VR Commissioner's Special train, steam locomotive D3-639 crossing the Echuca-Moama Road Rail Bridge over the Murray River from Moama, NSW to Echuca, Victoria. Commissioner Edgar Henry Brownbill on footplate, 1962. Commissioner Edgar Henry Brownbill was in office 1957 to 1967. George Coop advises - "The train on the Eltham/Moama bridge is actually the Commissioner’s Special on one of its inspection tours of the VR rail system. This was a very grand special train with accommodation for the Commissioner and staff in carriages also used once for the Royal Train and other State purposes. You can just see the Commissioner of the day, dressed in his suit and wearing engine drivers gloves, standing in the loco cab doorway. A good ‘hands on’ impression is created amongst local staff if can be seen that the boss is no ‘desk jockjey’. The observation car on the back was originally made for the ’Spirit of Progress’. I climbed up onto the bridge iron plate work to get this view. It was safe enough as the cantilevered pedestrian walkway was still on the east side at the time." "I was resident in Echuca from Jan. ’59 to approx. May ’64. At that time the single Echuca/Moama bridge was a combined road/rail bridge. The rail gauge was 5’3” and still is, I believe, on the new bridge that sits just upstream of the old one. This rail line into NSW has always been 5’3" gauge because it has no connection with any NSW tracks. The old Echuca/Moama bridge, locally called the ‘Iron Bridge’ has, over years, undergone some structural changes. The two lattice iron hoops arcing over the roadway have been raised and lowered and changed design. Presently a pedestrian walkway is cantilevered off the west (or downstream) side of the bridge. It used to be on the eastern side. Guess changes went in when new rail bridge only was built on the eastern side as well." Image dated as c.1963 based on same image in Port of Echuca collection (possibly frame 32 of film) (print 19.5 x 24.5cm) On reverse in pencil: "Brown card" in black pen: "Commissioners special. F. Brown on Footplate. George C.L. Coop c1963". https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/59d575b921ea6e1278d78042 However based on frame no. 10, date set as 1962Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP3 black and white negative transparencyd3-639, d3-class steam locomotive, echuca-moama road rail bridge, edgar henry brownbill, george coop collection, murray river, vr commissioner's special train

In this picture can be seen steam locomotive J-521 and tender to which is attached State Car No. 5. It is believed that the other support carriages have been de-attached and the train has pulled up at the front of the platform allowing room for other trains to pull in. Immediately behind on the same track at the platform is a Diesel Electric Rail Motor (DERM) and C-class bogey (luggage) then a small (articulated) rail car (articulated) then a cattle van. On the adjacent track is State Car No. 2 (Melville) and a C-van. State Car No. 2 (Melville) was used a power generation car for special trains and the Train of Knowledge. State Car No. 5 is in the design of the Spirit of Progress. George Coop advised that the occasion is the visit of the Governor of Victoria, Sir Rohan Delacombe to Echuca in 1963. Delacombe had replaced Sir Dallas Brooks in May 1963 who had departed for England on the liner Iberia,11 April 1963 (1963 'SIR DALLAS ON WAY TO U.K.', The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), 9 April, p. 9. , viewed 27 Jan 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104249252) George believes the Governor was doing a considerable formal train ride around the State and Echuca was on the schedule. The ‘platform’ was a special creation for such purposes, located on the wharf spur line that ran behind the Echuca Civic Centre. The large notice board commemorates the Queen’s visit on March 5th, 1954 for which the platform was initially built. From time to time it would get spruced up with pot plants, fresh paint and repaired hand rails for formal functions. George attended the Civic Reception held for the Governor. A picture of His Excellency Sir Rohan Delacombe, Governor of Victoria, and Lady Delacombe about to entrain at Spencer Street for a visit to western Victoria is available on page 4 of VICTORIAN RAILWAYS REPORT OF THE VICTORIAN RAILWAYS COMMISSIONERS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30th JUNE, 1963. (http://www.victorianrailways.net/vr%20history/annual_reports/vrar1963.pdf) More information about the Victorian Railways Royal Train https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_Railways_Royal_Train State Car No. 5 https://www.pjv101.net/cd/pages/c160v06.htm State Car No. 2 (Melville) https://www.pjv101.net/cd/pages/c160v03.htmDigital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP3 black and white negative transparencycattle van, c-van, diesel electric rail motor (derm), echuca, echuca rail yard, echuca railway station, george coop collection, governor of victoria, j-521, rail car, royal train, power car, sir rohan delacombe, state car no. 2 (melville), state car no. 5, train of knowledge, victorian railways

