Mont Park railway line, Melbourne
| Mont Park | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Type | Melbourne suburban service |
| Status | Dismantled |
| Connecting lines | Hurstbridge line |
| Stations | 1 |
| Services | Freight only |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 1911 |
| Closed | 1957 |
| Number of tracks | Single track |
The Mont Park railway is a former branch line from the Hurstbridge line in Melbourne, Australia. The main line connection was at the up (Melbourne) end of Macleod station, with the line operating between 1911 and 1964.
The line was opened in 1911 to serve the Mont Park Asylum complex, with the construction expense met by the government Health Department.Electrification on the line was commissioned on 14 September 1928, five years after that on the main line. Steel stanchions were used to support the overhead wiring, in contrast to the wooden posts then used on single lines of railway in Melbourne.
The Railway (Mont Park Siding) Act of 1946 was passed to permit passenger trains to operate on the line, but this opportunity was never used. The Act was later amended in 1958 for unknown reasons.
The line was officially closed on 30 June 1964.
The line was built as a single track goods only line. It was built to a 1 in 30 grade, and was unfenced. At the terminus there were three roads in 1953, with a derail block at the Down (exit) end. Trains were running weekly on the line by the 1950s, run either with the 'Electric Motors' (suburban carriages) from Heidelberg, or the E and L class electric locomotives.
The Staff and Ticket safeworking system was used on the line, but with no tickets to be issued due to the lack of crossing places or signalling staff at the terminus. Staff locked points were provided at the main line junction. In 1953 the main line was using the Electric Staff safeworking system, so a special procedure was required. A freight train would be despatched from Heidelberg with a 'Heidelberg to Macleod' electric staff. The train then proceeded to the junction, where it would be met by the signalman from Macleod carrying the 'Macleod to Mont Park' train staff. The staffs would be exchanged, the 'Heidelberg to Macleod' staff used to unlock the points so they could be set for the diverge, and the train allowed to proceed to Mont Park with the 'Macleod to Mont Park' staff. The signalman then reset the points to the main line, and returned the 'Heidelberg to Macleod' Electric staff to the Electric staff instrument to allow another train to use the main line. On the return from Mont Park the reverse procedure was carried out.
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