Yields information about the track maintenance activities of the track gang in Ballarat, the work they did, notes, names and other information.Collins Australian Diary, No. 324 printed by Collins Bros, dark red card covers, sewn sections with ruled sheets providing a diary for 1964, one week per double page. Has "useful information" sheets at from the diary. Used by the SEC Ballarat track gang to record their daily work, leave, welding, track cleaning, truck driver etc In the Memoranda section (page 3 and 4), list of names and addresses of track gang and notes on materials used, costs, scrubber use and hours, and length of track. Lancaster Wiseman Lakey Edwards Fish Dowie Marks Smith Bartlett W. Gladman R. J. Gladman Loose contents 1. 27/12/64 - Handwritten notes (2) re work to be done and leave 2. - Memoranda - handwritten note on rear of weekly time sheet - note re materials and leave times for gang. 3 - Inside rear cover - Note from the Accounts department dated 9/8/1963 re account numbers to used by the truck driver - note re D. Wiseman - Long Service leave - workshop requisition and note - re work at B power station - repairs to road - workshop requisition to dig trenches in Main St - note re work on the back of a letter from the Shell Sou'wester service station re the availability of touring maps.tram, trams, sec, ballarat, depot, trackwork, rails, scrubber tram

Demonstrates nature and size of gang undertaking road repairs during 1962 in Bridge St. Lesser significance because quality of photograph - taken from a published photograph.Black and White copy photograph of a newspaper photograph taken by The Courier 21/11/1960, published on 22/11/1962 of track repairs in Bridge St during Ballarat Cup half-holiday.(copied from newsprint). Shows the nature of the work, but difficult to identify people. Collected by Alan Bradley from the Ballarat Courier early 1980's. See Excel file "Record of Ballarat Courier Photos SEC era" (Archive Documents) for source of details.On rear stamped "Copyright, The Ballarat Courier Proprietary Limited."tramways, trams, bridge st, road works

Demonstrates nature and size of gang undertaking road repairs during 1962 in Sturt St with the Jelbart Oil roller being used.Black and White copy photograph of a newspaper photograph taken by The Courier, taken 25/8/1966, published 26/8/1966. Track work using the Jelbart oil roller, Sturt & Lydiard Sts corner. Shows the nature of the work, but difficult to identify people and the traffic in the streets at the time. Has the National Mutual building and Town Hall in the background. Collected by Alan Bradley from the Ballarat Courier early 1980's. See Excel file "Record of Ballarat Courier Photos SEC era" (Archive Documents) for source of details. Additional prints courtesy of Colin Holmes received 17/4/2011 - digital prints. See the June 2010 issue of Fares Please! for an article written by Colin Holmes on Jelbart and the Ballarat roller.On rear stamped "Copyright, The Ballarat Courier Proprietary Limited." and "85%" in ink.tramways, trams, sturt st, jelbart, road works

Demonstrates nature and size of gang undertaking road repairs during 1966 in Bridge St and the buildings on the south side of the street.Black and White copy photograph of a newspaper photograph taken by The Courier, taken 20/9/1966, published 21/9/1966 of track repairs in Bridge St. Shows the nature of the work, and the level of the traffic in the streets at the time. Eight men working in the view. In the background are the buildings on the south side of Bridge St, including Magnin, a Disposal Variety store, Faull's Foot rest, and Dickins. In the far distance are two trams parked in the loop. Collected by Alan Bradley from the Ballarat Courier early 1980's. See Excel file "Record of Ballarat Courier Photos SEC era" (Archive Documents) for source of details.On rear stamped "Copyright, The Ballarat Courier Proprietary Limited." and "85%" in ink.tramways, trams, bridge st, road works

At its peak the Beech Forest railway employed more than 21 staff between Colac and Crowes. Gangers (men in charge of the track gangs) tended to be promoted into the Otways but many of their subordinate repairers were local recruits. A few of the men who worked in the original construction gangs of 1900-1902 remained and obtained positions in the track gangs along the line. The track was maintained by seven three-man gangs based at Colac, Barongarook, Gellibrand, Banool, Beech Forest (2), and Lavers Hill. However, track gangs lessened as the line shortened. After 1954, the sole surviving track gang, in charge of Paddy Balcombe, stayed until the line closed.A railway track gang, with helper, trolleying to a work site, on 14 December, 1955.beech forest; railways; track gang;

