This image of the Ralph Falkiner’s Mueller Petrol-Electric Road Train was taken in Wodonga in February 1914. Imported from Germany by Mr Ralph S Falkiner in late 1913, the train’s inventor, Major W A Mueller with two assistants, came to Melbourne to assemble then commission the train. The train cost Mr Falkiner about £13,000 plus £4,591 import duties. The Falkiner family were sheep breeders in the Western Riverina and he hoped to use the road train primarily to convey wool to the railways for despatch to Sydney. The train was 216 feet long, weighed 43.5 tons with a top speed loaded of 6-8m/h and petrol consumption up to two gallons per mile. Its first Australian journey was to haul 50 tons of cargo to Edmondson & Co at Wagga Wagga, 277 miles away. The journey from Melbourne was plagued with problems including broken cylinders and crank shaft and overheating as it was not designed for Australian climatic conditions. Three months after leaving Melbourne it arrived in Wodonga. A series of problems between Springhurst and Wodonga, including broken cylinders and valves caused an eight day delay. Some of the cargo was off-loaded in Albury, then after repairs the train continued on to Wagga where it arrived in May 1914. After unloading there, the road train was taken to Mr Falkiner's Groongal Station, near Hay and subsequently made several long trips into drought-stricken areas or the Western Riverina. Eventually the dream collapsed when the engines gave out after the train bogged in the sticky black soil of the Hay plain with 251 bales of wool on board. The train was finally railed back to Melbourne and stored but destroyed when the warehouse burnt down. In this photo, the road train is drawn up outside the Wodonga Stores and Bakery owned and operated by George Leighton. Mr Leighton began his business opposite the Terminus Hotel in Sydney Street, Wodonga in 1885. His business included a general store, stocking groceries, ironmongery, drapery, crockeryware, boots and shoes as well as a bakery. He was very actively involved in the community and served on the Wodonga Council for 18 years including three terms as Wodonga Shire President in 1901 – 02, 1910-11 and 1913-14. He was also Chairman of the Wodonga Waterworks Trust for several terms. Mr. Leighton also took a prominent part in the movement to establish a Public Library in Wodonga. His other involvements including being a Founder of the Wodonga Lodge of Freemasons, Honorary Treasurer of the Wodonga Bulldogs Football Club and Secretary of the Wodonga Racing Club. Mr Leighton passed away in Wodonga in 1916.This image is significant because it records a rare event in Wodonga and an experiment in Australian road transport.Black and white images of the Falkiner Road Train in Wodonga and on its first journey from Melbourne to Wagga, NSW It is taken in front of the Wodonga Stores and Bakery operated by George Leighton in Sydney Street, Wodonga.falkiner electric train, early road transport, high street wodonga, george leighton

The first electric train arrived on schedule at 10.50 am on Sunday 15th April 1923. Over 200 people were at the station to witness this. The train driver was Francis (Frank) Bond who lived in Bridge Street. He died in 1952 aged 85 and is buried at Eltham. A picture published in the Argus 16 April 1923 p.7 and shows the driver (Bond) and the conductor. He would have been around 56 years of age at this time. One of his son's William Joseph Bond was killed in France in July 1916. The men on the tracks may be engineers and transport officials from the railways who were pictured but may also include Councillors Bradbury (president), Andrew and Shallard who were on the platform RAILWAY ELECTRIFICATION: FINAL STEP COMPLETED. (1923, April 16). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 7. Retrieved July 30, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1890701 (Research notes from Alan Sheehan c.2014) Pages from a scrapbook belonging to Heather Jenkins (nee Cone) who lived as a child in the Police Residence at 728 Main Road, Eltham in the 1920s.Heather Jenkins was the daughter of Constable John Thomas Cone, Badge #3935 served at Eltham Police Station 1 May 1911 to 9 July 1922.Glued on a brown paper scrapbook page (torn from scrapbook) with 9 black and white/sepia photos of varying sizes, 1 newspaper clipping and handwritten captions in ink.On verso in pencil "Const. W.C. Sargeant 1922-1927 - see Police list"eltham, eltham railway station, railway line, electric train

Date is approximate. Electric trains replaced steam locomotives in 1922. Mr William Holmes of 'Lugano', Mont Albert Road was in charge of the design and introduction of the electrification of the Melbourne rail system.Black and white photo of an early electric train approaching the platform at Mont Albert station. A couple of spindly eucalyptus trees can be seen beyond the picket fence marking the boundary of the platform.Black and white photo mounted on card; measures 16.3 cm x 23.4 cm.mont albert station, railways, trains, norman carter

