Black & white photograph of Bendigo Railway Station. A group of men are standing along the edge of the platform, one is holding a bike. A steam train - R 309 - with a man standing in the cabin doorway, is on the right of the picture. The photo is mounted on grey cardboard. It has indented lines around the photo. No 2 is written on the back. *** this photo is missing from its enclosure. A copy of the photo is in the enclosure.place, bendigo, railway station, foster & wilson collection, photograph, bendigo railway station

Photograph - laminated landscape photo of Bendigo Railway Station.place, bendigo, railway station

RAILWAYS COLLECTION - Booklet - A Long Time Ago - the history of the Melbourne to Bendigo Line - a paper fold-out produced by V/Line offering to organise day outings and three day excursions to Bendigo. The inside of the brochure shows places of interest along the rail line on the left of the page and more detailed information of these places on the right. The front page has a sketch of the Central Deborah Goldmine and three men standing in front.V/Linebook, bendigo

RAILWAYS COLLECTION 2 x -Colour Photos of Elphinstone Tunnel (this photo was used by Jim Evans in his booklet -Melbourne to Bendigo Railway 1862-2012 and quotes the Photographer as Geoffrey Russell). The photo is printed on quality paper showing an entrance to the tunnel which is in fair condition with bricks and stone on the face and has two train tracks running through.Geoffrey Russellphotograph, landscape, elphinstone tunnel long rail laid bendigo, wednesday.—one of the most unusual operations undertaken by the victorian railways took place on the bendigo-melbourne line at the elphinstone tunnel this afternoon, when two rails, each 1, 710ft. in length, were placed in posi- tion in the tunnel. these rails were the longest ever laid in victoria, the previous greatest length being 225ft. the tunnel, which is 1, 254ft. in length, is the longest in the state, and forms an historic link with the early railways of victoria, being constructed in 1862, three years after the first train ran in australia. the object of the work is to improve the track for the fast train services and to reduce the cost of maintenance. by putting in a welded rail right through the tunnel the use of "fish plates" will be eliminated. for the new undertaking 110lb. rails are being used to replace the 80lb. rails at present in use. the rails, each weighing 30 tons, were made from 38 sets of rails of 45ft. each, the welding taking place on the site of the work. hauled by an x35 locomotive the long rail was placed in position 3½ minutes after the first pull. the work was carried out without any in- terruption to traffic.

Inside cover page of Ray Pearson's Photo Album. Brown card page with four photographs (landscape format) placed on page using clear plastic photo corners. All photographs depict trams at the Ballarat depot. The photo corner plastic is perishing and one photograph (top left) is loose on the page. The remaining three photographs remain in place, though not securely. Hand written inscriptions are written under the bottom two photographs and also appear on the back of the loose photograph.Hand written incription in biro at base of page, under bottom two photographs. Left: BALLARAT DEPOT / 20 Aug. 1971 Right: SCRUBBER CAR To back of loose photograph - In top left corner with text seperated by underline: 1/A / End of film To centre: Bogie Cars / Maxim Traction / Ballarat Depot / 20th Aug 1971 / No 39 + No 43 / Both Ec PMTT Repeat text patterm is printed on photopaper: A KODAK PAPER Three faded red ink stamps depicting a rectangular logo: This is a / KODAKCOLOR PRINT Beneath logo: SEPT. 71-M

Page 6 of Ray Pearson's Photo Album. Brown card page with three photographs (landscape format) placed on page using clear plastic photo corners. All photographs depict trams in Bendigo. A hand written inscription appears beneath the top left photo. The brown paper is indented in some places from text written on facing page and also has minor damage to bottom right corner where it looks like an adhesive photo corner has been removed.Hand written inscription in biro under top left photo: 4/3/72 BENDIGObendigo tramways, bendigo tram, vintage tram

Page 7 of Ray Pearson's Photo Album. Brown card page with two photographs (landscape format) placed on page using clear plastic photo corners. Both photographs depict trams around Bendigo. A hand written inscription is located between the two photographs. The brown paper is indented with text written on the facing page and also has minor damage in two places (top and bottom right) that looks like places where adhesive photocorners have been removed.Hand written inscription in biro between top and bottom photograph: BENDIGO / CALIFORNIA GULLEY 4/3/72bendigo tramways, vintage trams, bendigo tram, california gulley

Photograph No. 29: Sepia photograph of view from St Paul's Tower towards Railway Station. (Two Copies) Nicholas CairN J Caireplace, landscape view, golden square

