarra line in 1953, the Alvie line in 1954, the Beech Forest line in 1962 (the section from Weeaproniah to Crowes having been closed in 1954), and the Timboon line in 1988.

In 1993 West Coast Railway won the government tender to operate passenger services to Warrnambool using former Victorian Railways locomotives and rolling stock, including a regular steam hauled service. West Coast Railway ceased operations in 2004 handing the services back to government control by V/Line.

New Marshall and Waurn Ponds stations opened along the line in April 2005 and October 2014 respectively.

In July 2012, the Minister for Public Transport announced that a new crossing loop would be constructed on the line at Warncoort, between Birregurra and Colac. Tenders were called for in August.^[9]^{[better source needed]} The loop opened in April 2014.^[10]

In 2017, the Victorian State Government announced upgrades to allow VLocity railcars to travel to Warrnambool. The Warrnambool line upgrades, as part of Regional Rail Revival, include new signalling, level crossing upgrades and a second track between Boorcan and Weerite, either side of Camperdown.^[11]^[12] Other upgrades of the line (Geelong line upgrade) as part of the Regional Rail Revival include the duplication of track between South Geelong and Waurn Ponds and an upgrade of Waurn Ponds station.^[13]

19th century

The Port Fairy line was originally built by the Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company and opened on 25 June 1857, with the line being sold to the Victorian Railways in 1860.^[3] The line was designed by English engineer Edward Snell, and built as a single track. The line was later extended south-west, to Winchelsea in 1876, Colac in 1877, Camperdown in 1883, Terang in 1877, and finally Warrnambool, Dennington, and Port Fairy in 1890. The line is now closed beyond Warrnambool, with the last train leaving Port Fairy in September 1977.^[7]^[8]

Branch lines were constructed from South Geelong to Queenscliff in 1879, from Moriac (between Geelong and Winchelsea) to Wensleydale and Terang to Mortlake in 1890, from Birregurra (between Winchelsea and Colac) to Forrest in 1891, from Camperdown to Timboon in 1892, from Irrewarra (east of Colac) to Cressy and Ballarat in 1910, and from Colac to Alvie in 1923.^[7]

20th century

Crowes station, terminus of the Crowes railway line, was opened in 1912 and closed in 1954.

Goods shed at the original terminus at Port Fairy, 2015

Throughout the mid 20th century, numerous branch lines were closed. The Wensleydale line was the first to close in 1948, followed by the Forrest line in 1957, the Colac–Ballarat line in 1953, the Alvie line in 1954, the Forrest line in 1962 (the section from Weeaproniah to Crowes having been closed earlier in 1954), and the Timboon line in 1988, amongst a few others.^[14]^[15]^[16]^[17] These branch lines were closed due to limited passenger and freight demand with passenger rail services being replaced by coach services.

Whilst the track beyond Waurn Ponds station is mostly single with some passing loops, many duplication projects have occurred along the Geelong section of the line. The section from North Geelong to Geelong was duplicated late April 1922.^[18] 37 years later in 1959, the section of track from Corio to North Geelong was duplicated. In 1979 the track from Werribee to Little River was duplicated and the sections from Little River to Lara and Lara to Corio in 1981.^[19] The Regional Rail Revival project duplicated the track between South Geelong and Waurn Ponds in August 2024.^[20]^[21]

In September 1977, the line beyond Warrnambool was closed. The final service to Port Fairy was hauled by a Victorian Railways B75 locomotive on 12 September.^[7]^[8]

