Settlement History
The Railway at Clyde 1888-1993
The first section of the Great Southern
Railway (from Dandenong 49½ miles to Korumburra) was let to Falkingham
and Sons for £ 502,542. Work commenced in February 1887 and more than
500 men began clearing scrub, building embankments and bridges along the
first stage to Lang Lang. By October, 1887 the line had been laid as far
as Cranbourne but was not opened to Tooradin until September, 1888. A cutting
was dug just beyond Ballarto Road and the soil was used to build an embankment
to get a permissible rising grade from the flat country around Tooradin.
For the early trains it was a long climb from the flats to the top of the
Clyde Watershed, rising nearly 100 ft. between Tooradin and Clyde stations.
During the years 1888 - 1914 the level crossing gates were continually manned
at the Ballarto Road level crossing. At Clyde the station attracted settlement
– homes, shops, businesses and moved the centre of activity from North
Clyde to Clyde.
On the opening of the rail line to Tooradin a twice daily service was established
to Dandenong departing at 7.32 a.m. to connect with trains to the city at
Dandenong. Shortly after the opening to Korumburra a service, operating
in both directions, known as the 'Midday' came into operation. The 'Midday'
was a goods service with a passenger carriage attached.
Between 1910 and 1954 an express passenger service operated between Nyora
and Dandenong with one stop at Koo-wee-rup. This service was suspended
in the 1930's and 40's due to shortages of coal in the depression and war
years. In 1958 the express service was resumed and extended to Yarram.
Due to increased rail traffic on the line from about 1910 when the line
reached Wonthaggi, where the coalmine had been operating since 1909, modifications
were made at Clyde to speed the transport of coal. Regrading of the Clyde
Bank took place in 1914-15 when the cutting was deepened, and using soil
from Lang Lang station yard the grade was reduced to 1 in 110. During the
re-grading operation a temporary station was built about 150 yards from
the Clyde-Berwick Road level crossing and the Clyde siding and railhead
was modified to provide two side tracks below the previous rail level. At
this time the level crossing gates at Ballarto Road were replaced by an
overhead bridge.
From 1913 an early morning goods service with passenger carriage departed
Nyora, collecting freight along the way and aiming to connect with Melbourne
services at Dandenong. On Tuesdays (Dandenong Market Day) however two stops
were made to collect trucks of cattle for sale at the market and often the
Melbourne connections were not made.
To enable a more efficient operation of the increasing number of trains
running from Dandenong to Nyora the Selector Train Control System was introduced
in 1924. This was the first installation of such a system in Victoria.
Prior to 1928 when motor transport began collecting milk at farms in Clyde,
milk cans were brought to the station where one of the services would deliver
the milk to the city. Around this time the Clyde railhead was a hive of
activity and many other freight items were consigned. Sand for bricklaying,
moulding sand, wheat, oats, hay, chaff, wool, cream, butter, eggs, potatoes,
peas, onions and even mushrooms (up to 15 cases in season) are some examples.
Sheep and cattle were often trucked in and out and the Melbourne Hunt Club
took advantage of the rail facilities to bring their horse and hounds to
Clyde for hunts. Train services onwards from the 1930’s enabled the daily
travel of students attending Dandenong High School.
During the 1920's the government along with Railways sponsored the BETTER FARMING TRAIN, which stopped at railway stations providing lectures, demonstrations, on dairying, breeding, cooking, infant welfare and poultry. The Better Farming train came to Clyde in 1930.
Look at this video link, Better Farming Train, for more information
In addition to general freight sand was carted from the Bunyip River for
the Plowright, and Koo-wee-rup Waterwashed Sand Companies who operated from
1926-32.
The line from Cranbourne to Leongatha was closed in 1993. Passenger services to Clyde discontinued on 6 June, 1981
The Railway Made a Difference -comments by Perce Hardy written about 1978
After the South Gippsland Railway was built transport problems were
greatly reduced. Practically all produce and stock were carried by
rail, and the railway station became busier as the years advanced.
At one period there was a staff of Station Master, assistant Station
Master, Operating Porter and Porter.
The main produce was, of course, whole milk and cream, also potatoes,
onions, oaten chaff, building sand and live stock.
Road transport has now replaced the railway and outward freight is
now almost non-existent.
more >..
Train Kills Cow at 50 Miles an hour
CLYDE, Saturday.-When travelling at 80 miles an hour the early morning down motor train to Korumburra ran into a cow at the "Muddy Gates" crossing. The cow was killed, the cattle pit torn up, the fence broken, and the cow-catcher in front of the motor damaged. After a short delay the train was driven on.
Overtaken By A Train
TOORADIN, Saturday. -Whilst travelling on his railway tricycle between Clyde and Tooradin on Saturday morning, Mr Joseph McComb, a ganger on the line, had a providential escape from death. At a point where the line is carried on a viaduct, raised some 5ft or 6ft above the ground level McComb who is somewhat deaf was overtaken by the 6.30 a.m. train from Melbourne. He discovered its approach only in time to hastily spring from the tricycle, it the same time dragging it with him. Falling from the viaduct to the ground he was struck by the tricycle, but luckily escaped with nothing more serious than some severe bruises.
more>>railway bridge
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clyde_railway_station,_Victoria:
http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/heritage/63224
2. South Gippsland Railway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Gippsland_Railway
3. Cranbourne: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranbourne_railway_station,_Melbourne
4. The Good Country – Appendices Notes on Railway Construction C. Einsiedel
pp-275-283
5. The Good Country – Chap 10: Towns and Rail Tracks pp154-157
6. A Clyde History
7. Mark Bau's Victorian Railways Website http://www.victorianrailways.net
8. The South Gippsland Railway Volunteers Group http://www.sgr.org.au/index.htm