Very sturdy brown leather fully lined with red velvet. Base has a velvet lined insert to hold the hat in position. A 2.5cm wide braid, attached at each side, fastens with a silvery, metal clip, to secure the hat in position. A velvet covered frame sits at the top of the hat box, this has an oval shaped hole over the centre of the hat. A very sturdy, heavy lid has a strap across the lid - part of which is now missing-this strap would have fastened and locked into the circular brass locking fastener on the hat box. Two metal circular studs and stitching, hold the handle in place on the lid. A label and stamp have been attached to the lid, but are now badly worn, and a third Victorian Railways stamp can be identified.A card inside the hat box reads box 564 Cowling Collection hat box/hat. We are however unable to find any evidence of a Cowling Collection. Contains Top Hat 11400.836, packed in Clothing Box 158.costume accessories, male, leather hat box

Bendigo Advertiser "The way we were" from 1999. Meeting place: the Sandhurst Coffee Palace, Mitchell Street, Sandhurst (near the railway station) had reading, smoking and dining rooms, board and lodging from 25 to 30 shillings per week.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

Rob Upson became a volunteer at the Bendigo Visitor Centre in 1998. The Staff produced a monthly newsletter called ‘The Grapevine’. Being reasonably new to Bendigo, Rob became interested in its history and began writing articles to share with the volunteers. He called them ‘Grapevine Cuttings’ under the pen name of ‘Merlot’. Rob wrote about 90 articles over a period of 12 years until ‘The Grapevine’ was finally pruned and shutdown. Rob is a valuable volunteer for the Bendigo Historical Society.Sixty Five Newsletters in PDF format from the Grapevine collection that cover the following historical items: Grapevine Newsletters by Rob Upson (Bendigo Historical Society) 10828 Index 10828 Index - Parent Document (This Page) 10828.00 ‘Objection your Honour’ 10828.01 Bendigo’s Gold Volume 10828.02 Harry Boyle (Cricketer) 10828.03 Ellen Clacy on the Goldfields 10828.04 Gold Fever and Vandemonians 10828.05 The Railway to Bendigo (Part 1 and 2) 10828.07 The Pioneer’s Grave at Maiden Gully 10828.08 The First Parliamentary Election, Bendigo 1855 10828.09 The Origin of Place Names 10828.10 The Tram (Parts 1 to 4) 10828.13 W.D.C. Denovan 10828.14 Knipe’s Castle 10828.15 John Hanlon Knipe 10828.16 1st January 1900 in Bendigo 10828.17 William Gay – Bendigo Poet 10828.18 St. Aidan’s Orphanage 10828.19 The Year 2000 – a Prediction from 1967 10828.20 Dr. Henry Backhaus 10828.21 St. Kilian’s Catholic Church 10828.22 S.T. Gill – Goldfields Artist 10828.23 Cobb and Co. 10828.24 ‘The Lights of Cobb and Co.’ by Henry Lawson 10828.25 Federation Celebrations – Sydney 1901 10828.26 The Australian Flag of Stars 10828.27 Old Treasury Building – Melbourne 10828.28 Key Dates in Bendigo’s First 50 Years 10828.29 The March from Robe to Bendigo and China’s Long March 10828.30 A Goldfields Quiz 10828.31 Did You Know That ………..? 10828.32 The Weekly Times 1869 10828.33 Mark Twain in Australia 10828.34 Bendigo’s Jewish Synagogue 10828.35 Sly Grog on the Goldfields 10828.36 A Brief History of Breweries in Australia 10828.37 The Breweries of Bendigo 10828.38 The Cohn Brothers of Bendigo 10828.39 Mary McCarthy – aged 114 10828.40 Langley Hall and Bishopscourt 10828.41 William ‘Bendigo’ Thompson 10828.42 Lachlan MacLachlan 10828.43 ‘Said Hanrahan’ by John O’Brien 10828.44 The Origin of Sandhurst 10828.45 Lister House 10828.46 Arthur Thomas Woodward 10828.47 The Students of Arthur Thomas Woodward 10828.48 Henry Leggo 10828.49 Chiko Rolls and Four ‘n Twenty Pies 10828.50 HMVS Nelson and Victoria’s Navy (Parts 1 and 2) 10828.52 Anthony Trollope in Australia (Part 1 to 3) 10828.55 Regional Towns of Victoria – a Quiz 10828.56 Exploration and Settlement of Victoria (Parts 1 and 2) 10828.58 The Major Mitchell Expedition into Victoria (Parts 1 to 3) 10828.61 The Gold Rush (Part 1 and 2) 10828.63 The Road to the Diggings (Part 1 and 2) 10828.65 Harold Desbrowe-Annear (Part 1 and 2) 10828.71 Nom de Plumes 10828.72 The New Zealand Gold Rush 10828.73 Ernst Mueller and Ettore Cadorin 10828.74 Sir John Monash 10828.75 P & O Ships 10828.76 Rosalind Park 10828.82 Bendigo Street Names 10828.83 A Constitutional Proposal and Early Bendigo Vineyards 10828.84 Ferdinand von Mueller 10828.85 John Boyd Watsonhistory, bendigo, grapevine cuttings

