Kerang–Koondrook Tramway

Kerang-Koondrook Tramway
Overview
Type Vic
Status Closed
Stations 4
Operation
Opened 1889
Closed 1976
Technical
Line length 13.94 mi (22.43 km)
Swan Hill-Koondrook rail ticket 1977

The Kerang–Koondrook Tramway was an Australian private railway of 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) broad gauge, running from the state-owned Victorian Railways network at Kerang to the Murray River town of Koondrook, with intermediate stations at Yeoburn, Hinksons, Teal Point and Gannawarra.

Construction of the 13.94 mi (22.43 km) long line was initiated by the Shire of Swan Hill in 1887,[1] under the terms of the Tramways in Country Districts Act 1886, which allowed local governments in country areas to construct tramways, with financial assistance from the Victorian government, to a limit of £2,000 a mile.[2][3] The tramway was opened in 1889.[4] On 31 December 1898, the Shire of Swan Hill was re-named the Shire of Kerang.[5] By 1920 the tramway's construction had cost £39,229.[6] Ownership of the tramway was transferred to the Victorian Railways on 1 February 1952 and it was officially closed on 3 March 1981.[7]

A description of a journey on the railway in 1938 is contained in an article in the March 1971 edition of the Australian Railway Historical Society "Bulletin".[4]

In its later years, passenger services on the line were run by a 102hp Walker railmotor, paid for by the Victorian Education Department, to convey school children. That service was withdrawn on 16 December 1976. A railfan farewell special, using railmotor 7RM, ran on 29 December 1976.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "The Koondrook Tramway". The Argus (1887-11-04). Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  2. ↑ "Tramways in Country Districst Act" (PDF). Australasian Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 2016-02-07.
  3. ↑ "Tramways in Country Districts". The Argus (1887-09-03). Retrieved 2016-02-07.
  4. 1 2 Bakewell, Guy, A Broad Gauge Tramway, Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, March 1971, pp. 49-55
  5. ↑ "Kerang Shire". Victorian Places. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  6. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics - Year Book Australia, 1920
  7. ↑ Newsrail (Australian Railway Historical Society, Victorian Division), March 1990 (Vol. 18 No. 3)
  8. ↑ Banger, Chris (March 1997). "Rail passenger service withrawals since 1960". Newsrail. Vol. 25 no. 3. Australian Railway Historical Society, Victorian Division. pp. 77–82.

Further reading

External links

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