Powelltown & Yarra Jct Light Railway 2-4-0 Locomotives in Australia

Class Little Yarra (Locobase 20450)

Data from DeGolyer, Volume 39, p. 316. See also "The Powelltown & Yarra Junction Light Railway", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XXI [21] (15 December 2015), pp. 284-285; Hugh Richards, "A Ride on the Bush Line", Victorian Railways Magazine (February 1928), archived on the Light Railway Research Society of Australia Inc at [], last accessed 27 October 2018; and Frank Stamford, "Steam locomotives on Victorian timber tramways - Part 3", Light Railways, No 2 (December 2009), pp. 3-6. . Works number was 37718 in May 1912.

"Little Yarra" opened this logging road for the Victorian Powell Wood Process Ltd (VPWP) in 1913. The line lay about 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Melbourne and covering 11 miles (17.7 km), the line was a highway for seven logging companies shipping timber on a still-more-lightly built 3 1/2 mile (5.6 km) section to the 3-acre (1.25 hectare) sawmill site in Powelltown and thence to Yarra Junction on the Victoria State boundary where it met the broad gauge.

All of its key dimensions mark the P&YJ as a tram road. 40-lb/yard (20 kg/metre) rail was spiked onto its light sleepers, which were ballasted with river gravel. The ruling grade inclined at over 3% (1 in 30) and curved as tight as 2 chains (132 ft) radius and, LM noted at the time, "both occur very frequently" through "virgin forest" and the "grand" scenery with the valley of the Little Yarra river taking the palm. The route featured a 1,000-foot (305 m) long tunnel. When the VPWP company failed in1914, the whole enterprise was taken over by the Victorian Hardwood Milling & Seasoning Company.

Speed was limited to 20 mph (32 kph) on the main, but only 3 mph (4.8 kph) in Yarra Junction and only one locomotive could run on the road at a time. Baldwin's specification included the requirement to haul 55 long tons (55.9 metric tons) up a 2 1/2% grade at an average speed of 15 mph (24 kph). The firebox was required to burn either wood (one cord) or coal (one ton), "chiefly hard wood slabs". Hugh Richards' account noted that the railway handled mountain ash--"hard wood and good wood", so it seems that fuel supply was not an issue.

In 1912, the engine's intended service was given as "passenger" and the schedule called for two mixed trains each way with two extra runs (each way) on Mondays and one extra run (each way) Saturdays. The railway had just one composite (passenger and parcel compartments) carriage-cum-guard's van with a 24-passenger capacity. LM reported that that one carriage was "sufficient to meet the passenger traffic on most occasions." For holiday excursions, the larger of two timber wagons (5 1/2 tons compared to 3 tons) could be converted to passenger service by fitting them with seats and canvas canopies. (See A D Budge' detailed characterization of the passenger adventure at [], last accessed 28 October 2018.)

Richards also revealed that the logging trips headed toward the sawmill required the locomotive to get the 30-log train over the Yarra Range, but then, said the foreman relating the move to Richards, the cars were cut loose and two crew travelling "on the logs-hang on to the moving trolleys and brake them as they gather speed. We get up to thirty miles an hour coming down. Coast right into the mill almost." (Richards' account of his own wild ride is worth searching out at the LRRSA website.)

Passenger service ended in 1945, but forestry continued. See Philip Hopkins' story at []

in the 24 January 2017 Warragul & Drouin Gazette on the still-active timber industry. Passenger service using a restored Walker Rail-Motor RM22 returned in 2010. See "Yarra Valley Railway Reopens for Passenger Services" at [], last accessed 28 October 2018.

Class Powellite (Locobase 20451)

Data from "The Powelltown & Yarra Junction Light Railway", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XXI [21] (15 December 2015), pp. 284-285. See also Frank Stamford, "Steam locomotives on Victorian timber tramways - Part 3", Light Railways, No 2 (December 2009), pp. 3-6. (And Locobase 20450 for more sources and detailed description of the railway.) Works number was 1965 in 1913.

Later overhauls of this standard light railway six-coupleds aimed at reducing fire risk by addind a taller stack and a Cheney spark nullifier on the top.