Photograph - black and white. Photo of an Easter Fair Float, 15 men/boys, 2 girls. Shops in background Tailors Outfitters. Wilkins & Jones. Information received from Casley Family. In 1889 William Berryman CASLEY(1863-1909) went down a mine to retrieve body of mine manager Mr Richards. The mine was Great Southern Lease (info.from Ralph Birrell - site of Bendigo Railway Station). He was awarded the Valour Medal and Royal Humane Society Certificate.E. Bond, King Street, West Bendigo.place, bendigo, easter, william berryman casley, easter fair bendigo. circa 1900.

Lal Lal Falls Reserve contains one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the Moorabool Shite. The watefall is part of the on Lal Lal Creek, a tributary of the Moorabool River. and plunges 30 metres from a high basalt column into a deep ravine. Culturally, the Falls are believed to be the earthly home of Bunjil, the All Father or Creator to most Victorian Aboriginal tribes. The name Lal Lal is thought to be Aboriginal for "dashing of waters". The Lal Lal Falls is listed on the Site Registry of Aboriginal Affairs Victoria as a spiritual place. in 1837 a Government Survey Party led by Frederick D'Arcy documented these Falls on the west branch of the Moorabool River. On the reserve opposite, a Race Meeting was held on every New Years Day from 1860 until 1938, attracting crowds of up to 20,000 people. A branch Railway Line was constructed from the Lal Lal station to the Racecourse to convey the crowds.Colour photographs of Lal Lal Falls near Ballarat, Victoria.lal lal falls, waterfall, lal lal, bunjil

Phoenix Foundry Plate - replica Made about 2010 cast off original from locomotive Y112 The Phoenix Foundry (1857-1906) fabricated iron and brass products - including engines and pumping gear for the mining industry, locomotives, steam rollers, water pipes, water gauges and diverse small items. Throughout its operation the business was located at premises on Armstrong Street, Ballarat . Background In 1852, at the age of thirty-three and after a year of operating his own engineering business at Williamstown, Lancashire-born blacksmith and engineer George Threlfall (1819-1897) arrived on the Sebastopol gold plain and immediately undertook blacksmith work repairing picks and tools for the miners. Little did he know that this fledgling business would be the genesis of the most iconic business of nineteenth-century Ballarat. At approximately thirty-nine years of age, English mechanical engineer Richard Carter (c1814-1883) came to Australia on board the Arrogant - arriving in Melbourne on 19 April 1853. He soon travelled to the Ballarat goldfields. Born in the year 1830 in Belfast (Ireland), mechanical engineer William Henry Shaw (1830-1896) arrived in Australia in October 1853. He worked briefly with George Threlfall at Sebastopol, then moved to Geelong to manage the small foundry of Frederick Moore. Twenty-four year old English-born iron moulder Robert Holden (c1831-?) left his home in Belfast (Ireland) in late 1854 and travelled from Liverpool to Melbourne on board the James Baines - arriving in February 1855. Afterwards he joined his brother-in-law William Henry Shaw in Ballarat. History Foundation to Incorporation In March 1857 George Threlfall joined in business with Richard Carter, William Henry Shaw and Robert Holden. They relocated Threlfall's successful engineering enterprise from Sebastopol to new premises in Armstrong Street, Ballarat. This business was then known variously as the Phoenix Iron Works Company, Phoenix Foundry or Messrs Carter and Co. By 15 April 1857 they were advertising that they were open for business as engineers, millwrights, boiler makers, smiths, iron founders and brass founders. In January 1858 George Threlfall left the partnership. Incorporation to 1889 1890 to Closing locomotive Y112 Builder: Phoenix Foundry, Ballarat Builder’s Number & Year: 238 of 1889 Designer: Kitson & Co Wheel Arrangement: 0-6-0 No. in class: 31 Entered Service: 24 July 1889 Taken off Register: 11 May 1961 The origins of the Victorian Railways Y-class lay with the decision by Kitson & Co, Leeds to place a 0-6-0 freight locomotive on display at the Centennial International Exhibition, Melbourne in 1888, together with a 2-4-2T suburban passenger locomotive. This marketing initiative proved successful as the Victorian Railways were clearly impressed with these machines, with both purchased after the exhibition and becoming the patterns for new standard locomotive types. Thirty examples of the 0-6-0 heavy freight design were ordered from the Phoenix Foundry, Ballarat, becoming the Y-class for main line heavy freight duties, while the 2-4-2T design became the E-class for Melbourne suburban passenger duties (represented by preserved locomotive E 236). The Y-class prove successful in service and accrued high mileages. They were inevitably superseded by more modern and powerful steam locomotives and a number cascaded into shunting and yard pilot duties, often with the addition of shunters steps along both locomotive and tender. Y 112 was one of the last in service when withdrawn in 1961. Fortunately it was saved for preservation and plinthed in central Ballarat, ostensibly in commemoration of Phoenix Foundry. I understand it is owned by the Sovereign Hill Museums Association. During the 1980’s, Y 112 was leased to Steamrail Victoria and restored to operation at an industrial site in Ballarat. Y 112 features an attractive lined apple green livery and has performed various rail tours around Victoria since restoration. It is normally based at the Steamrail depot in Ballarat East. Y 112 is the only 19th century design in operational condition in Victoria and as such is one of the oldest working steam locomotive in Victoria . Historic - Phoenix Foundry Plate - replica Made about 2010 cast off original from locomotive Y112Phoenix Foundry Plate Oval shaped plate with an image of a phoenix centered at the top with lettering surrounding it.Phoenix Foundry No 238 Ballarat Company Limited 1889.puffing billy, phoenix foundry, ballarat, locomotive y112, phoenix foundry plate - replica

