Latest News
A talk will be held at Northcote Library 2-3pm by Paul Michell showing some of the 'Unseen Images'.
The Darebin Heritage Study is begun. A major revisiting of the city's heritage including, of course, Northcote.
Links page has been updated. See the events page.
In Picture of the Month there is images and discussion of the fountain/sculpture in High St.
Broken links fixed and general tidying up of the Links page.
Featured Articles
- Review of History of Whittlesea Railway. Paul Michell
THE WHITTLSEA RAILWAY
Robert Aquilina, author & publisher, 1999.
Reviewed by Paul Michell
NHCS Newsletter, Issue 103 - February 1999
The book is subtitled - "A Brief History of the Fitzroy and Whittlesea Railiway 1889-1959 including current day operations". The author Robert Aquilina appears to have been pain-staking in his research. As this is a history of the railway line all the stations in Northcote are described in some detail. There are many photographs, some in moderate colour to black and white, including some reproduced from films. It is however the various comments, statistics and descriptions that are relevant to the history of Northcote. Just as the Outer Circle railway was relevant to Northcote, the Whittlesea Line is by far the more important as Northcote grew with its population. The opening of the railway line is well described. 1 have used some examples to about the building of the Merri Creek Railway Bridge.
"Work was commenced on the first week of November 1887,starting with earthworks at the Fitzroy end with an immediate start on the Merri Creek Bridge - this being the heaviest piece of engineering on the line. On the Merri Creek Bridge a total of 526,000 bricks were used with pile driving for the bridge commencing in January 1888, at this time there was 146 men, 48 horse drays and drivers and two bullock teams engaged on the works. The Merri Creek Bridge took over a year to build because of the terrible wet weather which caused settling problems with the bridge's foundation, the wet weather also caused delays to cutting and embankment works because of the softness of the earth; the highest embankment built was '3O feet high along the ruling grade of 1 in 50 feet, the total amount of earthworks amounted to 250,000 cubic yards of earth. In total 16 bridge and 159 culverts were constructed."
In addition to the above snippets there is plans of the stations, wonderful old photos (including the Northcote Loop Box, and a cable tram crossing Miller Street overpass), details of the brick sidings at Northcote (Northcote Brick Company) and Thornbury (Glen Iris Tile & Terra Cotta Company).
Overall I am very impressed with the amount of research the author has done. Whilst lacking an index this should not stop anyone from owning a copy. 1 am very thankful to Robert Aquilina to allow the Society to reprint some of the material. One of our members, Michael Nelson has rejoined the Met and it is through him and Robert that this copy was purchased. [If you require a copy (approx A$19.95) Email us and we will provide details to the author.]
Below is a summary of openings and closings on the line:
"A2 995 crosses the Merri Creek Bridge on the 16th May 1941 having come via Royal Park on a goods trai. The Merri Creek Bridge was the biggest structure in the construction of the Whittlsea line taking
over a year to build because of problems with its foundations, it is built of iron and has three spans two
of 100 feet in length and one of 85 feet in length, making the length of the bridge a total of 364 feet including its approaches, it is 35 feet at its highest point above the Merri Creek and cost £46,632s 15d to build."
Railway opened for traffic: Opening Date(dd/mm/y) Length-(Approx.) Mileage
Exerpts from the book used by kind permission of the author © 1999, R Aquilina.
North Fitzroy-Reservoir 08-10-1889 4.75
Reservoir-Whittlesea 23-12-1889 17.25
Northcote Loop 05-12-1904 0.13
Railway closed for traffic: Closing Date
Lalor-Whittlesea 29-11-1959 13.75
(Reopened Lalor-Epping 30/11/1964)
North Fitzroy-Rushall 02-05-1965 0.45
North Fitzroy-Northcote Loop 21-05-1965 0.16
Double line reduced to single line:
North Fitzroy-Northcote Loop 05-12-1904 0.35
Electrification of Railway:
Princes Bridge-Reservoir 31-07-1921 8.5
North Fitzroy-Northcote Loop 31-07-1921 0.16
Reservoir-Thomastown 16-12-1929 2.75
Thomastown-Lalor 30-11-1959 0.75
Lalor-Epping 30-11-1964 1.25
Major changes to operation of Railway:
Start of Sunday trains to Whittlesea 21-12-1895
Whittlesea line trains to Melbourne
via Clifton Hill 05-12-1904
Commencement of Railmotor services
in addition to steam services 06-10-1924
Sunday trains withdrawn to
Whittlesea until closure 14-12-1941
Whittlesea trains from Flinders
Street, Spencer Street withdrawn
then only From Reservoir/Thomastown 13-11-1948
Last Goods trains to:
Whittlesea 11-05-1955
Epping 17-12-1958
Thomastown 1984*
Reservoir 1982* (*exact date not known)
Bell 1986*
Epping trains connected to the
underground Loop 31-10-1982
Epping Depot officially opened 15-03-1990
Homepage