At its peak the Beech Forest railway employed more than 21 people between Colac and Crowes tending the line the trains ran over. The gangers (the men in charge of the track gangs) tended to be promoted into the Otways but many of their subordinate repairers were local recruits. A few of the men who worked on the original construction gangs of 1900-1902 remained and obtained positions in the track gangs along the line. The track was maintained by seven three-man gangs based at Colac, Barongarook, Gellibrand, Banool, Beech Forest (2), and Lavers Hill. The ganger for Beech Forest 2 gang resided at Wyelangta. However, the track gangs lessened as the line shortened. Three men with spades on the line, thought to be at Barongarook, c.1925. B/W.barongarook; railways; track gangs;

Victorian Railways repairers with their NKS motor trolley outside the gang sheds at Beech Forest, Wednesday, 24 March 1954. beech forest; victorian railways; repairers; motor trolley; gang shed;

At its peak the Colac-Beech Forest-Crowes railway employed more than 21 staff tending the lines that the trains ran over. Gangers (the men in charge of the track gangs) tended to be promoted into the Otways but many of their subordinate repairers were local recruits. A few of the men who worked on the original construction gangs of 1900-02 remained and obtained positions in the track gangs along the line, but these eased out over time. The track was maintained by seven three-man gangs based at Colac, Barongarook, Gellibrand, Banool, Beech Forest (where the second Beech Forest crew was based at Wyelangta), and Lavers Hill.Track gang on an NK wagon at Beech Forest, c.1940. Snow covers the ground. B/W.colac; beech forest; crowes; railway; track gangs;

From late in 1960 VR took what were the first definite steps to close the Colac-Beech Forest line. 1,101 tonnes of freight per year flowed from Colac to Beech Forest because of increasing competition from the roads. From 1 July 1960 onwards, when pulpwood (hardwood) stopped being shipped from Beech Forest, a maximum of only 7,000 tonnes/year would be shipped to Colac. Including special trips passenger revenue earned a little more than $200 per annum. The issue of second-hand sleepers stopped entirely and the two track gangs only patrolled the track and tightened loose bolts. The line did not earn its way and on 4 November 1960 it was recommended that services over the narrow gauge line be discontinued.The rear of a goods train from Colac arrives at Beech Forest on 9 August 1961. The other line is the former Crowes line truncated at Weeaproinah in January 1955. In the background is the Beech Forest Hall and Shire of Otway offices. Colour.colac; beech forest; railway;

A massive tree stump at the end of the Crowes yard served as a buffer stop for trains. In 1941 it was put to use when locomotive G41 spectacularly collided with it. On a particularly foggy night the driver became disoriented, passing unawares through Crowes station and smashing into the stump. The Garrett came to an ungainly halt, and it was three days before the work gang had the stranded locomotive re-railed. It became known locally as 'Over the Black Stump'.B/W. Locomotive G41 derailed at Crowes in 1941. A man stands where the engine is articulated.crowes; railways; locomotive g41;

B/W. Poison trolley NG No.1 on the Gang Shed siding at Beech Forest on 8 January 1958. The Gang Shed is shown. In the right background the Otway Shire Secretary's house.beech forest; railways;

Until 1925 Beech Forest saw three trains or six train movements each day, from 6.50,am until 3.05 pm, and the railway personnel reflected this movement. A Station Master, porter, goods clerk, train crew, engine cleaner and track gang were employed. While economic activity slowed a little bit after this it still remained vigorous for another three years. However, the frequency of goods trains started to decrease from 1926 when the small NA class locomotives were partly replaced by a Garratt engine that had greater hauling power. Three regular train services continued to run each day, two of these being NA drawn and the other a Garratt train.B/W. Beech Forest Railway Station, a group of two men and a single man standing outside. On No.2 Road an NA locomotive, the single man watching. On No.3 Road a line of NQR open wagons.beech forest; railways; loco na;

In 1955 staff numbers were reduced to an absolute minimum with one track gang at Beech Forest and one at Colac, one of whose members resided at Gellibrand. No new sleepers were issued to the track gangs after 1955/56, cut down ones being used instead. Albert Denning, the son of a Gellibrand selector, worked at Driver's planing mill and Hitt's Lardner mill before joining Victorian Railways in 1928 as an engine cleaner at Beech Forest and Crowes, the last one in both places. He later became a track repairer at Gellibrand and worked with this and the Colac track gang until 1962. Bill Jamieson was a track repairer on the Colac-Gellibrand gang from the 1950s until 1962, and witnessed the official policy of minimum maintenance in the last years of the line.B/W. 201mm x 254mm. In c.1950, the Colac track gang near Kawarren, featuring, from left to right, Bill Jamieson, Albert Denning, and Don Loury on an NKS motor trolley..colac; kawarren; railways; track gangs;