Historic - Victorian Railways Locomotive Number Plate used on Steam Locomotive 6A Loco: 6A In service Thursday, 18th July 1901 Livery Green Owner Puffing Billy Gauge 762 Status Preserved - Operational 6A Built in 1901 and painted two-tone green, this locomotive was issued to the Colac to Beech Forest line and was used in that line’s construction. Over the years, it saw service on all four lines, but mostly on the Colac to Crowes and Upper Fern Tree Gully to Gembrook lines. It was temporarily withdrawn from service in 1958 and returned to service at Belgrave in 1962 for the reopening of this line where it saw almost continuous service until being withdrawn in 1983. It has been restored, as far as possible, to its original condition with original design side tanks, low bunker, original size windows, etc., but a steel cow-catcher in place of the original style wooden one. It also has its original colour scheme of two-tone green with white lining.Historic - Victorian Railways Locomotive Number Plate used on Steam Locomotive 6ANumber Plate 6A Fabricated steel number board made by the Victorian Railways for locomotive 6A. 6A6a, puffing billy, number plate, victorian railways

Replica of a Victorian Railways replacement number board that 6A carried in the later 40's and 50's. This plate was created for the preservation society's reenactment trains in 2012 for the 50 year celebration of reopening to Menzies Creek. Loco: 6A In service Thursday, 18th July 1901 Livery Green Owner Puffing Billy Gauge 762 Status Preserved - Operational 6A Built in 1901 and painted two-tone green, this locomotive was issued to the Colac to Beech Forest line and was used in that line’s construction. Over the years, it saw service on all four lines, but mostly on the Colac to Crowes and Upper Fern Tree Gully to Gembrook lines. It was temporarily withdrawn from service in 1958 and returned to service at Belgrave in 1962 for the reopening of this line where it saw almost continuous service until being withdrawn in 1983. It has been restored, as far as possible, to its original condition with original design side tanks, low bunker, original size windows, etc., but a steel cow-catcher in place of the original style wooden one. It also has its original colour scheme of two-tone green with white lining.Historic - Replica Victorian Railways Locomotive Number Plate of the type used on Steam Locomotive 6A in the later 40's and 50's created for the preservation society's reenactment trains in 2012 for the 50 year celebration of reopening to Menzies Creek. Number Plate 6A Cast aluminum replica number board.6Apuffing billy, menzies creek, 6a, number plate

Historic - Victorian Railways Locomotive Number Plate used on Steam Locomotive 6A Loco: 6A In service Thursday, 18th July 1901 Livery Green Owner Puffing Billy Gauge 762 Status Preserved - Operational 6A Built in 1901 and painted two-tone green, this locomotive was issued to the Colac to Beech Forest line and was used in that line’s construction. Over the years, it saw service on all four lines, but mostly on the Colac to Crowes and Upper Fern Tree Gully to Gembrook lines. It was temporarily withdrawn from service in 1958 and returned to service at Belgrave in 1962 for the reopening of this line where it saw almost continuous service until being withdrawn in 1983. It has been restored, as far as possible, to its original condition with original design side tanks, low bunker, original size windows, etc., but a steel cow-catcher in place of the original style wooden one. It also has its original colour scheme of two-tone green with white lining.Historic - Victorian Railways Locomotive Number Plate used on Steam Locomotive 6A6A Number Plate. Fabricated steel number board made by the Victorian Railways for locomotive 6A. 6Apuffing billy, victorian railways, number plate, 6a

