Description of the existing manual signalling system at Eltham station, to be phased out by the end of 2014.1 p. reprint text and col. photographsLink to The Age photogallery database sourcehurstbridge rail line, eltham station

Roads will be thrown into chaos when a chunk of the Hurstbridge train line is closed for six weeks for track upgrades and the level crossing removal at Rosanna station.News article 1 page, black text and colour image .level crossing removal project, hurstbridge train line closure, rosanna station, hurstbridge rail line

1. Watson's Hotel, cnr. Pitt Street and Main Road Eltham c. 1902. 2. Main Road Hurstbridge. 3. Railway workers celebrate the first steam train to Hurstbridge 1912Three black & white postcardswatson's hotel, eltham, hurstbridge, hurstbridge train line, eltham district historical society

Photographs of the Watsonia station and surrounding train line during construction of the lowered train line - late 1970s.This text and photographs were copied from a Facebook site. Members are people who lived in the Greensborough area and share their reminiscences of the area with others. The site is administered by a GHS member but is not officially affiliated with the Society. Any information is the opinion of the contributor. Photographs and text sourced from social media.watsonia railway station, hurstbridge train line

3 photographs of soil testing conducted at Montmorency Station carpark on 11/06/2019. Investigation for possible duplication of train track or extension of car park. Digital copy of 3 colour photographmontmorency station, hurstbridge train line

The bustling Hurstbridge train line will be duplicated between Greensborough and Eltham if the Opposition wins this year's state election.News article 1 page, black text and colour image .opposition funding promise, greensborough to eltham rail line, hurstbridge rail line

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

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 Ilford FP4 black and white transparency471m, eltham railway station, harris (blue) train, hurstbridge line, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparency471m, eltham railway station, harris (blue) train, hurstbridge line, red rattler, single motor carriage, tait train

Two Harris (Blue) trains can be seen in the Hurstbridge storage yard. Full seven coach trains would be stored here at weekends to permit rapid start of weekday services on a Monday. Meanwhile, Single Motor Carriage trains ran the Eltham-Hurstbridge service adequately at weekends. Two single carriages can be seen here. The Harris trains operated in Melbourne 1956-1988. They were full of asbestos and were taken out of service, wrapped in plastic and buried in land fill near Clayton.Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparencyharris (blue) train, hurstbridge line, 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

Buses will continue to replace trains on the Hurstbridge line next month.News article 1 page, black text.public transport victoria, buses replace trains, hurstbridge rail line

More car parking space, lighting and CCTV will be installed at Montmorency train station, courtesy of the State Government.News article 1 page, black text.montmorency station, montmorency station carpark, hurstbridge rail line

Banyule Council is fed-up with the state's peak roads body for ignoring requests to track how far cars drive to park at its train stations.News article 1 page, black text and colour image .car parking at stations, hurstbridge rail line, banyule city council

Hurstbridge bound train at road level, Watsonia 1970. Digital copy of black and white photographwatsonia station, hurstbridge rail line, trains

A tree collapsed across the platform of Montmorency station and onto a train on Tuesday night last week, forcing the Hurstbridge line to come to a standstill for up to three hours.News article 1 page, black text, colour image.montmorency station, tree collapse, hurstbridge rail line

A view of Watsonia Station before the train line was lowered and the station became an 'island' station. Watsonia Station is on the Hurstbridge line and was opened in 1924.Digital copy of colour photograph.watsonia station

A view of Watsonia Station before the train line was lowered and the station became an 'island' station. Watsonia Station is on the Hurstbridge line and was opened in 1924.Digital copy of colour photograph.watsonia station

Metal keyring, white rubber toy hat, miniature 30ml bottle of sunscreen, lolly and sticker sheet, all part of a gice-away to commemorate opening of Greensborough Railway Station.Metal keyring, white rubber toy hat, miniature 30ml bottle of sunscreen, lolly and sticker sheetgreensborough railway station, hurstbridge rail line, memorabilia

Printed hession bag distributed at opening of Greensborough Railway StationDraw string hessian bag printed with black textgreensborough railway station, memorabilia, hurstbridge line upgrade

Correspondence and information from the State Government about the Hurstbridge Line upgrade 2010. Also includes newspaper articles, Nillumbik Shire Council minutes report, map and contextual information regarding the Eltham Major Activity Centre structure Plan 2009. The main area of concern was the plan to reconfigue the Eltham stabling yard.23 documents, 62 pages of news clippings, photocopies and colour political fliersHG Folders 108 and 115harry gilham collection, railway line construction, hurstbridge line, hurstbridge railway line, eltham railway station, eltham station carpark, train stabling yard

