This month’s 40-page edition is packed with great content, starting with our wrap-around cover photo taken by Benjamin Boehle-Mitchell, capturing C501 and N451 returning to Benalla with the first locomotive-hauled passenger train to Yarrawonga in many years.

Author Jeff O’Meara has written a wonderful personal history of journeys by rail from Wonthaggi to the lonely wayside station Joyce’s Creek, the site of which today sits beneath the waters of the Cairn Curran Reservoir, along the Castlemaine to Maryborough line. It is a delight to read.

Locomotive driver and Victorian Railways historian Trevor Penn has produced another of his wonderful essays for our Photos in focus column. This month, Trevor applies his expert knowledge to interpret a series of VR photographs detailing the workings of the Melbourne Goods Yard in the 1920s, including a stunning aerial image which forms our centre pages.

In late May, we were saddened by the passing of former VR driver, long-time Newsrail contributor and Public Records Office Victoria doyen Des Jowett. Des was a veritable font of knowledge who assisted an untold number of authors and researchers in producing articles and essays on Victorian rail history. We present a tribute that also includes a selection of Des’ own photographs; photography being another of his many talents.

Steamrail Victoria’s exciting plans for an expanded presence in Ballarat feature in our Tourist and Heritage Rail column this month. Noah Clancey tells us about the huge success of recent tours and shuttles operating into Ballarat, and the work that Steamrail’s eager Ballarat-based volunteers have been doing to establish the Ballarat East depot as a staging point for tours to places like Wycheproof.

Our other regular sections are there:

• News and announcements
• General works
• Operations and sightings
• Tramways
• PTV service quality
• Where is it?
• Taildisc