Sir Humphrey: If local authorities don't send us statistics, Government figures will be a nonsense.

Hacker: Why?

Sir Humphrey: They'll be incomplete.

Hacker: Government figures are a nonsense, anyway.

Bernard: I think Sir Humphrey wants to ensure they're a complete nonsense.

For context, the Yarra Valley & Dandenong Ranges tourism region had 5.3 million visitors last year. An extra 250,000 pa visiting due to the existence of another major tourism infrastructure project is well within the realm of possibility. Another thing to remember is that people wouldn't just be visiting the Yarra Valley to 'ride on the steam train' - it would be an additional positive factor in their decision-making process.

For example: say you're a parent with young kids and you are thinking about taking them out to the Healesville Sanctuary. You may not want to be there for the whole day lest your offspring start trying to eat the exhibits out of sheer boredom. Then you realise that you don't want to make the 1.5 hour round trip just to spend a couple of hours at the Sanctuary - now the idea is looking all too hard and you're thinking about other places to go. But now you read that there's a steam train running between Healesville and Yarra Glen as well, which tips the balance and results in you piling the kids into the car on a Sunday morning to go off to the Yarra Valley. This is well established tourism marketing theory.

The State Liberals announced yesterday their matching commitment to the $3.75 million grant to return steam-hauled services to the YVR:

good tp see bipartisan support for this project.

So when it’s a Labor campaign promise, it’s a meaningless reannouncement, and when the Liberals play catch-up it’s a “good to see” project? Just so we’re clear...

come on people - wakey wakey!   lot,s of new steel bridges
miles of 107lb rail,lots of ballast, when does the first spark run to healesville eh!
Do you really think all the largesse isn't about future planning?

Do you really think all the largesse isn't about future planning?

Why "future" planning?  It's difficult to plan for anything but the future.

The State Liberals announced yesterday their matching commitment to the $3.75 million grant to return steam-hauled services to the YVR:

The twitter clip says "Steam trains will return to the Yarra Valley for the first time in 40 years."  That is not quite correct.  The last Steamrail-operated trains to Yarra Glen were in 1986 - there is a nice picture on the front of Newsrail for November 1986, with K190 heading a special bound for Yarra Glen on July 13th 1986.  Which makes it about 32 years ago.

come on people - wakey wakey!   lot,s of new steel bridges
miles of 107lb rail,lots of ballast, when does the first spark run to healesville eh!
Do you really think all the largesse isn't about future planning?

Healesville saw plenty of sparks in February 2009, but they are the only kind it is ever likely to see in the future (and hopefully very few of those).

come on people - wakey wakey!   lot,s of new steel bridges
miles of 107lb rail,lots of ballast, when does the first spark run to healesville eh!
Do you really think all the largesse isn't about future planning?

That's funny, thinking the society  have done all this work so the government can  step in and extend the line. If they extend back to Healesville it would virtually be a new alighment and cost billions. The infrastructure now for the tourist RR would not cut it.

But still might make you wonder !

Regards,
David Head

come on people - wakey wakey!   lot,s of new steel bridges
miles of 107lb rail,lots of ballast, when does the first spark run to healesville eh!
Do you really think all the largesse isn't about future planning?

If you foamed any harder you'd need a rabies shot.

The 'largesse' is all about tourism investment - that was the case that the YVR (and Council) made to funding bodies. International rail tourism is a barely tapped market in Victoria (Puffing Billy notwithstanding) and Yarra Glen - Healesville is just about the perfect spot in Victoria for a tourist line. It's a short section with great and varied scenery. Add regular steam-hauled services and it becomes a world-class tourism product.

The twitter clip says "Steam trains will return to the Yarra Valley for the first time in 40 years."  That is not quite correct.  The last Steamrail-operated trains to Yarra Glen were in 1986 - there is a nice picture on the front of Newsrail for November 1986, with K190 heading a special bound for Yarra Glen on July 13th 1986.  Which makes it about 32 years ago.

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story!