Construction of the Colac-Beech Forest railway line commenced in 1900 and the first activities were the work gangs and their camps. About 100 men were engaged in laying and ballasting the track while others formed the earthworks and the building of culverts and bridges. The first camp was established eight kilometres from Colac, the second 12 km south, and the remainder spaced at similar distances as the work progressed. The camps were served by butchers and bakers from Colac that visited them as many times each week to satisfy the mens' requirements. Many of the men had their families with them. They all lived in tents that consisted of a wooden floor around which the canvas cover was built. A calico partition divided the eating and sleeping quarters, and all cooking was done in camp ovens or at open fires.B/W. 158mm x 203mm. Near Colac, a narrow gauge construction camp comprising 21 workmen, a horse, and two tipping trays.construction camp; railways; colac;

This original station on the Colac-Beech Forest line was first known as "Moorbanool" after the local parish, and then shortened to "Banool" on 1 November 1904. At first facilities consisted of a passenger shelter, a loop siding for 11 trucks, plus a residence for the ganger of the track gang based there. By 1912 with the extension of the line to Crowes increased train services on the line required a crossing station in this section of the track, and therefore Banool became a staff and ticket station with a crossing loop and home signals. However, this only lasted for two years and was abolished as an economy measure in 1916. Loading figures show that in most years the outwards tonnage at Banool was less than 150 tonnes. The station was reduced to a passenger shelter and goods loop only by 1929, and by the time of closure in 1962 most trains were steaming through.Colour. Locomotive G42 and its NQR goods wagons, loaded and unloaded, steaming past Banool station passenger shelter. 143mm x 274mm print.banool; moorbanool; railways; locomotive g42;

The railway track was maintained initially by seven three-man gangs headed by a ganger. The gangers tended to be promoted into the Otways but many of their subordinate staff of repairers were local recruits. There were two track gangs at Beech Forest until 1954, so a large number of gangers and repairers was present over the years. World War 2 with petrol and rubber rationing provided a boost to the line. The 1939 bushfire killed a great deal of timber which had to transported out of the Otways, and the commencement of a vigorous wartime pulp wood traffic from Beech Forest meant that only the railway could efficiently handle the volume of traffic. By early 1940 not only the Garratt was running a daily train to Beech Forest but an NA goods train was scheduled to run at night. As a result the track gangs were also particularly busy at the same time.B/W. In snow at Beech Forest, a track gang on a trolley at the entrance to the Way and Works shed, comprising G. Newland, Ned Hewing, Bill Taylor, Jim Gowty, and Buck.beech forest; railways; g. newland; ned hewing; bill taylor; jim gowty; snow; track gang;

Originally known as "Moorbanool" after the local parish, the name was shortened to Banool on 1 November 1904. At first facilities consisted of a loop siding for eleven trucks and a passenger shelter, plus a residence for the ganger for the track gang based there. Increasing train services on the line required a crossing station in this section of track, so in 1913 Banool became a 'Staff & Ticket' station with a crossing loop, home signals, and a station office, although this only lasted two years. Loading statistics showed that in most years the outwards tonnage at Banool was less than 150 tonnes. From 1924 the amount of timber despatched began a slow rise, but apart from a few years activity was generally slack. The crossing loop, the usually empty goods loop being used if necessary, the home signals and its status as a staff station being removed over the period 1923-27. The track ganger shelter was removed around 1929 and the station reduced to a passenger shelter and goods loop only.B/W. A goods train passing Banool Station, c.1940.

Sikh hawkers were a regular sight throughout the Wodonga and Upper Murray district in the early 20th century. The regular visitors to the area included Pola Singh and Gambil (Gamble) Singh. Gamble Singh often camped on McKoy’s Moorefield property in West Wodonga and several other places around the district. Gamble was also a horse breeder and had several draught horses to pull his wagon. Like many of the hawkers he worked hard to send money back to support family in India. He apparently returned to India about 1950, but left some money in the Bank of NSW in Wodonga in case he returned. He allegedly died soon after and the money was eventually able to be claimed by his nephews in India. A small overlooked park in Wodonga is named the “Gamble Singh Park” in his memory. J. Flanagan who operated the Halfway Hotel commented on having as many as seven or eight bullock teams “yoked” overnight to the fence outside the hotel as well as 100 or more Indian hawkers – led by the fondly known Pola (Pollah) Singh. The hawkers returned to Wodonga annually to renew their hawkers’ license and camped on the flats, or also came to Wodonga to collect orders at the railway station to stock up their supplies. Pola Singh was often based at the Colac Colac reserve near Corryong and had on board his compatriot Isar Singh. He often acted as an intermediary between the individual hawkers and the authorities. Unfortunately, it was Pola’s habit to walk in front of his wagon at the start of each day. On the morning of 23 June 1923 his horses were restive and hard to control. They took flight and ran Pola down on the road near Cudgewa. He was rushed to the Corryong Hospital but died there a few days later, aged 65. Pola was cremated, with some of his ashes scattered in the Murray River and some returned to his homeland to be scattered in the Ganges River. His cremation was listed in the Obituary page of the Weekly Times, Melbourne on Saturday 14 July 1923. A small memorial to Pola Singh is located in the Corryong Cemetery.These images are significant because they help to document the history of the Sikh Hawkers who plied their services to Wodonga and throughout rural Australia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.A collection of black and white images featuring Sikh Hawkers Gamble Singh and Pola Singh take in the Wodonga area.indian hawkers, sikh hawkers, gamble singh, pola singh

