Warburton
Overview
StatusClosed line - Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail
OwnerVictorian Railways (VR) (1901–1965)
LocaleMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
Termini
Continues fromLilydale
Connecting linesLilydale line
Former connectionsHealesville line, Powelltown tramway
Stations
  • 11 former stations
  • 2 former sidings
Service
TypeFormer Melbourne suburban service
Operator(s)Victorian Railways (VR) (1901–1965)
History
Commenced13 November 1901 (1901-11-13)
Opened
  • Lilydale to Warburton on 13 November 1901 (1901-11-13)
  • Warburton to La La Siding on 3 May 1909 (1909-05-03)
Completed3 May 1909 (1909-05-03)
Closed
  • Closed on 29 July 1965 (1965-07-29)
  • Last train on 1 August 1965 (1965-08-01)
Technical
Line length39.768 km (24.711 mi)
Number of tracksSingle track
Track gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Route map

km
Up arrow
37.8
Lilydale
(old site)
38.4
End of Metro area
Olinda Creek
Right arrow
44.2
Mount Evelyn
49.3
Wandin
52.5
Seville
55.8
Killara
Woori Yallock Creek
59.8
Woori Yallock
65.0
Launching Place
63.1
Yarra Junction
Left arrow
Powelltown Tramway
to Powelltown
69.1
Britannia
Left arrow
Britannia Creek Tramway
Little Yarra River
71.7
Wesburn
73.4
Millgrove
76.7
Warburton
77.6
La La Siding
Down arrow
Warburton Tramway
km

Mt Evelyn railway station ~1920

The Warburton railway line just outside Melbourne, Australia, was a railway branching off from the Healesville line at the present terminus, Lilydale.

History

a steam train crossing an old bridge
A black and white photograph of the new steel railway bridge over Maroondah Highway, Lilydale, with a steam engine and its carriages crossing during initial testing.

The route between Lilydale and Warburton was originally proposed to be built as one of four experimental narrow gauge lines, but the recommendation was not accepted and the Warburton line opened as a 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) railway on Wednesday, 13 November 1901. The line from Lilydale to Warburton was slightly over 37 kilometres (23 mi) long. The last train ran on Sunday, 1 August 1965, although the official closure was on 29 July 1965.

Services

Throughout its life the Warburton line had both passenger and goods services. Although passenger services generally ran as a shuttle between Lilydale and Warburton stations), some were operated by so-called E trains, which consisted of either two electric swing-door cars (generally known as "dog boxes") or two Tait cars,[1] hauling a number country carriages on services that ran express for most of their journey from Flinders Street station to Ringwood, except for a stop at Box Hill. At Lilydale, the country carriages were detached, and hauled by a steam locomotive to their destination at Warburton, with the reverse arrangement for the return trip.

Current status

Although the track was dismantled in the 1970s, the Warburton line right-of-way is intact, except for a short section leased to Mount Lilydale Mercy College. All the bridges are still in place, except the one that previously crossed the Maroondah Highway. A new bridge, allowing the highway to be safely crossed by cyclists and pedestrians, was completed in 2011. The route formerly used by the line is now the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail, a pedestrian, bicycle and equestrian trail.

Station histories

Station Opened[2] Closed[2] Age Notes
Lilydale1 December 1882 || || data-sort-value=51,540 | 141 years
Mount Evelyn13 November 1901 || 29 July 1965 || data-sort-value=23,269 | 63 years
  • Formerly Olinda Vale
  • Formerly Evelyn
Wandin13 November 1901 || 29 July 1965 || data-sort-value=23,269 | 63 years
Seville13 November 1901 || 29 July 1965 || data-sort-value=23,269 | 63 years
Killara13 November 1901 || 29 July 1965 || data-sort-value=23,269 | 63 years
Woori Yallock13 November 1901 || 29 July 1965 || data-sort-value=23,269 | 63 years
  • Formerly Woori Yallock
  • Formerly Woori
Launching Place13 November 1901 || 29 July 1965 || data-sort-value=23,269 | 63 years
Yarra Junction13 November 1901 || 29 July 1965 || data-sort-value=23,269 | 63 years
Britannia9 September 1902 || March 1933 || data-sort-value=11,141 | 30 years
  • Formerly Richard's Siding
Wesburn13 November 1901 || 15 December 1964 || data-sort-value=23,043 | 63 years
  • Formerly West Warburton
Millgrove13 November 1905 || 15 December 1964 || data-sort-value=21,582 | 59 years
Warburton13 November 1901 || 29 July 1965 || data-sort-value=23,269 | 63 years
La La Siding3 May 1909 || 29 July 1965 || data-sort-value=20,541 | 56 years

References

  1. Henderson, R.G.; Dornan, S.E. (1979). The Electric Railways of Victoria. Sydney: Australian Electric Traction Association. p. 77. ISBN 0909459061.
  2. 1 2 "Vicsig - Warburton line". vicsig.net. Retrieved 6 May 2023.

See also

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