Puffing Billy cocks a snook at ‘progress’

Press, 7 April 1979, Page 16

Puffing Billy cocks a snook at ‘progress’

By

ROY SINCLAIR

In this age of modern technology and speedy air travel, steam trains are definitely obsolete, but one that is far from becoming redundant is “Puffing Billy.” It runs through the beautiful Dandenong Ranges on the outskirts of Melbourne. Built around the turn of the century. Puffing Billy’s railway is the sole survivor of the narrow-gauge railways constructed to serve as branch lines to the broad-gauge Victorian Railways radiating from Melbourne. Each year this little train has become one of Australia’s leading tourist attractions, carrying more than 170,000 passengers annually.

I had not visited the railway for more than 10 years, so it was with some excitement that I recently descended the ramp to Belgrave station, just in time to see the train reversing into the platform. On this occasion I was joined by my young son who, through no fault of his own, has developed a strong affinity for railways.

At the head of the train, locomotive 14A was resting on her narrow 2ft 6in tracks — imperial measurements are a feature of the railway —while members of the Emerald Tourist Railway gave her gleaming paintwork a final polish. Looking like something out of a Disney cartoon, 14A is one of a number of dinky little tank locomotives built for the Victorian narrow-gauge railways. Originally, two locomotives classed NA

were imported from the Baldwin Locomotive Works in the United States and a further 15 were built in the Newport Railway Workshops at Melbourne.

On our journey the little locomotive struggled to get her 10 carriages moving at a respectable bicycle pace. Shortly after leaving Belgrave, we emerged from the forest and crawled around the curved wooden trestle spanning Monbulk Creek and the road. This trestle bridge is the showpiece of the railway and the subject of thousands of photographs. Continuing up towards Menzies Creek, the train snaked through tall trees. Enthusiastic passengers leaned out of the opensided carriages to watch the little engine as she rounded the sharp bends. Some of these bends were so tight that. 14A was sometimes on nodding acquaintance with her guard’s van.

The fascination of Puffing Billy is riding on a real railway rather than seeing a piece of recreated history in a museum. The original line started at Ferntree Gully — closer to Melbourne — and ran some 18 miles through the hills to Gembrook. It was opened in December, 1900, and was soon doing a fine

business transporting potatoes, timber, general goods and, at week-ends, hundreds of excursionists who escaped from the city to enjoy a day in the hills'. Unfortunately, after 50 years of service, the railway suffered the fate of all small railways when roads were built and goods were carried by motor vehicles. When it was decided that Puffing Billy had to go, 8000 locals held nightly protest meetings; and in Parliament, the Minister of Transport sounded as if he were condemning an old friend when he introduced a bill to end the railway.

Nature had the final say because, in 1952, a landslide effectively blocked the line at Selby, a little way beyond Monbulk Creek. In 1954, the Melbourne “Sun” sponsored free rides on the train between Ferntree Gully and Belgrave so that thousands af children could say goodbye to Puffing Billy. This venture was so successful that the Victorian Railways ran some excursions the next year. It was during this period that the Puffing Billy Preservation Society was formed with the aim

of providing sufficient finance to keep the train running. It was soon found that Puffing Billyhad a place in the community; and that with the help from volunteers, the railways could even become sel-supporting. By 1958, the electrified broad gauge line from Melbourne was extended to Belgrave. This meant that if Puffing Billy was to continue a new ’terminal would have to be built in a difficult situation at Belgrave, and much reconstruction done to the track. Another major problem would be the construction of a new piece

of railway around the landslide. The Victorian Railway Commissioners agreed that this work could be done by volunteers if they worked under the supervision of experienced railway personnel. The Society enjoyed the benefits of outside help, not the least being the Citizen Military Forces who did the earthworks for the reconstruction of the track bypassing the landslide. Work on the railway progressed, until in May, 1962, the first train for many years steamed into Menzies

Creek. Thousands of people were soon travelling on excursion trains between Belgrave and Menzies Creek. The old open-sided carriages were renovated, and because winter weather was no deterrent to excursionists, some closed-in carriages were obtained from the Mount Lyell rack railway in Tasmania. These vehicles were brought to Melbourne at no cost by interested shipping companies, and the Victorian Railways Workshops adapted them to operate on Puffing Billy’s railway. Puffing Billy was really back in business, and during the next three years the railway was extended as far as Emerald which became the terminus for some time. Trains were run regularly at week-ends and during holidays, in conjunction with the Victorian Railways who provided the locomotive crews and guards.

Since 1967, the line has been extended to Lakeside, making the railway’s present length eight miles and a half. Another important change is that the administration and operation of the railway is now under the control of the Emerald Tourist Railway Board, which employs the professional staff required to run it. To establish the new Board, a Bill had to be passed in Victoria’s State Parliament to transfer

ownership from the Victorian Railways to the new body. Reading a report of this Parliamentary

session one would not be blamed for getting the impression that members from both sides of rh«House had an enjoyable time talking about trains. The Government realised that the railway hg4 devetoped to the .stage’ where it had to be managed as a tourist attraction rather than as a conventional railway. The Bill was passed without amendment — an action which illustrated the goodwill that has devel-; oped between Governments and railway enthusiasts in Australia.

Our train stopped at Menzies Creek to cross, the down train to Betgrave. We had. according to the station’s name, board, climbed to almost 1000 ft above sea level and this helped to explain why our little engine had been working so hard. Puffing Billy’s railway* is especially attractive to, children and most of them like to ride sitting on theedge of the carriage witix their legs dangling over the side. Their appearance causes some concern, but Puffing Billy is kindto children and accidents are rare. .■<

Perhaps it was the for-' est scenery, which whsnot unlike that of our own West Coast, that started me thinking about NewZealand’s oil problems and ¥ all those steam locoujo;' tives in our transport museums. How, 1 wondered,would our tourists react to a steam excursion to Arthur’s Pass?