The Bellarine Railway, formerly the Bellarine Peninsula Railway, is a volunteer-operated steam-driven tourist railway located in Victoria, Australia. It operates on a section of a formerly disused branch line on the Bellarine Peninsula between the coastal town of Queenscliff and Drysdale, near Geelong.
History as a working railway
The original line was commissioned in September 1878, and opened on 21 May 1879. It connected Queenscliff with South Geelong station, the terminus of the Geelong line, and the junction of the Warrnambool line. It was acknowledged at the time that although passenger traffic alone might not justify a railway line, military traffic from both the port and Fort Queenscliff—a key defence installation—would warrant its construction. It initially carried passenger, goods and military traffic, and continued to do so for several decades.
In the first few months of operation, it carried only one service per day, but at its peak, in January 1885, four trains per day ran in each direction, enabling the line to be used by commuters. However, this was decreased to three, and was cut back to two trains a day in 1910. Traffic on the line continued to fall over the next twenty years, and in 1931, passenger services were dropped completely—apart from the occasional Sunday excursion train. Freight services continued to run, although they were cut to back at first to twice-weekly, and then weekly operation.
The line saw a revival during World War II, carrying mines from the Swan Island military base, but returned to pre-war levels afterwards. After the war, services became less frequent, with goods services cut back to once a fortnight. The line was closed on 6 November 1976. The line is recognised as the oldest Victorian branch line still in operation.
Preservation and re-opening as a tourist railway In 1968, when the Queenscliff line was still officially open, the Fyansford Cement Works Railway near Geelong was closed. The cement company donated all its steam rolling stock to preservation groups, and the Geelong division of the Australian Railway Historical Society (ARHS), which was still in its infancy, received two engines. While Drysdale station was looked upon as a preferred site, this proved difficult to arrange, and a temporary site at the Belmont Common was used.
The Geelong division of the ARHS registered itself as the Geelong Steam Preservation Society in 1970 and it constructed and operated a small tourist railway, the Belmont Common Railway, on the Belmont Common. However, the site faced ongoing problems due to adjacent developments and its location on a flood plain, and by 1976, it was apparent that continuing on the Belmont Common site would not be feasible. When it became clear that Victorian Railways intended closing the Queenscliff line, the GSPS saw an opportunity, and after the line was closed permanently in 1976, it began shifting operations to Queenscliff railway station.
During 1976 and 1977, the Society engaged in fundraising efforts and began regauging a short section of track around Queenscliff station, in order to enable its rolling stock to operate on the line. With the help of some government funding, it succeeded in operating its first services from Queenscliff to Laker's Siding in May 1979, and to Drysdale not long after.
Current operations
The railway currently operates two main Heritage Train services. The Swan Bay Express is a shorter trip between Queenscliff and Lakers Siding and return, running every Sunday as well as Tuesdays and Thursdays during the school holidays. The Seaside Explorer travels the full length of the line from Drysdale to Queenscliff and return, with dates for these trains announced on the railway's Facebook page and website.
During the winter period the railway also operates the Steamlight Night services, traveling from Queenscliff to Lakers Siding where passengers can disembark the train to roast marshmallows and enjoy the evening atmosphere.
Additionally, the railway operates licensed family events including the ever popular "Day Out With Thomas" weekends, and THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride.
The railway is also home to The Q Train - an award-winning gourmet restaurant train, alongside The Blues Train Live Music Experience.
The remainder of the line between Drysdale and South Geelong has fallen into disuse, and the GSPS has not attempted to extend its operations back to Leopold or South Geelong. The sections of the former route from Drysdale to South Geelong, along with a walking track adjacent to the Queenscliff-Drysdale line, now form the Bellarine Rail Trail, accessible to cyclists and walkers.
The railway features a working collection of locomotives from all four state government-run gauge railway bodies in Australia; Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland; as well as from a number of Australian industrial railways. In late 2011, the railway negotiated to relocate the last remaining Australian Standard Garratt to the Bellarine Railway, from the Newport Railway Museum. The transportation of the locomotive took place on 31 May 2013, with the Bellarine Railway hoping to restore it to active service.
