To celebrate 125 years since the opening of the line from Castlemaine to Maldon, Steamrail ran a special from Melbourne to Bendigo using R761-R707 hauling ten cars. (The first double-headed R's for six years) This connected at Castlemaine with a special hauled by J541-J515, which ran to Maldon. Despite very cold and wet weather, there was a huge turn out.

When I found myself with five hours to kill in the city on a very wet Wednesday, with no money, I decided to go shoot the Alamein line, the last remaining operating section of the Outer Circle Railway. Three three-car X'trapolis sets were running the Camberwell - Alamein shuttles.

On Sunday 31/5/09 R761 ran empty to Seymour via Albion/Jacana and back with 5 steel cars for driver training. After being held up in Airport West helping to jump-start a truck, we just made it to the Maribyrnong River Viaduct, then drove ahead to Donnybrook where the R was making great speed north...

Some photos taken along the length of the booked-out line between Upfield and Somerton, then at Roxborough Park and Craigieburn.

Photographs of the wooden trestle bridge at Eltham, taken at night using illumination form the local footy oval.

After years of A class and MTH's running the Frankston - Stony Point shuttle, the decision was made to use Sprinters on the line instead, and this was the first time I went down to photograph them. Walked from Somerville to Tyabb, had reasonably bad luck with light, and the Long Island Steel never showed up... But Tyabb is such a fun and happening place, this didn't really matter!

On February 7th 2009 ('Black Saturday') bushfires of never-before seen intensity swept across Victoria, killing nearly 200 people and destroying property and infrastructure across the state. These photos were taken at Yarra Glen on the closed Healesville line two and a half months after the fires, showing damage to the station area, and the burnt out trestle bridges in the up direction, one of which was 260m long.

Time for a bit of archaeology! Photos taken at Royalla, a small station on the border of NSW and ACT. This station is on part of the Bombala line that has been reopened as a tourist railway, but hasn't run since 2007. Also photos at the terminus at Bombala, and some shots on the closed Orbost line back home in Victoria.

Once again this year V/line provided many extra trains for the Avalon International Airshow, between Melbourne and Lara on the Geelong line. Rollingstock included push-pull N and P class, and six-car V/locity’s running as either 3X3 or 2X2X2. The weekend was very wet and overcast for most of the time!

For the first time in my life this year I am now commuting regularly by rail; I often have my camera with me, so this is a collection of photos taken predominantly during peak hours on the Hurstbridge line. Although a lot of these photos are just taken from platforms while waiting for trains, there also quite a few trackside shots while I've been filling in time.

Taken at Allendale Road between Eltham and Diamond Creek. Due to extreme wind conditions a large amount of dust was in the air, as well as smoke from bushfires.

Photos of freight operations on the Maribyrnong River goods line bridge, as well as the main Footscray lines bridges.

Photos of Melbourne's Southern Cross Station, including the railcar depot and shunting operations, viewed from the La Trobe Street bridge.

Photos taken from the Rialto tower, and a refurb Hitachi set at Flinders Street. Taken in between photographing the horrific bushfires currently burning across the state, my thoughts and consolations go out to those who have lost property, family members or friends in this tragedy.

After spending just over 120 years as a single line section, the Clifton Hill - Westgarth duplication (involving the construction of a new viaduct over the Merri Creek, parallel to the existing one) was completed on the Australia Day long weekend 2009. These are a few photos taken on the first day of operations, Tuesday 27th of January.

Photos taken between Daylesford and Bullarto both on-board and trackside, as well as a look inside the workshops at Daylesford. Video from this day can be seen here: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Izp4UQRAuTc

While staying in Queenscliff for schoolies, I managed to slip out occasionally between drinks to shoot the Bellarine Peninsular Railway, including chasing No.4 to Drysdale and back. Also a few shots from Geelong.

With the Albury line about to be converted to standard gauge north of Seymour, SRHC ran the last ever BG passenger train, consisting of V/Line loco N453 ('City of Albury') hauling power van DT319, and nine S cars. (Including two hired from Steamrail) These shots are from Kilmore East on the down journey.

Having been left at Wycheproof on a tour the week before, R761 hauled dead T356 and coal wagon VOAF9 back to Melbourne via Bendigo. Having recently got my drivers licence, I chased the movement from Taradale Viaduct to Sunbury.

