September Newsrail, another big 40-page edition, has a major feature article from the renowned author Nick Anchen, and news about the laying of new track through Tarrawarra Tunnel on the Yarra Valley Railway (YVR), part of a wider project to reconstruct the line through to Yarra Glen.

Our main feature, by Nick Anchen, is a must-read for anyone interested in the final days of steam of the Victorian mainline. Nick presents the stories of the late Brian Brooke, a well-known steam locomotive driver who later went on to become the Mayor of the City of Horsham. Brian’s stories from his time at the Horsham locomotive depot from 1958 to 1970 trace both his promotion from locomotive cleaner to locomotive driver, but also follow the gradual decline of steam during this period. That much said, the western district of Victoria was the last stronghold of steam in the late 1960s, and the superb photographs that accompany this article capture R, J, K and N Class steam locomotives in regular freight and passenger service.

Our news report from the YVR traces the history of the tunnel and some of its notable construction features, as well as details of the current reconstruction project. The photographs provide some fascinating illustrations of how the tunnel was originally constructed. Victoria has relatively few railway tunnels, so this story is a rare opportunity to get to see how they were built and how they’re maintained.

Our other regular sections are there:

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