Deniliquin railway line

Deniliquin railway line, Victoria
Line details
Length 251.99 kilometres
Stations 3
Tracks 1
Used by V/Line
Pacific National
Service pattern 2/3 passenger trains a day
Connections Junction to Moulamein at Barnes
Rail transport in Victoria

The Deniliquin railway line (also known as the Echuca railway line) is a country railway in Victoria, Australia. V/Line operates passenger services along the line as far as Echuca.

History

The Melbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company was formed in 1853 to build a railway to Echuca via Bendigo. Work began in 1854, but the company hit financial troubles and sold out to the state government.[1] The railway finally reached Echuca in 1864 and transformed the town into a major river port, with a famous wharf and substantial urban growth in the 1870s.[2] In 1876 the Deniliquin and Moama Railway Company opened their 71 km (44 mi) long private railway northwards to Deniliquin.[3] This section was taken over by the Victorian Railways in 1923,[4] as part of the 1922 Border Railways Act.

Passenger rail services from Echuca to Balranald were withdrawn on 7 November 1975, with the last train a 153hp Walker railmotor. The Echuca to Kyabram service was withdrawn on 18 December 1975. The last train was also 153 hp Walker railmotor, the service being provided for school children and paid for by the Education Department.[5] The Bendigo – Echuca – Deniliquin passenger service was withdrawn on 11 January 1979, with the last train being operated by a DERM.[5] Toolamba – Echuca passenger services were withdrawn on 2 March 1981,[5] leaving the town without any rail services.

A twice-weekly passenger service from Bendigo was reinstated in 1996. The passenger service was replaced with buses on 19 December 2004, pending an upgrade due to poor track condition, reopening in late 2006.

Line guide

Passenger services on the line are operated by V/Line as extensions of services to Bendigo from Southern Cross station in Melbourne. Bold stations are termini, where some train services terminate; italic stations are always serviced; and stations with an asterisk (*) are staffed part-time.[6]

Deniliquin railway line
Legend
 0.00 km Southern Cross (SSS)
 Sunbury Line
 39.5 km Sunbury (SBY)
 Bendigo Line
 164.24 km Bendigo (BDG)
 Heathcote line
 Swan Hill line
 169.74 km Epsom
 175.67 km Huntly (Closed)
 182.03 km Bagshot (Closed)
 187.57 km Wellsford (Closed)
 191.74 km Goornong (Closed)
 209.68 km Elmore (EME)
 Cohuna line
 225.45 km Rochester (ROR)
 237.25 km Strathallan (Closed)
 Toolamba-Echuca line
 251.99 km Echuca (ECH)*
 Murray River and Vic/NSW border
 Deniliquin & Balranald lines

References

  1. ↑ Museum Victoria. "Victorian Railways: Mount Alexander & Murray River Railway". museumvictoria.com.au. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
  2. ↑ "Echuca-Moama Road Rail Bridge over Murray River". www.rta.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
  3. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics. "Private Railways". Year Book Australia, 1921. www.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 2008-07-20.
  4. ↑ "Infrastructure - Line Data Deniliquin line". Vicsig. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
  5. 1 2 3 Chris Banger (March 1997). "Rail Passenger Service Withdrawals Since 1960". Newsrail (Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division)). pp. 77–82.
  6. ↑ Echuca/Moama - Melbourne timetable Public Transport Victoria

External links

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