Bendigo Advertiser ''The way we were'' from 2003. The last of the gang: Mr. Wilson stands by his mine. We have been told he was the last miner in Bendigo. Bendigo Advertiser from 2003. Memories of an old miner: I think your photo depicting what could have been the very last miner in Bendigo may be that of an old timer who sunk a shaft in the Flora hill area (now Hyett Estate?) in about 1950. He was known to us as ''old Tim''. The shaft was close to an existing mine drive which children of the day referred to as ''the Devil's Den''. We regularly assisted him with the windlass winding and panning. The site consisted of a small clearing, similar to the one depicted, occupied by a small tent, the shaft and windlass. He later sank another shaft adjacent to Retreat Road, towards the Spring Gully hotel. Letter written by Ron Nancarrow, Britain street Eaglehawk.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

Black and white photograph of Flinders St during the filming of The Pacific, 27/2/2008. Included within the photo is a street work gang with two rollers, horses, and Flinders St Station with a number of adverts placed on the verandah.Has Keith Kings stamp on the rear, but no number.trams, tramways, films, drivers, crews

The original line to the Essendon Aerodrome was constructed in 1943 to serve the airport and aircraft construction. It was funded by the Commonwealth Government. By 1976, patronage to the airport terminus in Vaughan St had dropped, the crossing of the highway to the Tullamarine Airport opened in 1970, was dangerous, and the highway needed to be widened. The new terminus was a short distance to the north between Mathews Ave and the Highway. This series of photographs show the operation of a tram service during the changeover. Trams ran from the Niddrie crossover near Keilor Road to a temporary terminus just short of the worksite, with cars running "bang" road or the wrong way for one trip along either line. This would have been controlled by an Inspector at the Niddrie end. The work was done over a 7-hour period, including changing the overhead over. Work would have been completed after the changeover period. .1 - W5 800 at “temporary” Essendon Airport terminus, Cnr Mathews Ave, Vaughan St. after running “bang” road or the wrong way to this point from the Niddrie or Keilor Road crossover. Curves have been removed.. Has an Inspector chatting to a man with a hat standing alongside the tram. The shelter has a City of Keilor logo on it. .2 - W5 684, taken from the overbridge at the TAA stop - during the changeover of the tracks. Tram running “bang” road from Niddrie to the temporary terminus. .3 - SW5 787, temporary terminus in Mathews Ave, about to return to Niddrie as an “up” car on the “down” line. .4 - MMTB Track gang commissioning and placing rails at the new terminus with scrubber 10 waiting. Overhead in position with overhead for the curves partly removed. Mobile Crane on the left-hand side moving a formwork piece into position .5 - 10W cleaning new track at the new terminus. .6 - Rail Scrubber 10W at work cleaning head of rails where new concrete section. Has a TAA bus on the right side. .7 - W5 783 is about to be the first passenger tram to the terminus, at 3.50 pm About 20 workmen are completing the inbound or up track. .8 - W5 783 about to be the first passenger tram to the terminus, at 3.50 pm About 20 workmen are completing the inbound or up track.Yields information about the last day of the operation of the original Essendon Airport tram line and the works done for the new terminus.Set of 8 Kodachrome cardboard mount colour slides of the relocation of the Essendon Airport tram terminus 7-10-1976, by Ron Scholten. All slides have detailed descriptions on the rear trams, tramways, essendon aerodrome, essendon airport, closure, new tramways, route 59, mmtb, trackwork, w5 800, w5 684, sw5 787, scrubber 10w, w5 783, w5 class, sw5 class, taa airlines, city of keilor