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On June 24th 2017, Steamrail Victoria ran their Steam Spectacular.
This included Triple Heading to Ballarat and a Parallel Run home from Geelong. Here departing Southern Cross Station is D3639, A2986 & R761 with the long consist.
24/06/2017
Docklands, Vic
I've photographed many spots along the Melbourne to Seymour corridor, but until Saturday had never taken a photo at Dysart, just south of Seymour. This sleepy hamlet used to be the location of a sizeable Army railway yard, servicing the nearby Puckapunyal training grounds. The yard diverged from the main line at the left of shot where the track begins to curve to the east, and the only remnants - other than the telltale earthworks - are three goods sheds, now used as dry cover for stock feed.
Making haste past this forgotten relic, Steamrail's D3 639 rumbles ever southward with a train chartered by the Diamond Valley Railway, returning to Southern Cross Station.
The track levels out beneath D3 639, allowing momentary respite from the relentless climb up Glenroy Bank as it approaches Oak Park station, with the skyscrapers of Melbourne dominating the skyline.
This train was chartered by the Diamond Valley Railway to Seymour and return, giving the D3 a chance to rumble along these rails for the first time since 2008.
As it passes the distant signal protecting Broadford station, Steamrail's D3 639 begins its descent into the country township with a charter train for the Diamond Valley Railway.
Steamrail's D3 639 crawls through Kensington station, returning from Seymour with a short train chartered by the Diamond Valley Railway.
This shot almost didn't happen - as the train appeared in the distance, a Metro suburban train approached from the opposite direction, threatening to park between me and the D3. As luck would have it, the Metro train didn't enter the station until almost immediately after this frame. I like to think that the Metro driver was considerate enough to intentionally slow down and time the cross perfectly, although perhaps a more likely explanation is the level crossing behind me incurs a severe speed restriction!
D³ 639 leads J549 up hill out of Muckleford heading for Castlemaine with the Steamrail "Through Train"
Saturday 26th October 2013
Locos exchanged and light disappearing rapidly, R761 and D3639 head out of Castlemaine with the returning Steamrail Special to Maldon.
On Saturday the 7th of September 2013, Steamrail Victoria operated a special train from Melbourne to Bendigo and return, hauled by R761 and R707. At Castlemaine, passengers had the option to transfer to the Victorian Goldfields Railway, and travel on a doubleheader behind D3 639 and J515 to Maldon and back, or they could continue behind the double R Class to Bendigo for lunch.
Perhaps the highlight of the trip was the planned departure from Castlemaine on the return journey. After any passengers had transferred from the VGR train to the mainline special, both trains departed at the same time, with a chorus of whistles and a skyfull of smoke. The lines have just started to diverge south of the station as D3 639 and J515 lead their train back to Maldon, and R707 leads R761 back towards Melbourne.
D³ 639 rolls around the bend between Maldon & Muckleford with a private Wedding Charter - 24/8/2013
D³ 639 powers up hill to Morris Street level crossing with a private Wedding Charter - 24/8/2013
D³ 639 rolls around the corner on approach to Castlemaine with a small goods train from Maldon - 3/8/2013
D³ 639 rolls across the Muckleford Creek Bridge bound for Maldon - 3/8/2013
D³ 639 approaches Maldon, seen here passing the home signal in pouring rain - 3/8/2013
D³ 639 powers up hill out of Castlemaine on the return to Maldon with a small goods train - 3/8/2013
D³ 639 powers up hill towards Muckleford with a goods train to Castlemaine - 3/8/2013
D³ 639 chuffs past the Muckleford Home signal with a goods train to Castlemaine - 3/8/2013