Tyers Valley Tramway
Encyclopedia
The Tyers Valley Tramway was a narrow gauge timber
tramway built by the Forestry Commission of Victoria to exploit timber resources on the slopes of Mount Baw Baw
, Victoria
. The tramway met with the Victorian Railways narrow gauge line
from Moe to Walhalla at Collins Siding, and was built to the same gauge
.
Sawmill
s in the forests of Victoria were usually connected to a railway by a privately owned tramway. Many of these tramways were constructed to very basic standards, as basic as using timber rails and horses for motive power. The tramways serving the Tyers Valley were largely destroyed by bushfires in 1926. Rather than rebuild the private tramways, the Forestry Commission, a government body, decided to construct a higher quality tramway to serve all the private sawmills in the district.
The tramway used secondhand 40 lb rails from Tasmania. It had a maximum grade of 1 in 30 (3.33%), and the curves a minimum radius
of 80 ft (24.38 m). No ballast
was used, however greater use was made of sleepers
than was normal.
A geared locomotive was constructed by the Port Melbourne firm of Alfred Harmon in 1927. Unfortunately this locomotive, which had been purchased under requirements to support local industry, was too heavy and only ran once before being parked. Permission was given to import a Climax locomotive
from the United States. This loco, a 25 ton class B, was the last Climax ever manufactured, and the only one built for gauge.
The tramway route extended 6.1 miles (9.8 km) from Collins Siding to Tyers Junction, where the line divided to follow the two branches of the Tyers River. Normal operation was for timber to be moved from sawmills to Tyers Junction behind TALC rail tractors. At Tyers Junction the timber was consolidated into trains which were then hauled by the Climax upgrade to Collins Siding.
The tramway closed in 1949, and the Climax moved to the Government sawmill at Erica
. The Climax was subsequently preserved on the Puffing Billy Railway, along with one of the TALC tractors.
Most of the tramway route has been opened as a rail trail
.
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
tramway built by the Forestry Commission of Victoria to exploit timber resources on the slopes of Mount Baw Baw
Mount Baw Baw
Mount Baw Baw is a mountain in Victoria, Australia. Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort is an Unincorporated area of Victoria surrounded by the Shire of Baw Baw.-Location:...
, 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....
. The tramway met with the Victorian Railways narrow gauge line
Narrow gauge lines of the Victorian Railways
The former Victorian Railways, the state railway authority in Victoria, Australia built a number of experimental narrow gauge railway lines around the beginning of the 20th century. Although all were closed by the early 1960s, parts of two have been reopened as heritage railways.- Background :A...
from Moe to Walhalla at Collins Siding, and was built to the same gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
.
Sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s in the forests of Victoria were usually connected to a railway by a privately owned tramway. Many of these tramways were constructed to very basic standards, as basic as using timber rails and horses for motive power. The tramways serving the Tyers Valley were largely destroyed by bushfires in 1926. Rather than rebuild the private tramways, the Forestry Commission, a government body, decided to construct a higher quality tramway to serve all the private sawmills in the district.
The tramway used secondhand 40 lb rails from Tasmania. It had a maximum grade of 1 in 30 (3.33%), and the curves a minimum radius
Minimum railway curve radius
The minimum railway curve radius, the shortest design radius, has an important bearing on constructions costs and operating costs and, in combination with superelevation in the case of train tracks, determines the maximum safe speed of a curve. Superelevation is not a factor on tramway tracks...
of 80 ft (24.38 m). No ballast
Track ballast
Track ballast forms the trackbed upon which railway sleepers or railroad ties are laid. It is packed between, below, and around the ties. It is used to facilitate drainage of water, to distribute the load from the railroad ties, and also to keep down vegetation that might interfere with the track...
was used, however greater use was made of sleepers
Railroad tie
A railroad tie/railway tie , or railway sleeper is a rectangular item used to support the rails in railroad tracks...
than was normal.
A geared locomotive was constructed by the Port Melbourne firm of Alfred Harmon in 1927. Unfortunately this locomotive, which had been purchased under requirements to support local industry, was too heavy and only ran once before being parked. Permission was given to import a Climax locomotive
Climax locomotive
A Climax locomotive is a type of geared steam locomotive in which the two steam cylinders were attached to a transmission located under the center of the boiler. This transmits power to driveshafts running to the front and rear trucks....
from the United States. This loco, a 25 ton class B, was the last Climax ever manufactured, and the only one built for gauge.
The tramway route extended 6.1 miles (9.8 km) from Collins Siding to Tyers Junction, where the line divided to follow the two branches of the Tyers River. Normal operation was for timber to be moved from sawmills to Tyers Junction behind TALC rail tractors. At Tyers Junction the timber was consolidated into trains which were then hauled by the Climax upgrade to Collins Siding.
The tramway closed in 1949, and the Climax moved to the Government sawmill at Erica
Erica railway station, Victoria
Erica was a railway station on the Walhalla narrow gauge line in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. The station was officially opened in 1910, became the terminus of the line on 4 October 1952 with the closure of the section of track to Platina, then closed finally on 25 June 1954.From 1941 onwards,...
. The Climax was subsequently preserved on the Puffing Billy Railway, along with one of the TALC tractors.
Most of the tramway route has been opened as a rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
.
Other reading
- The Tyers Valley Tramway, Wadeson, N.E. Australian Railway Historical Society BulletinAustralian Railway HistoryAustralian Railway History , is the premier magazine covering railway history in Australia...
, January, 1959 pp1–7