BG

Further to LD's comment above, there is this from the local tourism authority:

http://www.yarrarangestourism.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/YR_Railway_Prospectus.pdf

(You may need to enlarge it and then scroll sideways)

There is also reference to a "Yarra Valley Trail", which is proposed to run from Lilydale to Yarra Glen, then on to Healesville, and then on to Woori Yallock.  How this will mesh with existing railway infrastructure, both abandoned and not, is unclear.

http://www.yarrarangestourism.com.au/about/our-advocacy/yarra-valley-trail/

Further to LD's comment above, there is this from the local tourism authority:

http://www.yarrarangestourism.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/YR_Railway_Prospectus.pdf

(You may need to enlarge it and then scroll sideways)

There is also reference to a "Yarra Valley Trail", which is proposed to run from Lilydale to Yarra Glen, then on to Healesville, and then on to Woori Yallock.  How this will mesh with existing railway infrastructure, both abandoned and not, is unclear.

http://www.yarrarangestourism.com.au/about/our-advocacy/yarra-valley-trail/

There is now a cycle / walking track from Castlemaine > Maldon which runs along the VGR line for most of it's journey using the rail access track for the most part.

It was developed with full co-operation from the railway as I understand it as it is seen as just another cog in the Tourist offering wheel. It is expected that people will ride / walk one way or part of the journey and use the VGR train for the rest. There is even talk of a special carriage to cater for the expected influx of Pax with bikes.

It also provided an upgrade to the path used for our annual Race the Train event (yes, I know, we stole the idea from Puff.......) which draws big numbers of riders and rail passengers.

BG

Further to LD's comment above, there is this from the local tourism authority:

http://www.yarrarangestourism.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/YR_Railway_Prospectus.pdf

(You may need to enlarge it and then scroll sideways)

There is also reference to a "Yarra Valley Trail", which is proposed to run from Lilydale to Yarra Glen, then on to Healesville, and then on to Woori Yallock.  How this will mesh with existing railway infrastructure, both abandoned and not, is unclear.

http://www.yarrarangestourism.com.au/about/our-advocacy/yarra-valley-trail/

There is now a cycle / walking track from Castlemaine > Maldon which runs along the VGR line for most of it's journey using the rail access track for the most part.

It was developed with full co-operation from the railway as I understand it as it is seen as just another cog in the Tourist offering wheel. It is expected that people will ride / walk one way or part of the journey and use the VGR train for the rest. There is even talk of a special carriage to cater for the expected influx of Pax with bikes.

It also provided an upgrade to the path used for our annual Race the Train event (yes, I know, we stole the idea from Puff.......) which draws big numbers of riders and rail passengers.

BG

Although rail trails seem to have many haters, they are certainly popular and even though I would much rather ride a train,  where that is no longer possible I enjoy riding my bike along the old rail corridors.  A far better option than seeing overgrown and rusty infrastructure on abandoned lines.  

Now having a one-way bike ride and return via train would be even better.  The Yarra Glen Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery is not too far to ride from Yarra Glen - that would be a personal highlight for me!

I stopped by Yarra Glen last week, looks like the platform restoration is progressing well.

Further to LD's comment above, there is this from the local tourism authority:

http://www.yarrarangestourism.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/YR_Railway_Prospectus.pdf

(You may need to enlarge it and then scroll sideways)

There is also reference to a "Yarra Valley Trail", which is proposed to run from Lilydale to Yarra Glen, then on to Healesville, and then on to Woori Yallock.  How this will mesh with existing railway infrastructure, both abandoned and not, is unclear.

http://www.yarrarangestourism.com.au/about/our-advocacy/yarra-valley-trail/

The Prospectus was created jointly between the YVR, Yarra Ranges Council and Yarra Ranges Tourism. If you've ever wondered how much effort it takes to get State & Federal Government grants these days, that's the sort of literature you have to lobby them with. It's a fair bit removed from just having some unhinged Facebook fairy issuing 'press releases'.

