- Daylesford Spa Country Railway
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Daylesford Spa Country Railway Line details Completed 1880 Closed 1978 Reopened 1990 Stations Daylesford to Bullarto Rail transport in Victoria Closed railways The Daylesford Spa Country Railway (which is operated by the Central Highlands Tourist Railway) is a volunteer-operated 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge tourist railway located in Victoria, Australia. It operates on a section of the formerly disused and dismantled Daylesford line. It presently operates between Daylesford and the hamlet of Bullarto.
Contents
History
The original line was opened in two stages—from the mainline junction at Carlsruhe to the town of Trentham, on 16 February 1880. The remainder of the line was opened a month later on 17 March. The line initially had significant goods and passenger traffic, with 50,000 passengers travelling the line in 1884 alone. However, over the next seventy years, both traffic and the quality of line gradually degraded, until the last passenger service was replaced with a road coach in 1978.
Reopening as a tourist railway
The Central Highlands Tourist Railway was founded two years later, and set about restoring the railway to operating condition. After several years of restoration, trolley services commenced to a temporary terminus located in the Wombat State Forest in the latter half of the 1980s. On 15 September 1990 rail services commenced between Daylesford and the nearby hamlet of Musk. Another section of line was opened on 17 March 1997, allowing services to operate as far as Bullarto. As the station had been demolished, this required building a new platform and installing a portable station building. In 2002, the organisation changed its trading name from the Central Highlands Tourist Railway to the Daylesford Spa Country Railway.
Rollingstock
DRC40 in the yard at Daylesford
- A single Leyland railmotor, 53RM is under long term restoration.
- DERM RM63 is preserved and operational.
- 26MT, a DERM trailer preserved and operational.
- DRC40, a DRC railcar which is preserved and operational.
- 102hp Walker railmotor 7RM, under long term restoration.
- 153hp Walker railmotor 32RM, under restoration.
- 280hp Walker railmotor 91RM, preserved and operational.
- 280hp Walker railmotor 82RM, which is stored, spare parts for 91RM.
- Walker Trailer 56MT
- Y159, a Y Class Diesel locomotive.
- RM74 passenger mail motor number 74, currently under restoration.
Current operations and extension plans
Sunday market adjacent to Daylesford stationThe railway operates most Sundays, with five services on its regular time table—three that travel directly to Bullarto and bypass Musk, one that only goes as far as Musk, and one that travels express to Bullarto and then stops at Musk on the return journey. On the first Saturday evening of each month, the railway also operates the Silver Streak Champagne Train. The railway also operates a weekly Sunday market on land adjacent to the Daylesford station, which both provides revenue and assists to promote its services.
The DSCR is interested in reopening the Bullarto-Trentham section of line. Numerous obstacles must be faced before this can begin, mainly the cost. Included in this project would be the upgrade of the Daylesford Bullarto section. Significant outside funds would be needed to achieve this. While the reservation is still intact, many sections are now privately-leased from the crown, as are both stations on this stretch—Lyonville and Trentham.
On the evening of 23 February 2009, bushfires in the Daylesford region destroyed 1.6 kilometres of track running through the Wombat State Forest, with about 2000 sleepers being destroyed, rails being buckled, and the last two broad-gauge cattle pit logs on a running railway in Victoria destroyed.[1] As a result services have been truncated until further notice, running on the 1.7 km of line left out of Daylesford.[2] The repairs are expected to cost $250,000.[3]
As of August 2010, services to Musk were reinstated after repairs to the damaged section through the forest.
