Webb Dock railway line

The Webb Dock railway line is a former railway line in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Webb Dock railway line
Overview
StatusClosed
LocaleMelbourne
TerminiSpencer Street station
Webb Dock
Operation
Opened27 February 1986
Closed14 June 1996
OwnerV/Line
Operator(s)V/Line
Technical
Line length7.8 kilometres
Track gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)

History

On 27 February 1986, the Webb Dock line was opened by Minister for Transport Tom Roper.[1] It was built as a freight line to service the Webb Dock container port in Melbourne, with provision for the line to be converted to dual gauge.[2][3] This attracted some controversy, as the line used 1,600 mm broad gauge,[4] which was criticised by ANL, claiming that it was costing the shipping industry millions of dollars per year (ANL contributed to the building of the line, and used dual gauge within its area of the dock).[4]

The line commenced near Spencer Street station, passing through what is now Docklands Stadium, before crossing the Yarra River via a bridge and then running west, parallel to Lorimer Street. It turned south at Todd Road, before turning west, parallel to Wharf Road, and beneath the West Gate Bridge, to Webb Dock.

After being opened, the line spent months with few (if any) trains using it, reportedly due to a clerk's dispute and shunters strike. By July 1986, trains were running on a regular schedule most nights.[5]

It was last used in 1992 and formally closed on 14 June 1996 as part of the construction of the Docklands Stadium.[3][6][7] The bridge over the Yarra River was converted to a footbridge. Much of the line west of the Bolte Bridge remains in situ, with suggestions it may be reactivated for passenger use, as the Fishermans Bend area is redeveloped for residential use.

Earlier plans for the line included running it via the Port Melbourne beachfront. However, after opposition from local residents, the plans were dropped.[8]

The Victorian Freight Plan calls for a freight link to Webb Dock.[9]

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References
  1. Opening plaque Weston Langford
  2. "General News". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. February 1983. p. 19.
  3. Quinlan, Howard; Newland, John (2000). Australian Railway Routes 1854 - 2000. Redfern: Australian Railway Historical Society. p. 28. ISBN 0 909650 49 7.
  4. "News". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. June 1988. p. 179.
  5. Newsrail July 1986 pp.211-212
  6. Port Capacity Project Port of Melbourne
  7. "Appleton Dock Standard Gauge Access but Webb Dock Remains Without Rails" Railway Digest May 2000 page 13
  8. "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. September 1980. p. 215.
  9. Department of Economic Development, Jobs. "Freight Victoria". transport.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
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