Photos taken by the donor Glen Stuart on the last day of the train service, which finally cut out about 4.30 on the Saturday afternoonOne from a set of eight colour photographs of the last electric train to Port Melbourne before the closure of the line on 10.10.198710.10.87 typed on rear of each phototransport - railways, north port railway station

Photos taken by the donor Glen Stuart on the last day of the train service, which finally cut out about 4.30 on the Saturday afternoonOne from a set of eight colour photographs of the last electric train to Port Melbourne before the closure of the line on 10.10.198710.10.87 typed on rear of each phototransport - railways, north port railway station

Photos taken by the donor Glen Stuart on the last day of the train service, which finally cut out about 4.30 on the Saturday afternoonOne from a set of eight colour photographs of the last electric train to Port Melbourne before the closure of the line on 10.10.198710.10.87 typed on rear of each phototransport - railways, north port railway station

Photos taken by the donor Glen Stuart on the last day of the train service, which finally cut out about 4.30 on the Saturday afternoonOne from a set of eight colour photographs of the last electric train to Port Melbourne before the closure of the line on 10.10.198710.10.87 typed on rear of each phototransport - railways, north port railway station

Photos taken by the donor Glen Stuart on the last day of the train service, which finally cut out about 4.30 on the Saturday afternoonOne from a set of eight colour photographs of the last electric train to Port Melbourne before the closure of the line on 10.10.198710.10.87 typed on rear of each phototransport - railways, north port railway station

Photos taken by the donor Glen Stuart on the last day of the train service, which finally cut out about 4.30 on the Saturday afternoonOne from a set of eight colour photographs of the last electric train to Port Melbourne before the closure of the line on 10.10.198710.10.87 typed on rear of each phototransport - railways, north port railway station

Photos taken by the donor Glen Stuart on the last day of the train service, which finally cut out about 4.30 on the Saturday afternoonOne from a set of eight colour photographs of the last electric train to Port Melbourne before the closure of the line on 10.10.198710.10.87 typed on rear of each phototransport - railways, north port railway station

Photos taken by the donor Glen Stuart on the last day of the train service, which finally cut out about 4.30 on the Saturday afternoonOne from a set of eight colour photographs of the last electric train to Port Melbourne before the closure of the line on 10.10.198710.10.87 typed on rear of each phototransport - railways, north port railway station

Viewed from Box Hill Signal Box Waiting at the level crossing is a Ford Zephyr MKII, registation GWH838 manufactured by Ford Australia in Geelong, (1956-1962) Cross Ref EDHS_04674-10 taken within minutes of this image. Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodachrome positive transparencygeorge coop collection, 515m, box hill, electric train, ford zephyr, gwh838, harris (blue) train, railway crossing, station street, level crossing

Black and white photographs {1 large, 1 smaller}Typed below photograph, "First electric train going towards Ringwood passing through Heatherdale Rd. railway crossing 1923"

The Harris blue electric trains were introduced in c1955 and followed the 'Red Rattlers'. They had a long life and were named after Norman Charles Harris, Chairman of Commissioners of the Victorian Railways, between 1940 and 1950. The first 30 7-carriage trains, known as the first series, were constructed in the United Kingdom by Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company, and delivered between 1956 and 1959. Another 30, the second series, were built by Martin & King in Melbourne, and delivered between 1961 and 1967. The trains had either two or three sets of hand-operated dual sliding doors per carriage side. Later they were fitted with power doors. Initially, until late 1978, the interiors were split into smoking and no-smoking compartments. In 1978 smoking on trains was abolished. Carriages were also designated as First or Second class until 1958, when one class travel was introduced. they had florescent lights but no heating. Most of the early carriages did not have end doors and gangways between carriages, but safety concerns led these being incorporated in the sets delivered from mid-1966. With the exceptions of the last few carriages built, all Harris trains contained asbestos insulation. The first sets contained blue asbestos, and the later sets contained white asbestos in the linings for insulation of noise and temperature. Due to the presence of asbestos, they began to be withdrawn from the mid-1980s and most were disposed of in the 1990s, by being buried at Talbot Quarry in Clayton, some having been wrapped in plastic. No original Harris trailer cars remain. A coloured photograph of a blue Harris electric train heading towards Surrey Hills station from Mont Albert station. The electricity sub-station and Lorne Parade are on the RHS of the photo and Beresford Street on the LHS. The grey, smoggy appearance of the sky suggests a winter's morning.surrey hills, trains, lorne parade, beresford street, norman charles harris, gloucester railway carriage and wagon company, martin & king, talbot quarry, harris blue train