Double Headed Rail from Ravenswood Station Siding which was dismantled circa 1987 the two rails were stored for a time at Maldon before being donated to Puffing Billy Museum Bearing makers marks of Wilson & Cammell - Dronfield- Steel works Wilson & Cammell made Steel rails at their Dronfield Steel Works, in Dronfield, North East Derbyshire, England from 1872 - 1883 Double-headed rail In late 1830s Britain, railway lines had a vast range of different patterns. One of the earliest lines to use double-headed rail was the London and Birmingham Railway, which had offered a prize for the best design. This rail was supported by chairs and the head and foot of the rail had the same profile. The supposed advantage was that, when the head became worn, the rail could be turned over and re-used. In practice, this form of recycling was not very successful as the chair caused dents in the lower surface, and double-headed rail evolved into bullhead rail in which the head was more substantial than the foot. Info from Wikipedia - Rail Profile https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_profile The first records of double headed rail being used In Victoria by Victorian Railways was in 1859, the rails, chairs, oak and trenails were imported from UK. After the 1870’s the Victorian Railways went over to using flat bottom rails, but they still needed replacement double headed rail for lines already laid and this continued up to at least 1883 Wilson & Cammell - Dronfield- Steel works Wilson & Cammell made Steel rails at their Dronfield Steel Works, in Dronfield England from 1872 - 1883 Mount Alexander & Murray River Railway The Melbourne, Mount Alexander & Murray River Railway Company received parliamentary assent in February 1853 to build Victoria's first inland railway from Melbourne to Williamstown, and Melbourne to Bendigo and Echuca. Construction commenced in January 1854 with work on a pier at Williamstown but lack of funds slowed progress, eventually prompting the company to sell out to the government. The 100-mile (162 km) section to Bendigo opened in October 1862. Its cost of £35,000 per mile made it the most expensive railway ever built in Australia. In 1864, the line was extended to Echuca, tapping into the booming Murray-Darling paddlesteamer trade. info from Museums Victoria - Victorian Railways https://museumsvictoria.com.au/railways/theme.aspx?lvl=3&IRN=450&gall=456 1863 Ravenswood Station open on the 1st Feb 1863 Victorian Railways - purchased and imported the Rail and Chairs from Raleigh, Dalgleish, White and Co. London Importation of railway plant : abstract of a return to an order of the Legislative Assembly dated 27th June 1860 for - Copies of the advertisements calling for tenders, the names of the tenderers and the accounts and correspondence with Mr Brunel relating thereto GP V 1859/60 no. C 15 http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/papers/govpub/VPARL1859-60NoC15.pdf Report from the Select Committee upon the Importation of Railway Plant : together with proceedings of the Committee, minutes of evidence and appendix GP V 1859/60 no. D 38 (2.9 MB) http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/papers/govpub/VPARL1859-60NoD38.pdf Ravenswood Siding When the Victorian Railways were established in 1856 they adopted one of the popular British permanent way standards - heavy 80lb (36.3kg) double-headed rail held up right in cast iron chairs attached to transverse timber sleepers by wooden pegs called trenails. The Ravenswood Railway siding was constructed in 1862 with 12 feet wrought iron double-head rail held in cast iron chairs with Ransom and May patent compressed keys. Trenails held the chairs to the sleepers and the joints were secured in joint chairs. Joints were subsequently joined using fish plates. It formed part of the Melbourne to Echuca rail line, initially known as the Melbourne, Mt Alexander and Murray River Railway. George Christian Derbyshire, the first Engineer-in-Chair of the Victorian Railways was responsible for the design and construction of the works. No new lines were built in Victoria using double-headed rail after 1870. The siding was disconnected from the main line in 1988. The Ravenswood Railway Siding demonstrates the original 1856 philosophy of the Victorian Railways to adopt British permanent way technology. The siding demonstrates significant aspects in the development of permanent way technology in England and Victoria over the period from the 1830's to the 1880's. The chairs in the Ravenswood siding are physical evidence of early railway technology rendered obsolete 120 years ago, namely joint chairs at rail joints and trenails to secure the chairs to the sleepers. The double-headed rail demonstrates an important stage in the evolution of British rail technology in the 1830s. The old fish plates, square headed bolts and square nuts demonstrate the success of fishing the rail joins. The Ravenswood siding demonstrates the earliest form of rail joint technology developed in England, and existing in Australia, the joint chair. In part of the siding the sequence of joint and intermediate chairs is consistent with the 1856 specifications, that sequence is rare with the joints secured in joint chairs. The survival of chairs in this sequence is rare and almost certainly demonstrates that they remained in continuous use at the same location from 1862 to 1988. This remnant of the Ravenswood siding has survived 126 years. The siding has proved to be the most significant of extant remnant double-headed sidings in Victoria, containing a rare combination of early permanent way technologies. Construction dates 1862, Info from Ravenswood Railway Siding Victorian Heritage Database Report http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/4693/download-report The remaining section of this siding is significant at the State and National levels in that it demonstrates the use of chaired rail by the Victorian Railways Department for the Trunk Lines and, more particularly, the following stages in the evolution of this long obsolete method of permanent way construction: a) The use of joint chairs and intermediate chairs at regular intervals inferring that the original wrought iron rail lengths were 12 feet, as is known through documentary sources to have been the case. The survival of chairs in this sequence is unique and almost certainly demonstrates that they have remained in continuous use at the same location and in the same sequence from 1862 to 1988 . b) The use of joint chairs and intermediate chairs designed for use with trenails. c) The use of later intermediate chairs designed for use with steel pins and the use of fished joints with steel double head chaired rail, representing a second method of constructing the permanent way using chaired rail technology. info from Ravenswood Siding - Melbourne/Echuca Railway Line - Victorian Heritage Database Report http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/70103/download-report Addition to Citation for Melbourne to EchucaRailway Line 1/10/1990 Double Head Rail The surviving lengths of double head rail with chairs on this railway compare with one surviving similar remnant on the Geelong to Ballarat railway and are representative of permanent way construction techniques applied exclusively to the two trunk railways of the 1860's. In this respect they are rare survivors and may be unique at the national level and of technical importance at the international level to the extent that they enhance contemporary understanding of early railway building technology. Surviving lengths of chaired double head rail survive at Kyneton, Ravenswood and Bendigo on this railway and include a number of different types of cast iron intermediate and joint chairs with hardwood keys and metal pins. The Ravenswood siding is of special significance for the diversity of chair types and for the sequence of chairs recalling rail lengths known to be associated with construction of the line in 1862. Construction of the Railway Tenders closed on 24 March 1858 with no less than 133 tenders being received. A contract was let to Cornish and Bruce for £3,356,937 to commence work on 1 June 1858 and complete the line by 31 July 1861. Cornish and Bruce made quick early progress with the Melbourne to Sunbury section being officially opened on 13 January 1859. The line was officially opened to Bendigo (Sandhurst) on 20 October 1862 by the Governor of Victoria, Sir Henry Barkly. A great banquet was held for 800 guests and this was followed by a grand ball. The extension of the line to Echuca was a relatively simple matter as that part of the line was across plain country without any significant engineering challenges. Tenders were called for the work in 1863 and the work was completed in 1864 by contractors Collier and Barry Apart from the line contractors, other firms directly involved were J Shire law and Co (sleepers), R Fulton, Langlands Brothers and Co, William Crossley (water supply), B Moreland, Langlands Brothers and Co (platelayers lorries), E Chambers (iron pins, traversers), Miller and McQuinstan (luggage vans and steam engines) and various contractors for building works. Info from Engineers Australia Engineering Heritage Victoria Nomination for Recognition under the Engineering Heritage Australia Heritage Recognition Program for the Goldfields Railways - Melbourne , Bendigo & Echuca Railway Page 25 - .2.9.2 Statement from National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Listing number B5323 for Mt Alexander/Murray Valley Rail Line: Page 69 - Theme 3 https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/portal/system/files/engineering-heritage-australia/nomination-title/Melbourne_%20Bendigo_Echuca%20Railway%20Nomination.pdf The Melbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company was a railway company in Victoria, Australia. It was established on 8 February 1853 to build a railway from Melbourne to Echuca on the Victorian-NSW border and a branch railway to Williamstown. The company struggled to make any progress and on 23 May 1856, the colonial Government took over the Company and it became part of the newly established Department of Railways, part of the Board of Land and Works. The Department of Railways became Victorian Railways in 1859. Construction of the Bendigo line commenced in 1858, but this private consortium also met with financial difficulties when it was unable to raise sufficient funds, and was bought out by the Victorian colonial government. The design work was then taken over by Captain Andrew Clarke, R. E., Surveyor-General of Victoria, with bridge designs completed by Bryson and O'Hara The contract for the first stage of the line from Footscray to Sandhurst (now Bendigo), was let to Cornish and Bruce for £3,356,937.2s.2d ($6.714 million) with work commencing on 1 June 1858. Completion of the permanent way was to be by 31 July 1861 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne,_Mount_Alexander_and_Murray_River_Railway_Company Victorian Railways - purchased and imported the Rail and Chairs from Raleigh, Dalgleish, White and Co. London Importation of railway plant : abstract of a return to an order of the Legislative Assembly dated 27th June 1860 for - Copies of the advertisements calling for tenders, the names of the tenderers and the accounts and correspondence with Mr Brunel relating thereto GP V 1859/60 no. C 15 http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/papers/govpub/VPARL1859-60NoC15.pdf Report from the Select Committee upon the Importation of Railway Plant : together with proceedings of the Committee, minutes of evidence and appendix GP V 1859/60 no. D 38 (2.9 MB) http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/papers/govpub/VPARL1859-60NoD38.pdf Victorian Railways : report of the Board of Land and Works November 1862 GP V 1862/63 no. 21 (2.8 MB) https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/papers/govpub/VPARL1862-63No21.pdfHistoric - Victorian Railways - Double Headed rail Ravenswood Railway Station and Siding Victorian Heritage Database Reports Victorian Heritage Register VHR H1100 Victorian Heritage Register VHR H1786 National Trust VHR H1100 Mount Alexander and Murray River Rail way Line National Trust2 rail lengths of Double Headed Rail made of Iron makers marks : Wilson & Cammell - Dronfield - Steel and 20 joint chairs with metal rail pins Makers mark Wilson & Cammell - Dronfield - Steel (possible date 187? very hard to read ) puffing billy, double headed rail, wilson & cammell - dronfield - steel works, ravenswood station siding, melbourne to echuca rail line, initially known as the melbourne, mt alexander and murray river railway.

