| home |
|
| news |
|
| discussions |
|
| content |
|
| site |
|
|
| technical support | Need Help? Lodge a support ticket!
Note: This is for technical support only. General questions about railways should be posted to the Forums.donation 
Please Donate!photo comp Have YOU voted yet on Photo of the Month?
Click Here!
Voting Closes 30/9search |
| |
| Author |
Message |
wongm
GEEWONG
Joined: May 26, 2005
Last Visited: Aug 30, 2010
Location: Geelong, Victoria
contact
|
post
|
|
| wongm |
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 9:29 pm
|
I noticed on my way into Melbourne yesterday that the siding beside the line on the up side of Spotswood was in the process of being removed. The connection to the main line had been removed a number of years ago, but the tracks were left to the side roadway, where cars would park on them. The siding ripped up was the 'public siding' in Hall Street about 300 metres long parallel to the main line.
There was also siding for Mobil that turned a 90 degree street corner on leaving the previous siding, and ran down Simcock Street a few hundred metres, before entering their plant. It was used for oil traffic.
A third siding diverged just after the main line connection, running on a curve through private land, over Raleigh Street, then into the Australian Glass Manufacturer's plant. This entire siding is still intact rails and all, as well as trackage inside the plant. IIRC it was used until the early 1990s when sand traffic from South Gippsland ceased.
I have some photos I took today - I shall upload them tomorrow. As of tonight only ~50 metres of rail is left at the Spotswood end of the public siding. I intend on contacting some of the industries out that way to get some shots of their sidings - I would have done so today, but their reception wasn't open yet.
And a thing to note - this is a different line to the Spotswood Power Station and Oil lines. I checked those out as well. 
|
|
 |
wongm
GEEWONG
Joined: May 26, 2005
Last Visited: Aug 30, 2010
Location: Geelong, Victoria
contact
|
post
|
|
| wongm |
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 1:26 pm
|
And the photos...
http://wongm.fotopic.net/c1237336.html
The siding in question, looking away from the main line connection:
Looking towards Spotswood:
ACI siding, looking away from the main line:
Looking towards Spotswood:
Crossing sign:
Pulling up the rail:
Curve for the Mobil Siding into Simcock Street:
Along Simcock Street on the Mobil Siding:
Corner of Raleigh and Simcock Streets, level crossing sign for the ACI siding around the corner:
The General Appendix has special instructions for the use of the Mobil Siding due to the sharp curve - only two auto coupled vehicles at a time are allowed around it. They would probably fall over sideways or something otherwise. 
|
|
|
tranzitjim
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jun 09, 2006
Last Visited: Sep 1, 2010
contact
|
post
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 2:05 pm
|
It is a tad sad for the fact that these sidings have been taken out, dispite being Broad gauge tracks.
Why would they not want them anymore?
Are all the industrial properties still operating?
Is there no cargo to be taken out of, or taken into there, if so, why are they not using trains?
|
|
|
trolleybusracer
Deputy Commissioner
Joined: Dec 12, 2006
Last Visited: Oct 13, 2009
Location: St Albans Sydenham Watergardens Line
contact
|
post
|
|
| trolleybusracer |
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 5:49 pm
|
|
I take it the "foggyness" Was the Citylink Smoke?
|
|
|
ZH836301
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Apr 26, 2006
Last Visited: Sep 2, 2010
Location: BleakCity
contact
|
post
|
|
| ZH836301 |
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 5:54 pm
|
I don't know if the above statement deserves a response.
Nice work as usual wongm.
|
|
|
Hitachi_Man
Chief Commissioner
Joined: May 29, 2005
Last Visited: Jun 3, 2008
Location: Melbourne.
contact
|
post
|
|
|
|
KingMaR
Junior Train Controller
Joined: Jan 30, 2007
Last Visited: Aug 13, 2010
Location: Hoppers Crossing Station Building
contact
|
post
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 7:00 pm
|
What a pity. I noticed they were missing - I take the train home every night.
