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> From: Robert Wilson
> Sent: Friday, October 06, 2017 11:45 AM
> To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
> Subject: 430 Friday Pictures 6 October 2017 - some Victorian transport memories
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> I have been running a series of Victorian Railway memories but I want to expand it to include other forms of transport so there is a slight change to today’s title. I begin with a photo of a W class tram taken in Collins Street Melbourne between King and Spencer Streets, taken in 1971. 46 years later all buildings visible in the photo have been replaced by modern towers. The building that replaced the beautiful Federal Hotel seen in the background has been unoccupied for some years now and I believe it is to be demolished. No doubt an even taller tower will replace it. The demolition of the Federal Hotel was, in my mind, one of the worst examples of official vandalism ever inflicted in Melbourne. Fortunately, such destruction would be much harder to achieve these days although not impossible.
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> Tram W5 759 in Collins Street Melbourne on a route 11 trip to West Preston.. January 1971.
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> I don’t appear to have a recent photo at this location to show as a comparison but the next shot was taken from up the rise seen in the background of the photo above.
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> W2 262 and another in Collins St. The Federal Hotel is in the background.. The building to the left has also been demolished. 1971.
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> The next photo shows a 2 car swing door set coupled to a 2 car Tait set at Camberwell after a trip off the Alamein line. Such a combination was not that common but what is different in this shot is that the two motors are in the middle of the train with pantographs (on the roof) close to each other. I believe this was certainly not common as it was preferred to have a greater distance between them.
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> A Swing Door/Tait set at Camberwell, an inner suburb east of Melbourne. 31 December 1971.
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> The following two photos were taken at Cohuna in northern Victoria. The Cohuna line, now closed, branched off the line to Echuca at Elmore. The rail motor began its trip from Bendigo, connecting off the morning train from Melbourne.
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> 64RM at Cohuna, soon after arrival from Bendigo. Parcels and possibly a mail bag have been unloaded from the motor. Once a typical scene at many smaller
> country Victorian railway stations but not any more. 15 July 1972.
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> In early 1980 Helen and I partook in a sightseeing trip over Melbourne and suburbs in the DC3 shown below. It was operated by a small company Setair based at Essendon Airport. Of note is the skyline of Melbourne in the distance. How this has changed with the influx of so many much taller buildings.
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> Setair DC3 VH-MWQ at Essendon Airport. 19 January 1980.
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> Aboard the DC3. No problem with the open cockpit door in those days thank goodness.
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> Tram Y1 610 at Albert Park as a 2 car swing door passes overhead on the St Line. The tram is seen towards the end of an overnight charter to celebrate my forthcoming
> 21st birthday. 28 October 1967.
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> An enjoyable past time was the occasional charter of a rail motor to a destination not far from Melbourne where a number of other trains could be seen.. These trips usually occurred on a Friday after work in the summer months to maximise available daylight and the two photos below were taken at Beveridge, north of Melbourne on the line to Seymour and beyond to Albury. Beveridge station was closed a number of years ago and little trace remains now. It was a good location away from housing and had the Melbourne to Sydney standard gauge line alongside.
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> Y133 heads a small good train bound for Seymour and is seen passing 102 hp rail motor 4RM. 25 February 1974.
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> Light is fading as locomotive GM31, on hire from the Commonwealth Railways, approaches Beveridge on a Sydney bound freight train. The headlight of another
> train on the broad gauge line approaches.
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> 13RM is at Cobram on the now closed line from nearby Strathmerton. It will run to there to connect with the passenger train from Tocumwal to Melbourne..
> 8 November 1975.
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> Another 153 hp rail motor, 28RM is seen at Maffra in East Gippsland. 3 April 1976.
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> I conclude with three more tram photos. The next two were taken at St Kilda Junction as a major redesign of this busy intersection was nearing completion.
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> Tram W2 584 is seen turning out of Queens Way which was altered to pass beneath St Kilda Rd and links up Dandenong Rd with Queens Rd. December 1968.
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> W2 576 at the same location in St Kilda Rd.
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> W2 554 is seen at the terminus at Carnegie, south east of Melbourne. This scene appears so tranquil compared to today, as seen below. September 1966..
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> Tram Z3 217 at the revamped Carnegie tram terminus. 5 October 2015.
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> Bob Wilson
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