BENWERRIN COAL COMPANY SKIP This quarter ton coal truck or skip was used at a small mine situated at Benwerrin near Deans Marsh in Victoria’s Otway Ranges. The mine first opened in 1899 and closed in 1904. With the fuel shortages due to World War 2, the Benwerrin Coal Company reopened the mine in 1941. The coal was loaded into skips and winched out of Box’s Creek valley on a narrow gauge incline to a loading point that was close to the Deans Marsh-Lorne Road. It was then taken by road to the Deans Marsh Railway station. The average gradient of the tramway was 1 in 4 over a length of just under 500 metres (1600 feet). The gauge of the tramway has often been referred to as 375mm (or 15 inches) as shown on the map opposite taken from “Sawdust and Steam”. However, actual measurements of the wheels show the gauge to be 400mm (or 16 inches), which is quite unusual as is the small size of the skip itself. The mine produced up to 30 tonnes of brown coal each week until it closed in 1949 and the incline tramway and its skips were abandoned. Preservation of this coal truck came as a result of interest by the Tramway Museum Society of Victoria (TMSV) in the Barlow or Box type rails that it ran on. These rails had originally come from the Beaumaris Horse Tramway and were obtained by the Benwerrin Coal Company from Hayden Bros’ abandoned timber tramway at nearby Barwon Downs. Members of the TMSV visited the mine in the 1960s only to find that most of the tramway had recently been recovered for scrap. There remained a significant number of relics around the mine adits including most of the skips. One of these remained in good condition and it was recovered for preservation in May 1967. It was restored but never displayed and a second restoration took place by the author over 2012/13 so that it could be placed in the Menzies Creek Museum where it was delivered in February 2013. Little remains of the mine today with trestles and sleepers destroyed in the “Ash Wednesday” Bushfires in 1983. References: Houghton, N (1975), Sawdust and Steam, Light Railway Research Society of Australia. Historic - Industrial Narrow Gauge Railway - Benwerrin Coal Company , Benwerrin , Victoria, AustraliaCoal Skip - made of Iron sheet and wrought iron frame & wheelsB,C.Co Melbournepuffing billy, coal skip, benwerrin coal company, narrow gauge