Line guide
Daylesford Spa Country Railway Legend
Melbourne to Bendigo main line 
Carlsruhe 
Bendigo to Melbourne main line 
Tylden Fern Hill Trentham (Planned Extension) Lyonville (Planned Extension) 
Bullarto 
Musk 
Daylesford to Ballarat line 
Daylesford See also
- Tourist and Heritage Railways Act
References
- Osborne, M., (1993?), Timber, Spuds and Spa, A descriptive history and lineside guide of the railways in the Daylesford district 1880-1993, Australian Railway Historical Society: Victoria Division, ISBN 0-85849-044-7
- ^ "Daylesford Spa Country Railway in jeopardy". Hepburn Advocate. www.hepburnadvocate.com.au. http://www.hepburnadvocate.com.au/news/local/news/general/daylesford-spa-country-railway-in-jeopardy/1480668.aspx. Retrieved 2009-09-01.
- ^ "Daylesford Spa Country Railway Timetable". www.dscr.com.au. http://www.dscr.com.au/timetable.php. Retrieved 2009-09-01.
- ^ "Daylesford Spa Country Railway seeks $1.7m for repairs". Hepburn Advocate. www.hepburnadvocate.com.au. http://www.hepburnadvocate.com.au/news/local/news/general/daylesford-spa-country-railway-seeks-17m-for-repairs/1542194.aspx. Retrieved 2009-09-01.
External links
- http://www.dscr.com.au/ - official site
Railway Lines in Victoria Main lines
Bendigo Line · Mildura line · North East Line · (Melbourne-Sydney) · Orbost Line · Port Fairy Line · Portland line · Serviceton Line · South Gippsland Line · Tocumwal line · Western SG line (Melbourne-Adelaide)Branch linesAlexandra line · Alvie line · Balranald line · Bolangum line · Briagolong line · Bright line · Buninyong line · Carpolac line · Casterton line · Cobram line · Cohuna line · Coleraine line · Cudgewa line · Daylesford line · Deniliquin line · Forrest line · Grampians line · Heathcote line · Kulwin line · Lancefield line · Maffra line · Mansfield line · Mortlake line · Mirboo North line · Navarre line · Noojee line · Oaklands line · Outtrim line · Patchewollock line · Peechelba East line · Picola line · Portland line · Redesdale line · Red Hill line · Robinvale line · Skipton line · Strzelecki line · Stony Crossing line · Tatong line · Thorpdale line · Timboon line · Wahgunyah line · Waubra line · Wedderburn line · Wonthaggi line · Woodside line · Yackandandah line · Yanac line · Yaapeet line ·
Cross Country linesAvoca line · Geelong-Ballarat line · Eaglehawk–Inglewood line · Moolort Line · Toolamba–Echuca line
V/Line servicesGeelong Line · Warrnambool Line · Ballarat Line · Maryborough Line · Ararat Line · Bendigo Line · Swan Hill Line · Echuca Line · Seymour Line · Shepparton Line · Albury-Wodonga Line · Traralgon Line · Bairnsdale Line
Melbourne suburban servicesCity Loop · Werribee line · Williamstown line · Sydenham line · Craigieburn line · Flemington Racecourse line · Upfield line · Epping line · Hurstbridge line · Lilydale line · Belgrave line · Alamein line · Glen Waverley line · Pakenham line · Cranbourne line · Frankston line · Stony Point line (unelectrified) · Sandringham line
Inner Circle line · Outer Circle line · Rosstown Railway · St Kilda - Windsor line · Spring Vale Cemetery line · Mont Park line · Kew line · Red Hill line · Whittlesea line · Warburton line · Mornington line · Healesville line · St Kilda line · Port Melbourne line Tourist railwaysBellarine Peninsula Railway · Daylesford Spa Country Railway · Mornington Railway · Puffing Billy Railway · South Gippsland Railway · Victorian Goldfields Railway · Walhalla Goldfields Railway · Yarra Valley Tourist Railway
Narrow gauge branch linesWhitfield line · Gembrook line · Crowes line · Walhalla line
Melbourne goods linesNewport-Sunshine line · Albion-Jacana line · South Kensington-West Footscray line
Coordinates: 37°20′30″S 144°09′15″E / 37.341588°S 144.1541°E
Categories:- Tourist railways in Victoria (Australia)
- Heritage railways in Australia
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