ROLL 107. Mildura & Merbein, 7th
January 1970. Echuca, 12th January 1970.
All photos © Les Brown. Not to be used
for Publication.
Scanned
Negatives
107-01. T329. Mildura.
107-02. T329. Merbein.
107-03. T384. Mildura.
107-04. T384. Mildura.
107-05. T384. Mildura.
107-06. Echuca.
107-07. Echuca.
107-08. Echuca.
107-09. Echuca.
107-10. Echuca.
The locomotive facilities of Echuca
were rationalised after steam locomotives activities were withdrawn from the area.
My usual delight in walking around railway yards had become one of depression
walking around empty track beds, discarded rotting sleepers and empty buildings
of the formerly busy yards that were so active just a few years previously.
107-11. Echuca.
107-12. Echuca.
107-13. 28RM. Echuca.
107-14/15. Echuca.
107-16. Echuca.
107-17. Echuca.
107-18. 56RM, 63 RM &
??RM. Echuca.
56RM had arrived and would be heading
back to Bendigo. 63 RM had arrived from Toolamba. The DERM at the front was
going to Deniliquin. Other Rail Motors would leave here for Balranald. Echuca
was a major passenger junction station served almost exclusively by Rail
Motors. The Rail Motors were built by Walkers of Wigan, UK, who also built a
very similar Rail Motor for three foot narrow gauge lines in Ireland. An
example of one can be seen here.
107-19. Echuca.
The bridge carried road and rail
connections across the border to N.S.W. Since the construction of a separate
rail bridge, this bridge is now exclusively for road. Echuca Wharf can be seen
at centre-left.
107-20. Echuca.
The cars were banked up to let a
ganger’s trolley cross the bridge. Cars or trains, even a ganger’s trolley, but
not both could occupy the bridge. Gatekeepers’ huts at both ends ensured
exclusive use by either mode.
107-21. 28RM. Echuca.
28 RM was rated at 153HP and as such
was used on the Kyabram school train services for which they were permitted to
haul up to three trailers on a very flat line.