Mansfield
(Some of the information below is a transcript of information displayed at the station).
Above and below: Mansfield station today
The Mansfield railway (Victoria, Australia) was opened in 1891, the first train arriving on October 6th of the same year. The guage was the Victoria Broad Guage (5 feet 3 inches), the junction with the main North East line (Melbourne to Wodonga / Albury) being at Tallarook. The station building was built in the Queen Victoria style in 1910 and still has many of the the original fixtures including pressed metal interior walls, light fittings, timber doors and panelling and a full length signal bay window. The last passenger train to depart Mansfield was on 28th May 1977 and operation on the line ceased on 8th November the following year. In the 1990s the station was restored and became the home of the Mansfield Information Visitor Centre. In 2006 it became the home of the Mansfield Historical Society.
Above: Mansfield station, early days.
Above: Mansfield station on closing day
RAILWAY SERVICE FINISHED
“Mansfield Railway Station was deserted on Monday soon after the last goods train pulled out at lunchtime. This train heralded the end of 86 1/2 years of rail services to Mansfield.
Mansfields ganger, Ken Close and his car were the only ones to see the last train disappear down the line. In a press release from VicRail it was announced that the Tallarook, Mansfield and Alexandra lines would formally close on on Wednesday, November 8 [1978]. It was on May 28, last year [1977] that the last passengfer train left Mansfield for Melbourne. It took 2 3/4 hours to reach Yea because the track had deteriorated. Support for railway services had been falling for some years prior to the closure. Minimal maintenance was done to the line and it deteriorated until the speed of trains was curtailed to 20 m.p.h. in some sections of track. Recently this was reduced further to 15 m.p.h. In its heyday two trains a day departed for Melbourne. The departure of the last passenger train last year and the last goods train on Monday, was in stark contrast to the official opening of the track and arrival of the first passenger train on October 6, 1891. According to a report in the Mansfield Courier people flocked from Woods Point, Merrijig, Jamieson and Howes Creek for the official opening. … Since May 30, 1977, a contract bus service for passengers and parcels between between Mansfield and Melbourne has operated under VicRail control. Since February 6, this year, the Freight Centres at Seymour and Benalla have been providing a fast and efficient freight service for the carriage of general merchandise to the areas previously served by rail on the Mansfield and Alexandra lines. Mr Bob Shipird of Malcolm St., Mansfield was the successful tenderer for the cartage of bulk superphosphate by road. The contract officially started on November 1 but Mr Shipird said he carted his first truck load on Tuesday, November 7. He said the service is the same as last year in that that he carts to the sidings between Mansfield and Yarck and contractors pick up from there to the site of the farmers choice. He said it was at no extra cost to the user.
It is on the same basis as last year, he said. According to the railway spokeman, satisfactory arrangements have also been made for the carriage of livestock in the areas concerned by road transport. Freight enquiries shoule be directed to Freight Centres at Seymour and Benalla.”
(Mansfield Courier, Nov 9, 1978)
Above: Mansfield goods shed
As of 2011, a considerable portion of the line has been converted to a rail trail, which means that cyclists can now ride along parts of the right-of-way.
Above: Mansfield goods platform
During a visit to the Mansfield railway station in 2012, I shot a number of photos of the surrounds and found the location of the turntable, what looked like an ash-pit or inspection pit near the turntable and parts of an old gangers trolley.
Above: Mansfield Ash pit / inspection pit near turntable
Above: Mansfield Turntable
Above: Mansfield Water tower