Today I am featuring photographs taken on the Alamein line, east of Melbourne. The railway is part of the large metropolitan rail network, although some of us might refer to it as a branch line. Strictly speaking it is, as the line swings off the Lilydale/Belgrave line at Camberwell. Over the years, there were proposals by uncaring Governments to close the line or to convert it to light rail. Fortunately, the line has survived and patronage is probably quite reasonable these days for its 6 kilometres and six stations. Trains shuttle between Camberwell and Alamein during off peak times whilst at peak times, trains run to and from the city, providing a useful function on the main line by serving stations between Camberwell and Richmond and permitting long distance trains to run express through that section. My wife Helen and I were married in 1971 and for a while we rented half a house near Hartwell station for the princely sum of $14.00 a week! Hartwell station still has the distinction of having the former narrow gauge station building on its island platform from Walhalla in eastern Victoria. At the time, shuttle trips were run using two car Swing Door or Tait trains. A few trips had two of the 2 car sets coupled and some of my photos show what I think was a fairly unusual occurrence of the two sets coupled with the pantographs next to each other rather than separated by one or more carriages. Two photos taken at Riversdale show one of the four tramway crossings over railway lines in Melbourne. One of those shots features a W2 class tram passing over the railway. Another picture shows a two car train at Hartwell. The station assistant is handing a parcel to the guard whilst the driver has his door open waiting for the guard to wave his green flag to depart. The driver then had to return to his compartment on the other side to drive away. I was very lucky to partake in the pleasures of riding the Alamein line at a time when operations were far more interesting and varied than they now. Then again, conditions for travellers are far superior today than they were. Bob Wilson
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 01:19:22 +0000
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