Portable Compound Engine - Marshall & Son's. Builders Number 48317 Built by Marshall Sons & Co., Ltd., Gainsborough, England (Builder’s Number 48317 of approximately 1908/1909), to the order of Robison Brothers, Engineers, South Melbourne. It was used for operating a pump to supply irrigation water at Robinvale in Northern Victoria. Robison Bros & Co. P/L was founded by James McFarlane Robison and his brothers in 1854, initially as plumbers and coppersmiths, the firm expanded into general engineering, boiler-making and brass, iron and steel founders and became one of Melbourne's most important engineering firms. They constructed railway bridges, gold mining equipment, railway locomotives, pumping stations, brewing vessels, abattoir machinery, amongst much else and including the first turnstiles at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. A portable engine is either a steam engine or an internal combustion engine, that remains in one place while operating (providing power to machinery), and can be easily moved from one work site to another. Mounted on wheels or sometimes skids, it is required to be towed between work sites.Historic - Industrial Portable Compound Engine - steam engine - Marshall & Son's. Marshall & Son's Portable Compound Engine - Builders Number 48317 made of steel Marshall & Son's. Builders Number 48317puffing billy, state rivers and water supply commission of victoria, portable compound engine - marshall & son's., portable compound engine, marshall sons & co., ltd., robison bros & co. p/l