Locomotives Steam locomotives +ImageNumberTypeBuilderSerial No.Year builtStatusNotes 6 Hudswell Clarke, Leeds 646 1903 Under Restoration Originally used as a shunter at the copper smelter in Wallaroo, South Australia. Later used by Australian Portland Cement (APC) on the Fyansford Cement Works Railway until 1966. 454 PB15() Walkers, Maryborough, Queensland 99 1909 Out of service Used by Queensland Rail until 1969. Hauled tourist trains at the Bellarine Railway until 2007. Stored, awaiting overhaul. 4 Vulcan Iron Works, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 1916 Stored Used by APC on the Fyansford Cement Works Railway until 1966. Stored, awaiting overhaul. 5 Vulcan Iron Works, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 1916 Stored dismantled Used by APC on the Fyansford Cement Works Railway until 1966. T251 SAR T() Walkers, Maryborough, Queensland 276 1917 Operational Used by South Australian Railways until 1970. Purchased by GSPS and was in traffic on the Bellarine Peninsula Railway until 1991, when it was withdrawn due to mechanical condition. Returned to service on 11 April 2009. Pozières Andrew Barclay Sons & Company, Kilmarnock 1543 1918 Operational Previously used by Broken Hill Associated Smelters, Port Pirie. Was on display at the Puffing Billy Railway until June 2010, when it was relocated to the Bellarine Railway. Restored to steam in 2011. 3620 South African Class 24 2-8-4 North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow 26332 1949 Operational Owned by Ian Welch and leased to 'The Q Train', hauls The Q Train the first weekend of every monthLoco’s nationwide road trip Narrow Gauge World issue 147 May 2020 page 15 Klondyke Perry Engineering, Adelaide 271 1927 Operational In use at Pioneer Sugar Mill in Ayr, Queensland until 1966. Dressed up as Thomas the Tank Engine during the railway's Day Out With Thomas events. S547 WAGR S() Midland Railway Workshops, Perth 1947 Stored Dismantled Used by Western Australian Government Railways until 1971. Acquired by Bellarine Railway in 1980 for possible eventual restoration. M6 TGR M() Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns 7429 1951 Stored Dismantled Used by Tasmanian Government Railways until 1971. Hauled tourist trains at the Bellarine Railway until mid-2000s. Stored, awaiting overhaul. V1209 WAGR V() Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns7778 1955 Stored Used by Western Australian Government Railways until 1971. Brought to Victoria in 1982 by the Bellarine Railway and restored to traffic. Used for display as Henry the Green Engine during Day Out With Thomas events. 11 Perry Engineering, Adelaide 267 1926 Stored Originally used by the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission of Victoria in construction of the Hume Weir. Later used by APC on the Fyansford Cement Works Railway until 1966. Was on display at the Puffing Billy Railway's museum at Menzies Creek until June 2010, when it was relocated to the Bellarine Railway for eventual restoration. 2 Beyer, Peacock & Company, Manchester 6935 1938 Stored Garratt locomotive used by APC on the Fyansford Cement Works Railway until 1966. Was on display at the Puffing Billy Railway's museum at Menzies Creek for some time before relocation to the Bellarine Railway for eventual restoration. G33 Newport Workshops 1945 Under Restoration Last remaining Australian Standard Garratt, used by APC on the Fyansford Cement Works Railway until 1966. Relocated from Newport Railway Museum in May 2013, under restoration
Diesel locomotives ImageNumberTypeBuilderSerial No.Year builtStatusNotesV8Drewry Car Company25371955StoredOperated used by AN Tasrail until 1987VA1 Drewry Car Company 2227 1947 Under Restoration Operated used by AN Tasrail until 1987Still running… Track & Signal issue 19/3 August 2015 page 83X20English Electric18201950OperationalOperated used by AN Tasrail until 1987X3English Electric17981950OperationalOperated by AN Tasrail until 19851604RSE92CEnglish ElectricA.0591962OperationalOperated by Queensland Rail until 1991.1107EBR 11 classWalkers Limited6441971OperationalHauls the Q train on non-steam operationZ1TGR Z classEnglish ElectricA.2491973OperationalHauls the Q train on non-steam operationZ4TGR Z classEnglish ElectricA.2521973OperationalHauls the Q train on non-steam operation
Railcars ImageNumberTypeBuilderYear builtStatusNotesDP28Drewry Car Company1948Out of serviceFormerly used by AN Tasrail until 1978DP29Drewry Car Company1948Out of serviceFormerly used by AN Tasrail until 1978
Restored passenger carriages ImageNumberTypeBuilderYear builtWithdrawnNotesZA200Composite brakevanMidland Railway of Western Australia19121970 (Western Australian Government Railways)Formerly numbered ZA 9348.AAR4A saloon/buffet carriage with a kitchen and a barClyde Engineering19371978 (AN Tasrail)BBL10A saloon carriageClyde Engineering19371978 (AN Tasrail)AAR1A saloon carriageClyde Engineering19371978 (AN Tasrail)MMV1333Operated as a mail brake vanQueensland Railways19441988 (Queensland Rail)Used as a dance car on the Blues Train.DAV1056Sleeping/sitting brake van for train crewQueensland Rail19241989 (Queensland Rail)Formerly DAS1056, was operational as an open-section sleeping car, converted in 1979BUV1299Evans suburban car (formerly a composite brakevan)Queensland RailUnk.Unk. (Queensland Rail)BU465Evans suburban carQueensland RailUnk.Unk. (Queensland Rail) BBL6 Dog box passenger sitting carParsons and Gilmour19221972 (Tasmanian Government Railways)Formerly ABL15, renumbered and converted into BBL6 in November 1929.ABL14Dog box passenger sitting carParsons and Gilmour19221977 (Tasmanian Government Railways)DB46Composite class brakevanTasmanian Government Railways19491987 (AN Tasrail)
Stations
Gallery
References
External links Bellarine Railway The Blues Train The Q train Using the Bellarine Railway as part of a weekend adventure