Yarra Valley Railway

Yarra Valley Railway
Line details
Completed	1888
Closed	1983
Stations	Healesville to Tarrawarra
Type	Tourist
Rail transport in Victoria
Closed railways

The Yarra Valley Railway is a Heritage railway operating on a section of the former Healesville railway which operated between Lilydale and Healesville in the Yarra Valley area northeast of Melbourne, Australia.

History

The Lilydale-Melbourne railway was extended from Lilydale to Yarra Flats (now known as Yarra Glen) on the 15 May 1888 with intermediate stations at Coldstream and Yering. Part of the structure included a long timber viaduct with 502 openings near Yarra Glen, spanning the Yarra River and the adjacent flood plains. The extension of the line from Yarra Glen to Healesville required a 1 in 40 (2.5%) climb into a 154.4 metre tunnel with a corresponding descent at nearly the same grade. The Healesville Station opened on 1 March 1889 with an intermediate station at Tarrawarra.

Traffic on the line included timber, livestock, milk and dairy products. Early timetables included regular goods services specifically for transporting milk.

The last regular steam passenger service was hauled in August, 1964. From this time until closure of the line in 1980 passenger services were run using Rail Motors. After 9 December 1980 no services operated beyond Coldstream and the line was officially closed to all traffic on 10 March 1983. It was partially reopened as far as Yarra Glen for tourism purposes in 1986 following major bridgework. However, these services ceased by 1990.

Current operations

The railway is currently running a Walker Railmotor RM22 from Healesville to the Tarrawarra Winery, crossing the Watts River, under the Donovan's Road overbridge and through the historic tunnel.

On the 17 July 2010 the official launch of the Walker Railmotor service occurred with the first passenger service to leave Healesville Railway Station in over 30 years. Future goals include reconstruction to Yarra Glen and Lilydale. During major bushfires in February 2009, the line suffered the loss of several large and small trestle bridges, both on the operating and non operating section.

Rollingstock

The railway is in possession of a number of locomotives and carriages, including the following:

Locomotives

Number	Image	Year built	Builder	Status	Notes
J516		1954	Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire	Stored	Victorian Railways J class coal-burning steam locomotive. Was plinthed in a park in Greensborough from 1975 until being acquired by YVTR in 1990. Stored at Healesville for possible future restoration.[1]
J541		1954	Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire	Overhaul	Victorian Railways J class oil-burning steam locomotive. Privately owned by a group including the YVR and some of its members. Stored at a number of locations (including Healesville) until 2003, when it was moved to the Puffing Billy Railway for restoration. After restoration, it was loaned to the Victorian Goldfields Railway, where it entered traffic on 5 September 2007.[2] Left VGR in late 2011 for Newport Workshops for an overhaul for preparation to return to Healesville.
W250		1960	Tulloch Limited, Rhodes, New South Wales[3]	Operational	Victorian Railways W-class diesel-hydraulic locomotive.
Y109		1963	Clyde Engineering, Granville, New South Wales[4]	Stored	Victorian Railways Y-class diesel-electric locomotive. Formerly owned by El Zorro and re-numbered Y145, it was acquired by the YVR in early 2014. Moved from store at Camperdown to Healesville on 13 May 2014. Will be restored to blue and gold livery as Y109 in the future.
T341		1956	Clyde Engineering, Granville, New South Wales[5]	Stored	Victorian Railways T-class diesel-electric locomotive. Acquired by the YVR in the 1980s. Used on the railway till 2004. Transferred to Seymour for restoration to Mainline condition and made available for hire in 2008. Stored at South Dynon out of use 2012. Returned to Healesville on 14 May 2014. Presently awaiting repairs.

Railmotors

• 153hp Walker railmotor (22RM)
• Diesel Electric Railmotor (DERM) (62RM)

Line guide

The Yarra Valley Railway currently runs on a section of track from Healesville to the Tarrawarra Tunnel. The rest of the line between the stop board outside the Tarrawarra Tunnel exit and Yarra Glen is currently being restored.

Healesville railway line
Legend
Line to Lilydale 50 km Yarra Glen future extension of heritage railway Melba Hwy Yarra Glen rec. reserve and showgrounds Steels Creek Simpsons Lane (private access) Pauls Creek Tarrawarra Road former Tarrawarra Road underpass 54.7 km Tarrawarra future extension of heritage railway Tarrawarra Abbey service road (private access) Private access road (Skeleton Bridge) Tunnel Donovans Road Old Donovans Road bridge Watts River Healesville-Kinglake Road 63 km Healesville

Panoramic shot of Healesville Station with the railmotor RM22 sitting in the platform

See also

• Tourist and Heritage Railways Act

References

1. J516 at Australian Steam
2. Victorian Railways preserved steam locomotives at Australian Steam
3. W class diesel at victorianrailways.net
4. Y class diesel at victorianrailways.net
5. T class diesel at victorianrailways.net

External links

• Yarra Valley Tourist Railway
• Gallery of historic photos along the Healesville line

Coordinates: 37°39′35″S 145°29′21″E / 37.6597°S 145.4891°E