Stations

Station Histories
Station	Opened^[22]^[23]	Closed^[22]^[23]	Age	Notes^[22]^[23]
Southern Cross	17 January 1859		165 years	Formerly Batman's Hill Formerly Spencer Street
Footscray	24 September 1900		124 years
Sunshine	7 September 1885		139 years	Formerly Braybrook Junction
Deer Park	2 April 1884		140 years	Formerly Kororoit Creek
Tarneit	15 June 2015		9 years
Wyndham Vale	15 June 2015		9 years
Wyndham Vale South Sidings	?			Future Black Forest Road station site
Manor	2 February 1911	1 November 1970	59 years
Mambourin	November 1888	1893	5 years	Formerly Pearce's Bros Siding
Little River	1 January 1857		167 years	Formerly Little River Formerly Bulban
Lara	1 November 1856		168 years	Formerly Duck Ponds
Elders IXL Siding	12 March 1986	2010	24 years
Geelong Grammar Siding	24 May 1955		112 years
Corio	15 September 1890		134 years	Formerly Cowies Creek Formerly Cowie
Distillers Siding	14 February 1928	c. 21 February 1987	Approx. 59 years
North Shore	15 April 1895		129 years	Formerly North Shore Formerly Corio
Harbour Trust Sidings	8 March 1909		115 years
North Geelong Yard	28 January 1885		139 years
North Geelong	1 August 1883		141 years	Formerly West Geelong
Geelong Locomotive Depot	20 May 1917		107 years
Cunningham Pier	?	?		Formerly Railway Pier
Geelong	1 November 1856		168 years
South Geelong	1 November 1883		141 years
Geelong Racecourse (2nd)	1 January 1911	19 October 2005	94 years	Formerly Geelong Showgrounds
Breakwater	28 December 1889	6 March 1895	5 years
Breakwater	25 June 1895	12 August 1898	3 years
Marshall	14 July 1879	17 February 1964	84 years	Formerly Connewarra
Marshall	26 April 2005		19 years
Geelong Racecourse (1st)	26 January 1877	c. January 1878	Approx. 11 months	On main line
Geelong Racecourse (1st)	22 January 1878	13 January 1906	27 years	On branch
Grovedale	c. 25 November 1876	1954	Approx. 77 years	Formerly Germantown
Duneed	c. 25 November 1876	26 July 1921	Approx. 44 years
Waurn Ponds	12 October 2014		10 years
Waurn Ponds Cement Siding	22 March 1963	31 May 2021	58 years
Waurn Ponds Stabling Sidings	27 February 2023		20 months
Pettavel	?	22 August 1952	?	Formerly Pettavel Road
Moriac	1 October 1877	5 October 1982	105 years	Formerly Mount Moriac
Buckley	?	17 October 1955	?	Formerly Buckley's Road
Winchelsea	25 November 1876		147 years
Armytage	24 August 1911	12 November 1956	45 years
Birregurra	13 March 1877		147 years
Warncoort	13 March 1877	22 August 1958	81 years
Irrewarra	1 October 1877	22 August 1958	80 years
CRB Siding	1927	?	?
Shell Oil Company	?	December 1975	?
Colac	27 July 1877		147 years
Larpent	?	?	?
Pirron Yallock	?	5 October 1982	?
Stoneyford	?	17 October 1955	?
Pomborneit	?	14 August 1978	?
Weerite	?	22 July 1975	?
Camperdown	2 July 1883		141 years
Boorcan	23 April 1887	5 October 1982	95 years
Terang	23 April 1887		137 years
Garvoc	?	30 January 1966	?
Panmure	4 February 1890	5 October 1982	92 years
Cudgee	?	26 September 1960	?
Allansford	?	5 October 1982	?
Sherwood Park	19 February 2006		18 years
Warrnambool Caltex Oil Sidings	27 November 1946	1966	19 years
Warrnambool Pier	c. 1890	?	?
Warrnambool	4 February 1890		134 years
Briquette Siding	?	?	?
Westvic Siding	?		?
Dennington	c. pre 1897	1 September 1958	Approx. 60 years	Passengers Siding for British Imperial Oil Coy (later Shell) Siding for Anglo Swiss Condensed Milk Coy (later Nestle)
Dennington	1 September 1958	2002	44 years	Siding for British Imperial Oil Coy (later Shell) Siding for Anglo Swiss Condensed Milk Coy (later Nestle)
Illowa	August 1890	12 September 1977	87 years	Formerly Farnham
Koroit	4 February 1890	12 September 1977	87 years
Crossley	4 February 1890	1 August 1955	65 years	Formerly West Koroit
Kirkstall	4 February 1890	1 September 1957	67 years	Formerly Crossley
Moyne	4 February 1890	1 September 1957	67 years	Formerly Korongah Formerly Moyne Siding
Rosebrook	4 February 1890	1 August 1955	65 years
Port Fairy	4 February 1890	12 September 1977	87 years
Port Fairy Wharf	?	?	?

