From Bob Wilson.

Regards,
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> Subject: 271 Friday Afternoon Pictures 17 January 2014 - The Melbourne to St Kilda line

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> This is my first Friday Pictures for 2014, the seventh year I have been presenting my weekly (well most weeks anyway) emails of stories and photos to do with transport of some type within Australia and a few overseas countries.

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> The topic this week is in Melbourne and covers the 7 kilometre transport corridor from Flinders Street Station to St Kilda. For most of its life, broad gauge trains were the mode of transport but since 1987 the trackage, except for the first kilometre, has become standard gauge light rail and is part of Melbourne’s very large tramway network. Most of the first kilometre, which was also used by trains to Port Melbourne, has been redeveloped beyond the bridge across the Yarra River whilst the bridge is now a pedestrian walkway. One of the biggest developments was the Crown Casino.

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> Steam locomotive train services began from Flinders Street to St Kilda in May 1857 and the line was one of the first to be electrified in a program that began during 1919. The decision to convert both the St Kilda and Port Melbourne lines to light rail saw train services to St Kilda cease on 1 August 1987 and to Port Melbourne on 10 October 1987.

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> The St Kilda line used the platform at Flinders Street Station closest to the Yarra River. The Port Melbourne line used the adjacent one. Four tracks on the bridge across the river merged into two before the platforms. My first photo shows a train from St Kilda arriving into platform 11 at Flinders Street. The train on the right of the photo was another swing door train that came up from Brighton Beach each weekday morning at the time, spent the day in a siding nearby and returned in the evening peak. I have featured photos of that train in earlier Friday Pics.

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> A swing door train is seen pulling into platform 11 at Flinders Street towards the end of a morning peak during 1967.

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> There were just three stations on the way to St Kilda, at South Melbourne, Albert Park and Middle Park. Although the line traversed a short distance it was heavily patronised due to residential and industrial activities and people transferring to and from trains, trams and buses at St Kilda Station.

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> A swing door train has departed Albert Park station for Flinders Street Station. 4 October 1973.

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> A St Kilda bound mixed Tait/Swing door set is arriving at Middle Park station as a city bound Tait set approaches. 4 October 1973.

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> St Kilda Station had a single faced platform. The next photo was taken beneath the roof over the platform and track.

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> The wide platform gives an indication of the heavy loadings that St Kilda station handled. 31 December 1971.

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> The next photos shows two stabled swing door trains with a third train in the platform. The St Kilda and Port Melbourne lines were two of the last strongholds for this type of train.

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> At St Kilda Station. 31 December 1971.

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> Despite concerted opposition to the removal of trains from the St Kilda and Port Melbourne lines, the end finally came. The St Kilda line was the first to close and the next photo shows one of the last trains to run on closing day. A small number of people were present to show their opposition to the cessation of trains, including a wheelchair bound person and several others with banners.

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> The third last train on the line is about to depart from St Kilda Station.. 31 July 1987.

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> The next two photos were taken from the old Robur Tea House building in Clarendon Street. The first shows the 4 track rail bridge with the St Kilda tracks already lifted prior to demolition of the bridge. The next photo shows a train from Port Melbourne heading for Flinders Street. Passenger train services to Port Melbourne continued for some 10 weeks after those to St Kilda ceased.

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> The former rail bridge over Clarendon Street, Southbank. 25 September 1987.

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> A four car rebuilt ‘Harris’ set is about to pass under the Kings St overpass as it nears Flinders Street Station. 25 September 1987.

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> A fairly tight schedule had been set to convert the St Kilda and Port Melbourne lines to standard gauge for tramway operation. Some existing station platforms had to be lowered whilst others had new platforms built alongside the old ones. Additional stops were created too. New tracks were required from the existing tram tracks in Clarendon Street to link up with the remaining St Kilda and Port Melbourne lines.

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> Three photos follow showing areas requiring new track. The first photo is taken at Clarendon Street and shows the new track branching off from the existing tracks in the street.

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> New track branching off Clarendon St was an early sign of construction. 25 September 1987.

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> The second photo was shot from near Clarendon St looking towards what is now called Port Junction, where the St Kilda and Port Melbourne lines split.. The Port Melbourne line would pass to the left of the white truck. Its then existing train alignment can be seen to the right of the photo.

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> View towards what is now called Port Junction. 28 August 1987.

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> The third photo shows the site of the yet to be built City Road light rail stop and the point where the new track would link up to the existing St Kilda line.

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> At the site of the City Road light rail stop. 28 August 1987.

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> The final photo was taken in the city at the end of Bourke Street where it meets Spencer Street. Trams on the existing East Brunswick route would be extended to St Kilda and swing out of Bourke Street. The last remaining visible short section of cable tram trackage in Melbourne, unused since around 1940, was in the way and had to be removed for the new turnout. It is shown below.

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> The last visible piece of former cable tram trackage is about to be removed. 5 August 1987.

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> Next week I will include photos taken on the opening day of the light rail to St Kilda plus a few other things of interest.

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> Bob Wilson

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