Why would you bother removing them? It isn't like they're obstructing anything.
I remember when they straight-railed the Spotswood level crossing - the familiar clack sound disappeared (as well as the track leading to AGM.)
They also stuck a cheap 2 track sticker over the 3 track original one - I had a strange feeling that the 3 track one was also originally stuck over a 4 track one, but I can't be sure. I'm probably wrong though, I have a poor memory.
Having said that, were the two Mobil sidings ever joined together? There is another track down of Spotswood that heads towards Newport but curves away a little before Newport.
|
|
|
hansonator
Chief Commissioner
Joined: May 08, 2004
Last Visited: Aug 31, 2010
Location: Strathmore, Victoria
contact
|
post
|
|
| hansonator |
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:31 pm
|
| trolleybusracer wrote: | | I take it the "foggyness" Was the Citylink Smoke? |
Thats just stupid.
Wongm, have the got rid of the sidings that run parralel to the down line closer to Newport. The ones seen in the foreground of this image?
http://hansonator.fotopic.net/p39496971.html
There are also rails burried in the ground in yarraville
SRHC Member/Volunteer, CMRPS Member
 UPDATED: 9th March 09 |
|
|
lordofthesheep
Train Controller
Joined: Mar 27, 2006
Last Visited: Dec 18, 2008
Location: Where facts are few and experts are many, Vic
contact
|
post
|
|
|
|
tainted
Missing Link
Joined: Sep 07, 2004
Last Visited: Aug 1, 2010
Location: Shepparton, Vic
contact
|
post
|
|
| tainted |
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 10:24 pm
|
[quote="hansonator"]| trolleybusracer wrote: | ...
Wongm, have the got rid of the sidings that run parralel to the down line closer to Newport. The ones seen in the foreground of this image?
http://hansonator.fotopic.net/p39496971.html
... |
I gather this siding was once electrified, why remove these when upcomming extra electrified rolling stock will need more places to call home over night?
It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.
|
|
|
hansonator
Chief Commissioner
Joined: May 08, 2004
Last Visited: Aug 31, 2010
Location: Strathmore, Victoria
contact
|
post
|
|
| hansonator |
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 7:20 am
|
It looks like it goes into another refining plant, closer to newport. The siding is a km long i'd say
SRHC Member/Volunteer, CMRPS Member
UPDATED: 9th March 09 |
|
|
RM62
Deputy Commissioner
Joined: Jul 01, 2005
Last Visited: Jan 11, 2010
contact
|
post
|
|
| RM62 |
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 10:17 am
|
| hansonator wrote: | | trolleybusracer wrote: | ...
Wongm, have the got rid of the sidings that run parralel to the down line closer to Newport. The ones seen in the foreground of this image?
http://hansonator.fotopic.net/p39496971.html
... |
I gather this siding was once electrified, why remove these when upcomming extra electrified rolling stock will need more places to call home over night? |
This siding no where near secure enough to stable trains overnight, not to mention the costs in upgrading and re-electrification.
|
|
|
hansonator
Chief Commissioner
Joined: May 08, 2004
Last Visited: Aug 31, 2010
Location: Strathmore, Victoria
contact
|
post
|
|
| hansonator |
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 12:00 pm
|
I dobut that it'd see use again, you've got newport workshops a km or so down the line
SRHC Member/Volunteer, CMRPS Member
UPDATED: 9th March 09 |
|
|
wongm
GEEWONG
Joined: May 26, 2005
Last Visited: Aug 30, 2010
Location: Geelong, Victoria
contact
|
post
|
|
| wongm |
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 9:20 pm
|
| tranzitjim wrote: | Are all the industrial properties still operating?