A Harris (Blue) train waits at Eltham StationDigital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford XP1 400 black and white transparencyharris (blue) train, hurstbridge line, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford HP4 black and white transparencyd639, d-639, eltham trestle bridge, red rattler, steam engine, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford HP4 black and white transparencyd639, d-639, eltham trestle bridge, red rattler, steam engine, tait train

Note the blue stone edging surrounding the grassy island in the intersection. This stone was originally part of the blue stone lock-up situated behind the Police Station and residence at 728 Main Road (present day Local History Centre and home to Eltham District Historical Society). Following a redesign of the intersection the stone was again relocated back to 728-730 Main Road for use as garden edging.Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford HP4 black and white transparency471m, 728 main road, local history centre, lockup, police station, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train, wattletree road

Railway Parade (unsealed) in foreground.Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford HP4 black and white transparencyd-639, railway parade, red rattler, steam engine, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparency471m, eltham railway station, hurstbridge line, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Single carriage Red Rattler Tait train which shuttled between Eltham and Hurstbridge and a Harris (Blue) trainDigital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparencyeltham railway station, harris (blue) train, hurstbridge line, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparencydiamond street, eltham, level crossing, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparency471m, diamond creek railway station, hurstbridge line, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparency471m, diamond creek railway station, hurstbridge line, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparency471m, diamond creek railway station, hurstbridge line, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparency471m, diamond creek railway station, hurstbridge line, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparency471m, diamond street, eltham, hurstbridge line, level crossing, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparency471m, allendale road, eltham, hurstbridge line, level crossing, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparency471m, allendale road, eltham, hurstbridge line, level crossing, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparency471m, allendale road, eltham, hurstbridge line, level crossing, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 9 x 13 cm black and white printparcels van, red rattler, spencer street, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 9 x 13 cm black and white printbanksia street, heidelberg railway station, overpass, parcels van, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 9 x 13 cm black and white printbanksia street, heidelberg railway station, overpass, parcels van, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Waiting for the Train of Knowledge to come pass. Viewed from a road overpass where the train heading to Ballarat sweeps around from the right and passes below the road.Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparencyballan, t-406, t-class diesel electric locomotive., train of knowledge

Waiting for the Train of Knowledge to come pass. Viewed from a road overpass where the train heading to Ballarat sweeps around from the right and passes below the road.Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparencyballan, t-406, t-class diesel electric locomotive., train of knowledge

Waiting for the Train of Knowledge to come pass. Viewed from a road overpass where the train heading to Ballarat sweeps around from the right and passes below the road.Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparencyballan, t-406, t-class diesel electric locomotive., train of knowledge

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford XP1 black and white transparency471m, allendale road, diamond creek, hurstbridge line, red rattler, red rattler single carriage, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford XP1 black and white transparency471m, allendale road, diamond creek, hurstbridge line, red rattler, red rattler single carriage, single motor carriage, tait train

View is looking northwest from the hillside just north of Allendale Road. The long rectangular house in the upper left is No. 22 Challenger Street, Diamond Creek, right at the sharp turn into Price Court. On the track in the straight section heading northwest are two small bridges where the track crosses the Diamond Creek, each fitted with derailment guard rails to prevent severe derailments should a train come off the tracks whilst crossing the culverts. Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparency471m, allendale road, challenger street, derailment guard rail, diamond creek, hurstbridge line, price court, red rattler, red rattler single carriage, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparency471m, allendale road, diamond creek, hurstbridge line, red rattler, red rattler single carriage, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparency471m, allendale road, derailment guard rail, diamond creek, hurstbridge line, railway bridge, red rattler, red rattler single carriage, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparency471m, allendale road, derailment guard rail, diamond creek, hurstbridge line, railway bridge, red rattler, red rattler single carriage, single motor carriage, tait train