An outline of the changes in the Greensborough district following the advent of the 'electric train', particularly in housing development.Newspaper clipping downloaded from Trove. 1 page.greensborough history, husrstbridge railway line, greensborough station

Photograph of an electric freight train with caboose at Greensborough Station, c1970s. Digital copy of black and white photograph. trains, greensborough railway station, freight trains

Climbing the hill from Surrey Hills having just crossed Mont Albert Road.Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP3 black and white transparencygeorge coop collection, harris (blue) train, mont albert railway station

Behind the train on the rear walls of buildings are advertising for Haydn Real Estate, Victoria Insurance Co. Ltd and K&M Murray selling Toppa Ice Cream.Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP3 black and white transparencygeorge coop collection, harris (blue) train, advertising, haydn real estate, k&m murray, toppa ice cream., victoria insurance co ltd

Heading to Hurstbridge Eltham Shire Council Offices in backgroundDigital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparencyeltham shire office, eltham trestle bridge, red rattler, tait train

Heading to Princes Bridge in Melbourne Eltham Shire Council Offices in backgroundDigital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparencyeltham shire office, eltham trestle bridge, red rattler, tait train

Source: Mr. G. LeBrocq, Luck St., ElthamThis photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book,"Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as the 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital imagesepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, eltham, railway station

Postcard was copied from a photo copy collected by societyBlack & White copy of a Postcard showing Mitcham Railway Station with an electric train leaving the station for Melbourne. Note the Tile works in the background. Post card published by G B Carter M4803mitcham railway station, electric train

A Flinders Street bound Hitachichi electric train is waiting at the station.Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparencyeltham railway station, hitachi electric train, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

A Flinders Street bound Hitachichi electric train is waiting at the station.Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparency473m, eltham railway station, hitachi electric train, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

A Flinders Street Hitachichi electric train sits in the siding at the station.Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparency473m, eltham railway station, hitachi electric train, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

A Tait Single Motor Carriage prepares to return to Hurstbridge whilst a Flinders Street Hitachi electric train awaits departureDigital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparencyeltham railway station, hitachi electric train, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

A Tait Single Motor Carriage prepares to return to Hurstbridge whilst a Flinders Street Hitachi electric train awaits departureDigital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparencyeltham railway station, hitachi electric train, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Originally dated in pen on reverse as 1920 then crossed out to 1925 but it must be post August 1926 due to presence of an electric train. However no sign of the Sunnyside Estate development (1926?) although most of it could be over the hill out of shot. The furrows suggest that the paddock had been an orchard (probably apple).Digital copy of black and white photographelectric train, hurstbridge railway line, railway line, wattle glen, pepper's paddock, lesley mitchell (nee pepper) collection

Chelsea station opened on 4 February 1907 as a single platform stopping station, on a single railway line to Frankston, which was laid in 1882. The double line was introduced in December 1910, and the station expanded to two platforms. In 1922 the railway line was electrified. Four black and white photos of Chelsea Railway station. P01067: Chelsea Railway Station showing office on Melbourne side of station (west); P01068: An electric train (Harris Train also known as the "Blue Train") stationary at Chelsea Station; P 01069: Chelsea railway station showing down side (Frankston) office building; P01070: Chelsea Railway Station office, taken from the ramp on the west side of line.chelsea, electric train, frankston railway line, harris train, blue train

This was a special run for rail enthusiasts and marked the official opening of the first train from Ferntree Gully to Belgrave after the line from Upper Ferntree Gully was converted to broad gauge and electrified.A black and white photograph of the rear of a train with passengers alighting at Surrey Hills station. Signage on the rear indicates that the train was a special excursion marking the electrification of the rail from Ferntree Gully to Belgrave.A sign at the rear of the train states: "First train / Sunday February 18 / Special Excursion / Ferntree Gully Belgrave / Electrification"surrey hills, transport, trains, railways, rail electrification, special rail excursions, official opening