Shelbourne railway line

Shelbourne
Overview
Type Branch
Status Closed
Former connections Maldon line
Stations 2
Operation
Opened 24 March 1891
Closed 8th January 1969 as wooden bridges were destroyed by bushfire
Number of tracks 1

The Shelbourne line was a continuation of the branch line from Castlemaine to Maldon.[1] Due to the facing junction of the Shelbourne extension, when services to Shelbourne reached Maldon, the locomotive had to change ends in order to run from there to Shelbourne.

History

The line from Maldon to Shelbourne was opened on 24 March 1891.[2] The line was originally planned to extend about 8 miles (13 km) beyond Shelbourne to Laanecoorie, but work on that section was suspended in 1890. Almost 2 miles (3.2 km) of earthworks and two trestle bridges had been built before construction was abandoned.[3]

The one intermediate station on the line was known as Bradford until some time between 1912 and 1928, when its name was altered to Pollard. In late 1936, a proposal to close the Castlemaine-Maldon-Shelbourne line was met with protests.[4] Consequently, the line was not closed, but services were modified, and some rolling stock was allocated to the Echuca line instead.

Closure

A bushfire on 8th January 1969 destroyed a number of the wooden trestle bridges between Maldon and Shelbourne, which were deemed uneconomical to rebuild, forcing the closure of the line.[5]

Line Guide

Shelbourne Railway Line
Maldon
 Pollard
 Shelbourne

References

  1. ↑ VICSIG - Infrastructure http://www.vicsig.net/infrastructure/line/Shelbourne
  2. ↑ Harrigan, Leo J. (1962). Victorian Railways to ‘62. Melbourne: Victorian Railways Public Relations and Betterment Board. p. 283.
  3. ↑ "Report on the Question of the Laanecoorie District Connecting Railway" (PDF). Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 2014-02-08.
  4. ↑ "Maldon-Shelbourne Railway". The Argus. 1936-11-07. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
  5. ↑ Brown, Les. "ROLL 38. A.R.H.S. Excursion to Shelbourne, 20th January 1968". Retrieved 2014-02-06.


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