References

^ Hopkins, Phillip (19 July 2004). "End of the line for West Coast Rail". The Age. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
^ Attenborough, Peter (February 2004). "West Coast Railway". Australian Model Railway Magazine. 21 (244): 32–34. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Rail Geelong – Geelong Line History". railgeelong.com. Archived from the original on 7 October 2007. Retrieved 28 March 2008.
^ "Edward Snell". State Library of Victoria - Ergo. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2024 – via Trove.
^ Ferres, John (11 August 1857). Report of the Select Committee of the Legislative Assembly upon railways: together with the proceedings of the committee, minutes of evidence, and appendices (PDF) (Report). Melbourne. D-No. 37, a. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
^ "Rail Geelong – Geelong Line Events". railgeelong.com. Retrieved 28 March 2008.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "The Geelong Story" (PDF). History Victoria. Archived from the original on 20 June 2006. Retrieved 28 January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ ^a ^b ^c "Closed Line – Dennington to Port Fairy". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. June 1998. p. 185.
^ "Tender for Warncoort Crossing Loop". Tenders Point. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ "Locations – Warncoort Loop". Rail Geelong. 17 April 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
^ Johnson, Sian (21 July 2017). "The Warrnambool train line's $114 million upgrade will take 12 to 18 months, premier Daniel Andrews says". The Warrnambool Standard. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
^ "Regional Rail Revival". Premier of Victoria. 30 April 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
^ "Geelong Line Upgrade". Victoria's Big Build – Regional Rail Revivial. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
^ "Camperdown to Curdie's River Railway". Leader. No. 1727. Victoria, Australia. 16 February 1889. p. 31. Retrieved 27 March 2023 – via Trove.
^ Harrigan, Leo J. (1962). Victorian Railways to '62. Victorian Railways Public Relations and Betterment Board. p. 284. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
^ "Birregurra – Forrest 'Tiger' Rail Trail". Railtrails Australia. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
^ "Camperdown – Timboon (Crater to Coast) Rail Trail - Trail Description". Rail Trails. Archived from the original on 19 November 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
^ "Geelong Line Duplication". Geelong Advertiser. 14 December 1928. p. 6. ISSN 2201-9944. Retrieved 22 May 2023 – via Trove.
^ "25 Mar 1980 – CONTRACTS ARRANGED – Trove". Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
^ "Winter blitz complete, level crossings gone, new stations open". Victoria's Big Build. 26 August 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
^ "South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication". Victoria's Big Build. 16 January 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c "VICSIG". vicsig.net. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Rail Geelong – Welcome". Rail Geelong. Retrieved 16 May 2023.

External links

Rail Geelong: Line History

[1] Hopkins, Phillip (19 July 2004). "End of the line for West Coast Rail". The Age. Retrieved 23 October 2012.

[2] Attenborough, Peter (February 2004). "West Coast Railway". Australian Model Railway Magazine. 21 (244): 32–34. Retrieved 28 January 2024.

[:0-3] "Rail Geelong – Geelong Line History". railgeelong.com. Archived from the original on 7 October 2007. Retrieved 28 March 2008.

[4] "Edward Snell". State Library of Victoria - Ergo. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2024 – via Trove.

[5] Ferres, John (11 August 1857). Report of the Select Committee of the Legislative Assembly upon railways: together with the proceedings of the committee, minutes of evidence, and appendices (PDF) (Report). Melbourne. D-No. 37, a. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2024.

[6] "Rail Geelong – Geelong Line Events". railgeelong.com. Retrieved 28 March 2008.

[:1-7] "The Geelong Story" (PDF). History Victoria. Archived from the original on 20 June 2006. Retrieved 28 January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

[:2-8] "Closed Line – Dennington to Port Fairy". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. June 1998. p. 185.

[9] "Tender for Warncoort Crossing Loop". Tenders Point. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

[Rail_Geelong_2014-10] "Locations – Warncoort Loop". Rail Geelong. 17 April 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2019.

[11] Johnson, Sian (21 July 2017). "The Warrnambool train line's $114 million upgrade will take 12 to 18 months, premier Daniel Andrews says". The Warrnambool Standard. Retrieved 22 July 2017.

[12] "Regional Rail Revival". Premier of Victoria. 30 April 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.

[13] "Geelong Line Upgrade". Victoria's Big Build – Regional Rail Revivial. Retrieved 3 February 2022.

[14] "Camperdown to Curdie's River Railway". Leader. No. 1727. Victoria, Australia. 16 February 1889. p. 31. Retrieved 27 March 2023 – via Trove.

[15] Harrigan, Leo J. (1962). Victorian Railways to '62. Victorian Railways Public Relations and Betterment Board. p. 284. Retrieved 28 January 2024.

[trail-16] "Birregurra – Forrest 'Tiger' Rail Trail". Railtrails Australia. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.

[17] "Camperdown – Timboon (Crater to Coast) Rail Trail - Trail Description". Rail Trails. Archived from the original on 19 November 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2023.

[18] "Geelong Line Duplication". Geelong Advertiser. 14 December 1928. p. 6. ISSN 2201-9944. Retrieved 22 May 2023 – via Trove.

[19] "25 Mar 1980 – CONTRACTS ARRANGED – Trove". Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.

[20] "Winter blitz complete, level crossings gone, new stations open". Victoria's Big Build. 26 August 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.

[21] "South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication". Victoria's Big Build. 16 January 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.

[Vicsig-22] "VICSIG". vicsig.net. Retrieved 16 May 2023.

[RailGeelong-23] "Rail Geelong – Welcome". Rail Geelong. Retrieved 16 May 2023.

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