The locomotive was built by the American Baldwin Locomotive works in 1880 and was converted to a W class engine by the Phoenix Foundry at Ballarat in 1882. Agitation for a railway extension began in 1888 when a meeting was held at Arthurs Creek to press for the construction of a railway line from Heidelberg to Kinglake. The Chairman Mr Charles Draper said this was necessary because this was the best fruit growing district in Victoria. Mr Cameron M.P. pointed out that whatever route the line took it would have to follow the Diamond Valley from Eltham. At the same time another meeting was pressing for the line to be extended to Queenstown (St Andrews). However when detailed surveys were made it was discovered that the only possible route was to Hurstbridge because of the hills. In 1912 the railway was opened terminating at Hurstbridge. Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 4 stripsKodak Safety 5035steam train, w-197, railway construction, steam locomotive

Agitation for a railway extension began in 1888 when a meeting was held at Arthurs Creek to press for the construction of a railway line from Heidelberg to Kinglake. The Chairman Mr Charles Draper said this was necessary because this was the best fruit growing district in Victoria. Mr Cameron M.P. pointed out that whatever route the line took it would have to follow the Diamond Valley from Eltham. At the same time another meeting was pressing for the line to be extended to Queenstown (St Andrews). However when detailed surveys were made it was discovered that the only possible route was to Hurstbridge because of the hills. In 1912 the railway was opened terminating at Hurstbridge. Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 4 stripsKodak Safety 5035steam train, railway construction, wattle glen

Covered under National Trust of Australia (Victoria) State Significance and Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p103 The Eltham railway trestle bridge is the only one of its kind still regularly used in Melbourne’s metropolitan railway network. Opened in 1902, it is also one of Victoria’s very few timber rail bridges that still carries trains.1 The bridge is part of the railway line extension from Heidelberg - extended to Hurstbridge in 1912. This extension resulted in one of the greatest social changes experienced in Eltham Shire, as it considerably lessened its isolation attracting tourists, artists and suburban commuters particularly after World War Two.2 The bridge has been classified by the National Trust as historically, scientifically, aesthetically and socially significant at state level. But this has not always been recognised, and in 1977, locals fought to save it from destruction. The Victorian Railways proposed to replace the bridge with an earth embankment and large culverts to avoid maintenance problems and fire. This was rejected by the Eltham Council who protested that the bridge helped maintain the area’s rural character, historic link and beauty, as well as avoiding possible serious flooding on the flood plain if a culvert was blocked. The bridge stands as part of a National Trust classified landscape which includes the Alistair Knox Park, named after the local conservationist and architect who helped to make Eltham famous for its mud-brick houses. The landscape includes tall and spreading manna gums and candlebarks, and the historic Shillinglaw Cottage. Artist Walter Withers, one of the Heidelberg School of painters, painted the bridge early in the 20th century. The 38 span single-track railway bridge over creek and road has 34 timber-beam spans and four steel-joist spans, supported by four-pile timber piers and timber abutments. It has almost 200m of timber deck. All of the timbers have been replaced over the years, but the only change to the bridge’s character was the addition of pylons and wiring for electric trains in 1923. A petition for a railway to the shire was first made in 1883. A large deputation of local citizens to the Commissioner of Railways proposed a route passing through Alphington to midway between Greensborough and Eltham up the Diamond Creek valley towards Queenstown and Kinglake. As a result the Princes Bridge-Heidelberg Railway was opened in 1888. From 1888 locals demanded a railway extension. Kangaroo Ground farmers in particular, led by Shire Councillor and Member for Evelyn, Ewen Cameron, said it would assist local farmers and orchardists send their produce to the Melbourne market. In 1890, before the severe economic Depression, an extension of the line to Hurst’s Bridge (now Hurstbridge) was included in a new Railways Bill. The parliamentary delegations were regaled with a banquet at Hurst’s barn and entertained by the Diamond Creek Brass Band, but the extension was abandoned when the Depression struck in 1892-1893. The extension of the railway to Eltham, completed in 1902, was one of the few built in those hard times. That is why the Eltham timber-trestle railway bridge is a rare example of a broad-gauge rail bridge constructed between 1893 and 1910. At the opening, despite persistent drizzle, 300 children waving flags and banners were among the large crowd welcoming the first train, carrying official dignitaries, to Eltham. It had taken 24 years to bring the railway to Eltham. From then Eltham became a popular destination for outings. Mr Orford of Eltham recalled that after the railway came to Eltham ‘the craze for picnics on weekends and holidays began…. During the wattle season, wattle trains came to Eltham frequently. The visitors roamed the creek pulling great armfuls of wattle blossom to take back with them to Melbourne’.3 In 1926 the railway line was electrified as part of the metropolitan rail network. But the Victorian Railways decided not to complete the formerly planned Diamond Valley Railway to Queenstown (now St Andrews) and Kinglake.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, eltham railway trestle bridge, eltham trestle bridge

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparencyhitachi electric train (1972-2014), hurstbridge line, montmorency

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP4 black and white transparencyhurstbridge line, montmorency, red rattler, 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

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