Daylesford Spa Country Railway
Encyclopedia
The Daylesford Spa Country Railway (which is operated by the Central Highlands Tourist Railway) is a volunteer-operated 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
.
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.
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.
The 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. As a result services have been truncated until further notice, running on the 1.7 km of line left out of Daylesford. The repairs are expected to cost $250,000.
As of August 2010, services to Musk were reinstated after repairs to the damaged section through the forest.
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Victorian broad gauge
Rail gauge in Australia displays significant variation, which has been an ongoing problem for transportation on the Australian continent, for over a hundred years.-Track gauges and route km:The most used gauges are Main gauges:...
tourist railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
located in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It operates on a section of the formerly disused and dismantled Daylesford
Daylesford, Victoria
Daylesford is a town located in the Shire of Hepburn, Victoria, Australia. It is a former goldmining town about 115 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. At the 2006 census, Daylesford had a population of 3,073...
line. It presently operates between Daylesford and the hamlet of Bullarto
Bullarto, Victoria
Bullarto is a town located in the Shire of Hepburn, Victoria, Australia. At the 2006 census, Bullarto had a population of 358.Bullarto is 7km south east of Daylesford on the Trentham road and is a potato growing district...
.
History
The original line was opened in two stages—from the mainline junction at CarlsruheCarlsruhe, Victoria
Carlsruhe is a small rural town in the Shire of Macedon Ranges between Woodend and Kyneton, alongside the old Calder Highway, although now bypassed bypassed by the Calder Freeway. It is approximately 50 minutes from both Melbourne and Bendigo...
to the town of Trentham
Trentham, Victoria
Trentham is a small town in the Shire of Hepburn and Shire of Moorabool Local government area, Victoria, Australia. At the 2006 census, Trentham had a population of 629.Located at an altitude of , the town is north-west of Melbourne.-History:...
, 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 ForestWombat State Forest
The Wombat State Forest is located west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, between Woodend and Daylesford, at the Great Dividing Range. The forest is approximately in size and sits upon Ordovician or Tertiary sediments...
in the latter half of the 1980s. On 15 September 1990 rail services commenced between Daylesford and the nearby hamlet of Musk
Musk, Victoria
Musk is a locality in central Victoria, Australia. The locality is in the Hepburn Shire local government area, north west of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Musk and the surrounding area had a population of 177....
. 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
- A single Leyland railmotorLeyland railmotorThe Leyland railmotor was introduced by the Victorian Railways in 1925 after the success of the A.E.C. railmotor the Victorian Railways wanted to build a more powerful and comfortable railmotor...
, 53RM is under long term restoration. - DERM RM63Diesel Electric railmotor (VR)The Diesel Electric Rail Motor was a railmotor operated by the Victorian Railways of Australia.-History:...
is preserved and operational. - 26MT, a DERM trailer preserved and operational.
- DRC40, a DRC railcarDRC railcarThe DRC was a class of railmotor operated by the Victorian Railways on the country rail network Victoria, Australia. The cars were built by Tulloch Limited in New South Wales and featured stainless steel construction, air-conditioning, and a diesel hydraulic transmission.-History:The first...
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
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
Trentham, Victoria
Trentham is a small town in the Shire of Hepburn and Shire of Moorabool Local government area, Victoria, Australia. At the 2006 census, Trentham had a population of 629.Located at an altitude of , the town is north-west of Melbourne.-History:...
.
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. As a result services have been truncated until further notice, running on the 1.7 km of line left out of Daylesford. The repairs are expected to cost $250,000.
As of August 2010, services to Musk were reinstated after repairs to the damaged section through the forest.
Line guide
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External links
- http://www.dscr.com.au/ - official site