Chapter Seven

Victorian Railways Guards Sandhurst 1873

Victorian Railways guards at Sandhurst in 1873. With brakes only on the locomotive tender and one or two brake vans, train braking largely depended the vigilance of these men. The installation of automatic continuous brakes did not begin until November 1877, and it took another twenty years to fit all rolling stock. PROV H1692.

Big Hill Tunnel 1876

Big Hill tunnel, 1876. The Melbourne to Sandhurst railway has tunnels at Elphinstone and Big Hill, near Mount Herbert. Both were at the summit of 1 in 50 gradients. The line was a challenge for enginemen to work before continuous brakes, with trains frequently out of control on long descents. Nicholas Caire, NGV PH106.10-1988.

John Woods MLA, c1880

John Woods, circa 1880. His idea for hydraulically activated continuous brakes was made workable by Solomon Mirls and his staff. While he was Commissioner Woods had his brake fitted to some passenger trains, and its adoption continued during Thomas Bent’s term as Commissioner, 1881-1883. Both men profited, but the brake was effective. Woods also began staff and ticket working on single lines and dedicated railway telegraph. J. Sharp photograph, courtesy Victorian Parliamentary Library.

No. 35 Sandhurst 1885

Victorian Railways main line 0-6-0 No. 35 at Sandhurst in 1885. Built by Robert Stephenson & Co. to an Archibald Sturrock design in 1962, it was one of the 44 similar locomotives built up to 1881. They were heavy goods engines and in the 1886 classification they became the ‘O’ class. All were fitted with hand brakes only until the mid-1880’s . No. 35 was not fitted with the Westinghouse brake until 1892. PROV H4765.

No. 35 Princes Bridge 1885

C class 4-4-0WT No. 35 at Princes Bridge station in 1885. It was built by the Phoenix Foundry at Ballarat in 1883 to a Robert Stephenson & Co. design of 1858, one of 26 of this class. It was a sister locomotive to No. 25, which was used in the 1883 Brake Trials. Both were equipped with the Westinghouse brake, which was used only on the South Suburban system. The air compressor pump is visible beside the boiler on the right hand side. PROV H1108.

Nos. 17 & 16 Flinders Street 1885

Flinders Street Station in1885, before the isolated South Suburban system was linked by the viaduct to Spencer Street. At left is 4-4-0WT (well tank) No. 17 (later C class), built by the Phoenix Foundry in 1883. At right is former M&HBUR 2-4-0WT No. 16 (later N class), built by Robert Stephenson in 1866. Two American saloon carriages are coupled to No.16. All of these bogie carriages were kept in suburban traffic, where they could be fully occupied. All locomotives and carriages on the South Suburban and Gippsland lines were fitted with Westinghouse brakes. Charles Nettleton, PROV H4766.