Is there no cargo to be taken out of, or taken into there, if so, why are they not using trains? |
The glass manufacturer is still open, and served by trucks. The main traffic to the siding when it was open was sand from a quarry on the Leongatha line. The closure of that line put an end to that traffic. The Mobil depot is still there, but also road served. There isn't much oil traffic by rail today - IIRC Shell at Corio is the only refinery to still despatch by rail.
| KingMaR wrote: | | Why would you bother removing them? It isn't like they're obstructing anything. |
The rails were in the side of the road, and quite a lot of workers park in the street. Perhaps the council wants to resurface the road?
| KingMaR wrote: | | Having said that, were the two Mobil sidings ever joined together? There is another track down of Spotswood that heads towards Newport but curves away a little before Newport. |
According to Andrew Waugh's station histories (3049K) they were never connected. Also, there was only every three tracks across the crossing.
| hansonator wrote: | Wongm, have the got rid of the sidings that run parralel to the down line closer to Newport. The ones seen in the foreground of this image?
http://hansonator.fotopic.net/p39496971.html |
| tainted wrote: | | I gather this siding was once electrified, why remove these when upcomming extra electrified rolling stock will need more places to call home over night? |
That is the now dismantled "Spotswood - Newport Power Station and Oil Lines" - a 1951 diagram of the area is a Mark Bau's site - Linky
The line was built to bring coal to the former Newport 'A' and Newport 'B' power stations. One power station was opened by the VR to power the suburban railways upon electrification. The second was later opened by the SEC to supply Melbourne. IIRC the coal sidings were electrified in conjunction with the Gippsland electrification works (to allow the through working of col trains) A number of other sidings off this line served a number of oil depots.
If you look at the diagram, there were a number of siding going everywhere. What you see today from the Werribee line is a big empty gap beween the two tank farms. This was the coal sidings that ran at a 90 degree angle to the main line. These lines ran eastward a fair distance, where they crossed Douglas Parade, and entered the power stations (the old power stations were located to the south of the current gas powered station) The area to the north of the plant was various sidings.
Parallel to the coal sidings were the oil lines, which diverged soon after Hall Street. I believe the various Shell Co. sidings were located in the empty space you see today. Further away from the main line, another track branches off from these lines, running north-east. It splits into two - the left being the Caltex siding, that crosses Burleigh Street between Drake St and Douglas Parade, before entering their terminal.
The right hand branch continues along further and splits again, with a spur to the right leading to Ampol's oil depot, a thread about it is here (with a loading platform still visible) The left hand branch crosses Burleigh Street at the corner of Douglas Parade (the property line here reflects the former track) and then continues north along the oil pipelines, until it reaches the 'Holden Oil Dock' which is located to the north of the Westgate bridge - it's a few kilometres long this siding!
At present only the tracks between the main line, and Hall Street are still in place. The points were straight-railed a number of years ago. The coal sidings closed in the 1970s when the coal fired plants closed. The oil sidings lasted longer, until the 1980s or early 1990s.
| hansonator wrote: | | There are also rails burried in the ground in yarraville |
That is the former goods yard, that was located in the park on the east side of the station.
Also - you could just avoid my longwinded description, and check out this *.kml file for Google Earth.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=http://members.optusnet.com.au/~mwongfamily/spotswood-rail.kml&layer=&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=15
OR
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~mwongfamily/spotswood-rail.kml
|
|
|
574M
White Guru
Joined: Mar 15, 2006
Last Visited: Sep 2, 2010
Location: Shepparton
contact
|
post
|
|
| 574M |
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 9:24 pm
|
Nice work, wongm.
Reminds me of your coverage of the former Cunningham Pier line.
|
|
|
|
|
All times are GMT + 10 Hours
|
You cannot post new threads in this forum
You cannot reply to threads in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
Powered by phpBB 2.0.6 © 2001 phpBB Group
Theme images and concept © 2004 by Michael Greenhill and Railpage, All Rights Reserved.
Version 2.0.6 of PHP-Nuke Port by Tom Nitzschner © 2002 www.toms-home.com
|
|