G42 Garratt Steam Locomotive Traffic and train loadings on Victoria's narrow gauge railways reached their peak during the 1920s. To assist in handling the longer, heavier trains, the Victorian Railways ordered two larger, more powerful Beyer Garratt locomotives. These were delivered in 1926 and were numbered G41 and G42. They were sent to work on the Colac–Beech Forest–Crowes line and the Moe–Walhalla line respectively. After the line from Moe closed in 1954, G42 was sent to Colac, where it worked with its mate, G41, until closure of that line in mid-1962. G41 had been in poor condition and was scrapped, whereas a brighter future awaited G42. The Victorian Railways offered G42 to the Puffing Billy Preservation Society, for display as a static exhibit in the Menzies Creek Museum. Over time, a plan evolved to restore G42 to operation, a goal that was eventually achieved by the launch of G42 back into traffic in April 2004. G42 now continues to operate as a restored member of the Puffing Billy Railway's locomotive fleet. No. originally constructed: 2 No. in service: 1 (No. 42) Boiler pressure: (lb/sq. in) 180 Boiler heating surface: 1268 sq ft (117.8 m2) Tractive effort: (85%) 26,860 lbs (12.18 t) Driving wheel diameter: 36" (91.44 cm) Max axle load: 9t 5cwt Length Overall: 51' 7" (15.72m) Height Overall: 10' 8" (3.28m) Date of manufacture: 1926 Manufacturer: Beyer Peacock Place of manufacture: Manchester UK Locomotive Type: Garratt Coal capacity: 70 cwt Cylinder diameter: 13" (33.02 cm) Cylinder stroke: 18" (45.72 cm) Wheel arrangement: 2-6-0+0-6-2 Roadworthy weight: 69t Water capacity: 1680 gal (7,637.43 l) Beyer Peacock - Garratt Locomotives Register Works Number - 6268 / 1926 Gauge/Railway/Class - 2'6"/Victorian Government Rlys/G Type - 2-6-0+0-6-2 No. G42 Notes - Australia G42 Built in 1926 and painted all-over black, this Garratt locomotive was issued to the Moe to Walhalla line where it remained—other than for overhauls—until the line closed in 1954. After an overhaul at Newport Workshops, it was issued to the Colac to Crowes line and remained there until that line closed in 1962 when it was returned to Newport Workshops for storage. In 1964 it was sold to the Puffing Billy Preservation Society and removed from the V.R. register 3 months later. It arrived at Belgrave in 1968 and was hauled to Menzies Creek for static display in the museum. 1986 saw the commencement of restoration the Belgrave workshops and has been restored to its 1946 to 1954 condition with raised cab roof, raised marker lamps, steel cow-catchers and all-over black livery. It was returned to service on April 18, 2004. Service History : Jun 1926 - Moe - initial allocation of a new locomotive Jun 1926 - Oct 1954 Moe Oct 1954 - Jan 1955 Workshops Jun 1955 - May 1962 Colac Jul 1962 - Dec 1965 Workshops - Stored Jan 1968 - Feb 1968 Belgrave - Stored Feb 1968 - 1982 - Menzies Creek Steam Museum 1982 - 2004 - Under restoration Apr 2004 - Belgrave - In active service at Puffing Billy Railway BelgraveHistoric - Victorian Railways - Narrow Gauge - Garratt Steam Locomotive - G42 Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number H2187 G42 Garratt Steam Locomotive made of steel, iron and wrought iron with brass fittings - the Locomotive is in Active Service - Belgrave Station G42puffing billy, narrow gauge, garratt, g42, steam locomotive, beyer peacock, victorian railways

Station Sign - Yea Yea Station Opened 16 November 1883 Closed 8 November 1978 Yea is a former railway station in Yea, Victoria, Australia. The tracks have been removed and the reserve has been turned into The Yea Railway Park consisting of the historic railway station and eleven acres of parkland. It has a picnic shelter, barbecue, toilets, playground, skatepark, walking track, community reserve and includes Rotary Park. The station building houses Blackthorn Textiles (a privately run craft shop). Also on the site are the former goods sheds which are available for hire for varied functions. The Yea Country Market is held in the park on the first Saturday of each month and local artists hold an exhibition and sale in the goods sheds each Easter. The site is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yea_railway_station photo at http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/vhd-images/places/000/078/092.jpg Historic - Victorian Railways Station sign used at Yea StationStation Sign - Yea Metal rectangle Station Name Sign with white enamel back ground and black lettersYeapuffing billy, station sign, yea station