Our July edition features a gleaming K160 on the cover, hauling its first passenger train since 2012.The photo was taken by Lynley Quedley, who is also one of the hard-working volunteers who assisted Steamrail and VGR staff in overhauling the locomotive. Our Tourist and heritage rail column has a brief update on the project, as well as the latest roof project at Newport Railway Museum.
Our major feature article this month is by noted rail historian Chris Banger, who presents a concise yet still comprehensive history of the Stony Crossing Line, one of the later branch lines built by the Victorian Railways. Chris looks at the construction of the original line to Murrabit, the opening of the steel lift bridge at Gonn Crossing, the most notable landmark on the line, and its extension to Stony Crossing in New South Wales. Never one of the VR’s busiest lines, the line eventually closed after the partial collapse of a termite-infested timber bridge while a train was crossing, fortunately without injury!
We also have another instalment of the Railway Stories series by Nick Anchen, who presents short stories told by old enginemen and recorded long ago. This month, Nick presents stories by David Moon, who recalls his time at Echuca and the Balranald Line in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Our News section looks at the ATSB report into January’s fatal level crossing incident at Cressy, progress on the Inland Rail project, latest news on Suburban Rail Loop as tunnelling awaits commencement, and latest level crossing removal projects.
And our usual other columns are there:
- Infrastructure
- Operations and sightings
- PTV service quality
- Where is it?
- Taildisc
