I joined the Victorian Railways at aged 18 in 1953, working mainly in the Gippsland area as a telephone lineman with the Signal and Telegraph Division. Our job was erecting a Telegraph line from Dandenong to Traralgon.
In 1960 I became what was known as Section Lineman at Wangaratta, my job maintenance and faults on the telephone lines. The Wangaratta depot was staffed by six people, an Electrical Fitter and mate; a Signal Adjuster and assistant, and a Lineman and mate. We covered the main line from Benalla to Wodonga and the Branch Lines that ran off this. The Cudgewa line branched off from Wodonga, a distance of about 100 kilometres.
The Cudgewa line was considered the most challenging in the Victorian System.
It is decided that the Signal Adjusters will show me the ropes. We put our mode of transport in the Guard’s Van at the rear of the train. The train leaves Wodonga. It is flat and easy going, the only thing of note the big causeway spanning an arm of the Hume Dam near Tallangatta. The train we are travelling in is behind a “K” Steam Locomotive.
We leave Tallangatta and as the Dam is low we can see the outline of old Tallangatta as we pass by. Before long we get into hilly, short curves, going steadily uphill to the top. The train stops, then the handbrakes applied as we proceed downhill to help slow the train. When we get to the bottom of the hill the brakes are taken off. We continue this process further along.
It is very nerve-wrecking, as the train takes off until the brakes are applied to slow it down.
The curves are that tight you can hear a steady ‘squark’ which tends to wear the rails away, so at different locations what are known as ‘greasers’ squirt grease as the train passes over them. A highlight of the trip is crossing the high trestle bridges which span the ravines, the later part of the journey is flat.
In 1960 I became what was known as Section Lineman at Wangaratta, my job maintenance and faults on the telephone lines. The Wangaratta depot was staffed by six people, an Electrical Fitter and mate; a Signal Adjuster and assistant, and a Lineman and mate. We covered the main line from Benalla to Wodonga and the Branch Lines that ran off this. The Cudgewa line branched off from Wodonga, a distance of about 100 kilometres.
The Cudgewa line was considered the most challenging in the Victorian System.
It is decided that the Signal Adjusters will show me the ropes. We put our mode of transport in the Guard’s Van at the rear of the train. The train leaves Wodonga. It is flat and easy going, the only thing of note the big causeway spanning an arm of the Hume Dam near Tallangatta. The train we are travelling in is behind a “K” Steam Locomotive.
We leave Tallangatta and as the Dam is low we can see the outline of old Tallangatta as we pass by. Before long we get into hilly, short curves, going steadily uphill to the top. The train stops, then the handbrakes applied as we proceed downhill to help slow the train. When we get to the bottom of the hill the brakes are taken off. We continue this process further along.
It is very nerve-wrecking, as the train takes off until the brakes are applied to slow it down.
The curves are that tight you can hear a steady ‘squark’ which tends to wear the rails away, so at different locations what are known as ‘greasers’ squirt grease as the train passes over them. A highlight of the trip is crossing the high trestle bridges which span the ravines, the later part of the journey is flat.
The last steam train to Cudgewa, 27 May 1978 (Source Facebook page 'The Rail Way')
After the steam locomotives were fazed out, “T” class Diesels were used, with startling results. Twice on frosty mornings these bolted and derailed. One was recorded going at 80 kilometres an hour round a curve where it should have been travelling at no more than 25 kmh. The other broke into two sections, the driver in the front section taken to Corryong Hospital, the guard to Tallangatta Hospital.
At this time the line was very busy as it was the Victorian railhead for the Snowy scheme, plus special bridge gangs working on the bridges.
At this time the line was very busy as it was the Victorian railhead for the Snowy scheme, plus special bridge gangs working on the bridges.
Max Tilbury
May 2024