Fyansford Cement Works Railway

The Fyansford Cement Works Railway was an industrial railway near Geelong, Australia, built by the Australian Portland Cement Company to carry limestone from its quarry to its cement works at Fyansford.

Former Fyansford locomotive No. 4, hauling a tourist train at the Bellarine Railway in 2007

The railway was notable for including a 1.3 km (0.81 mi) tunnel, the longest rail tunnel in Victoria, apart from the underground sections of the Melbourne City Loop. It had a fleet of one diesel and 11 steam locomotives, the majority of which have been preserved by heritage railway operators, in particular the Bellarine Railway.[1]

History

The line was built in 1926, replacing an earlier overhead ropeway from the quarry to the main works. The railway had two main sections: one from the works depot to an older quarry, and a longer track which used the tunnel and connected to a newer quarry. The length of the main line from the new quarry to the depot was 5.6 km (3.5 mi). The rail track had a gauge of 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm), one not often used in Victoria, where the predominant rail gauge was 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm).

The cement works railway operated until 1966, when it was replaced by an above-ground conveyor belt between a new crushing works on the quarry floor and the cement works. At the time of its closure, the railway's motive power consisted of a diesel-electric locomotive (which was sold to the Victorian Railways), and six steam locomotives, which were donated to preservation societies.

Locomotives

Of the original twelve locomotives, seven (one diesel and six steam locomotives) are still in existence today.[2] With the relocation to Queenscliff of the Australian Standard Garratt from the Australian Railway Historical Society Museum in May 2013, all six steam locomotives existing at the time of the line's closure are now in preservation at the Bellarine Railway.

Number Builder Year built Wheel arrangement Status Notes
1 Beyer Peacock, Manchester, England 1938 2-6-0/0-6-2 Garratt Scrapped Some components from this locomotive were integrated into sister locomotive No. 2 when it was overhauled.
2 Beyer Peacock 1938 2-6-0/0-6-2 Garratt Stored at the Bellarine Railway Was on display at the Puffing Billy Railway's museum at Menzies Creek until 2010, before relocation to the Bellarine Railway for eventual restoration.
3 Victorian Railways, Newport Workshops 1945 4-8-2/2-8-4 Garratt 'In workshops at the Bellarine Railway The last remaining complete Australian Standard Garratt. Moved on 31 May 2013 from Australian Railway Historical Society Museum at Newport to the Bellarine Railway, for restoration.
4 Vulcan Iron Works, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States 1916 0-6-0T Stored at the Bellarine Railway Originally used at naval base in Henderson, Western Australia, acquired by APC in 1926, along with loco 5.
5 Vulcan Iron Works 1916 0-6-0T Stored at the Bellarine Railway Stored in park in Ringwood before removal for restoration.
6 Hudswell Clarke & Co., Leeds, England 1903 0-4-2T Stored at the Bellarine Railway Originally used as a shunter at the copper smelter in Wallaroo, South Australia. before acquisition by APC, along with locos 7-9. Named Wesley B. McCann after being donated to the Belmont Common Railway.
7 Hudswell Clarke 0-4-2T Scrapped See no. 6
8 Hudswell Clarke 0-4-2T Scrapped See no. 6
9 Hudswell Clarke 0-4-2T Scrapped See no. 6
10 Perry Engineering, Adelaide 1926 0-4-0T Scrapped Originally used by the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission of Victoria in construction of the Hume Weir. Acquired by APC in 1946, along with loco 11.
11 Perry Engineering 1926 0-4-0T Under restoration at the Bellarine Railway Was on display at the Puffing Billy Railway's museum at Menzies Creek until June 2010, when it was relocated for eventual restoration.[3]
D1 Clyde Engineering 1956 Bo-Bo Operational at 707 Operations Bought new by APC and named Wesley B. McCann, sold to the Victorian Railways in 1966, regauged to 5'3" and renumbered T413
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References
  1. "Fyansford Line". Rail Geelong. Marcus Wong. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  2. "Victorian Private & Industrial". Australian Steam. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  3. Fyansford No.11 at Australian Steam
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