As for the Yarra Valley Trail and it's interaction with the YVR - current information released by Yarra Ranges Council (preliminary to the release of the Master Plan) is for:

• Stage 1 (Lilydale to Yarra Glen) to use the railway formation for its entire length. It isn't known yet whether the timber trestle bridges along the Yarra Flats will be repaired, replaced in situ or bypassed. I have heard and read conflicting stories on this matter.
• Stage 2 (Yarra Glen to Healesville) to use the railway corridor (but not the formation) where possible, with an as-yet-undetermined deviation around the tunnel. Cyclists may have to wear gumboots in winter for the section around Tarrawarra.
• Stage 3 (Healesville to Woori Yallock) has no interface with the YVR in any way and will probably be postponed for a few years regardless due to environmental planning issues.

If they could only get metrontrains back to Yarra glen people could meet the train there the same way VGr operates.

Possible ?

If they could only get metrontrains back to Yarra glen people could meet the train there the same way VGr operates.

Possible ?

Ok, I'll bite. Coldstream is a faint possibility. Any further is highly unlikely, BUT if the unlikely comes off there would need to be a new separate platform or the existing platform extended at Yarra Glen to allow Metro passenger trains free movement.

Rick

If they could only get metrontrains back to Yarra glen people could meet the train there the same way VGr operates.

Possible ?

Ok, I'll bite. Coldstream is a faint possibility. Any further is highly unlikely, BUT if the unlikely comes off there would need to be a new separate platform or the existing platform extended at Yarra Glen to allow Metro passenger trains free movement.

Rick

Would have to be a separate platform on a separate line. Hell will freeze over before the RTBU (and probably Metro for that matter) will let volunteers drive on any section of track that interfaces or connects with Metro or any other mainline operator.

The VGR line is separate from the Bendigo line and V/Line loco crew and safe workers are required for a transfer of any rollingstock between the two.

BG

If they could only get metrontrains back to Yarra glen people could meet the train there the same way VGr operates.

Possible ?

Three things that are at play here:

1. Is this a population growth area? No.
2. Are there considerable votes to be gained by pumping plenty of money into providing this extension to passenger services? No.
3. Are there large quantities of rail-friendly freight to provide a need for heavy rail to be extended to Yarra Glen? No.

With all of those answers being a resounding no, then you can probably forget about passenger services being extended anywhere past Coldstream.

That said, I wouldn't say never, because never is forever, and forever is a long long way away, but it won't be happening in the next 30 to 40 years.

I think we're done with this line of enquiry now. Any return of rail services heritage or otherwise between Coldstream and Yarra Glen would be expensive, deliver low benefits and consequently be highly unlikely.

Can y'all stop asking that question repeatedly now?

New subdivisions are planned for Coldstream (time seems to have bypassed this sleepy Hollow) you may have at sometime in the future an extension as fas as Yering offering a park and ride facility , similar to the Park'n' Ride setup at Doncaster.  MAYBE.

Yering ...??  To cater for the enormous amounts of passenger traffic at the nearby Lilydale Airport??

Yering ...??  To cater for the enormous amounts of passenger traffic at the nearby Lilydale Airport??

No to cater for the Airspace between your ears and LD's I said MAYBE...………...

You evidently cannot appreciate an ironic, cynical, tongue-in-cheek and ludicrous comment which was never meant to be taken seriously.

I was tempted to add speculation about how Lilydale Airport might get its rail link before Tullamarine does, but that would have been taking the joke a bit too far.

From the Yarra Ranges Local News for Feb/March 2019:

"Yarra Valley Trail
A draft lease has been received from VicTrack for section one from Lilydale to Yarra Glen and is being assessed.  Yarra Valley Railway has agreed to provide access for the trail to transition through a section of their leased area and for Council to develop shared visitor facilities that will service rail trail users and Yarra Valley Railway customers.  Council has been awarded $2.5m from the State Government's Growing Suburbs Fund for stage one.  Council will also receive $2.5m via the Eastern Metropolitan Partnership process."

I guess that means shared facilities such as toilets, possibly bike storage, in the Yarra Glen station area.