Final day of broad gauge passenger trains beyond Seymour

Saturday 8 November 2008 was the final day of broad gauge passenger trains on the north east mainline beyond seymour. Commencing in 2009, this line will be converted to standard gauge.

In addition to the regular V/Line passenger trains, the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre ran a tour using their "Blue Train" to Albury to mark the occasion.

The Blue Train features many original carriages from the famous Spirit of Progress that once travelled this line behind the S class steam locomotives and was a memorable way to end 125 years of broad gauge operations into Albury.

© 2008 James Brook

Victorian Railfan Website
http://vr.railpage.org.au/

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• V/Line
• SRHC
• Albury
• passenger
• north
• east
• broad
• gauge
• spirit
• of
• progress
• blue
• train
• gunzel
• railfan
• tour

[cogidubnus1953]

It ain't proper 7'01/4" inch broad gauge is it?

[vrfan2006]

@cogidubnus1953 No, it's 5'3"

[flammabletube]

just watched again and was thinking why did they not put a steam loco on the blue train (old spirit of progress) at least for 1 or 2 trips I am sure Steamrail would have come to the party

[vrfan2006]

By the time this trip ran (early November), the fire bans would have been in place. Steamrail ran the final broad gauge steam train on 14 June 2008.

[massa101257]

so what's going to happen now, if u what to go to albury by train do u have to change at seymour or r they going to keep it going all the way to albury

[vrfan2006]

Nah the Albury passenger trains are going to be standard gauge and they will run all the way from Melbourne

[robertgift]

Glad you captured this unfortunate historic occasion.

Why REDUCE gauge?

Is not broad gauge a smoother ride? More spacious passenger cars and freight cars?

Train videos soon become boring whenothing buthe same repetitive views of trains approaching and rolling by. Why no level crossing signalshown? Nice hearing the bells but would also be nice to see your signals operate.

Oh, now see some signals. Copied from American signals? How soon before train arrival do they begin operation?

[thatguyscomputer]

last time checked broad gauge passenger trains still ran to shepparton.

so technically the title of the film is incorrect

[gyoza007]

Jan. 2011 Just checked the V-line site, still no passenger trains north of Seymour, on the Albury Line. I used to live in Euroa. Two years since passenger service stopped "temporarily". I'm beginning to wonder if towns like Euroa will ever get passenger trains again.

[massa101257]

@vrfan2006 cool, so u can still travel all the way to albury without changing

[Trainbrain1949]

Did they convert any diesel locomotives or coaches to standard gauge? I would seem to be an easy matter to swap trucks (bogies).

[ufn489]

A comprehensive video for sure,well edited as well.

Thanks for posting another quality video of our passing railway history.