'Steam on Show' at Victorian Goldfields Railway, run in conjunction with the 'Picnic at Muckleford' festival. Locos for the day included J515, J541, K160, and DERM 61RM. R761 & T395 ran a connecting special from Melbourne.

Photos taken at Glenbervie on the Craigieburn line, North Melbourne, Southern Cross and Flinders Street, including an SRHC charter with N468-Parlor Car-1BS-Dining Car-Mitta Mitta.

Victorian Goldfields Railway organised a day of special running between Maldon and Castlemaine with oil burner J541 and coal burner J515. This was the first time J class has double-headed since 1970.

SRHC ran a special from Seymour to Tocumwal to celebrate 100 years since the line's opening. Due to the unavailability of T378 & B74, N468 (In the new V/Line livery) assisted T320 to haul a consist of 10 cars. A push-pull shuttle was run from Tocumwal to Strathmerton, which clocked up 491 passengers.

Photographs taken near the top of the grade at Heathcote Junction, including D3 658(D3 639) and R761 double-heading on the last broad gauge steam to Albury, with gauge conversion looming in the near future. Video from this day can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylvaKSr-Jn4

Photos showing unique coastal scenery on the Frankston line between Chelsea and Carrum, then at Mordialloc, including the Mordialloc Creek and Patterson River bridges.

Photographs of remaining infrastructure on the Fairfield APM siding, and the Chandler Hwy bridge, formally part of the Outer Circle railway.

The SRHC Blue Train was chartered by 'The Lodge Of The Golden Fleece,' to run Melbourne-Seymour and return. (With the train running empty to and from Seymour before and after.) The train consisted of several Spirit of Progress cars, dining car Avoca, and crew car Mitta Mitta, and was hauled by three different N class locos hired from V/line: N470, N458 & N457.

Photos of signalling works around Diamond Creek. Auto colour light signals are replacing the mechanical safeworking.

A mix of BG & SG trains near Kilmore East on the NE line on a sunny Tuesday afternoon, including a nice 5-loco lash-up! For video of this day, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ANytunjgNE (No April fools joke included)

A handfull of photos taken over the Easter weekend 2008. The first few are taken at Lake Mokoan on the NE line, then a few from Canberra, A.C.T.

We walked from Leawarra to Baxter, photographing the area around Langwarrin bank, then went to Tyabb to get the return of the Long Island steel. These photos were taken just over two months before the end of loco-hauled pass on this line. Video from this day can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGoRAEDYPp4

A few shots on the Flinders Street viaduct in the city, then around Newport Workshops.

Puff' ran an evening 'mixed' special to Gembrook and return with loco 7A. The train was recreating a typical mixed consist from the 1920's. Many of the later shots were lightened from almost black, so please excuse the poor quality.

Photos of tourist railways, and preserved rollingstock on the mainline. Photos from days when I didn't take enough to sustain a separate collection. Quite a lot off Puffing Billy in here.

Photos of diesel locos and railcars, across Victoria, including V/line, Countrylink, and freight operators. Basically shots taken on days when I didn't take enough to sustain a separate collection.

Photos taken all over Melbourne's 1500v DC electric rail network, essentially photos taken on days where I didn't take enough to warrant their own collection.

Miscellaneous images that don't fit into any other category. This collection is mainly comprised of photos that were taken on days when I didn't take enough photos to make a new collection, and includes photos of interesting signs, infrastructure, and other railway scenes that don't contain trains.

This is a small collection of photos from 'The days before digital.' I have only uploaded historically significant shots, or any that could not be repeated today. Includes photos of Elecrail operations and of West Coast Rail. Dates will be added as I find them.

Photos taken between Albury and Wodonga, including the Murray river bridge.

Shots taken from the 88th floor of Melbourne's Eureka tower, including some shots taken through binoculars.

SRHC ran the 'Blue Train' to Ballarat via Melbourne, with T357 and B74.

Photographs taken of the Puffing Billy Railway in and around Emerald, including shots of recently returned to service loco, 7A. Video from this day can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOqWd3lSjlo

Seymour Railway Heritage Centre, in association with V/line, DoI and Victrack, ran a special train to Albury and return to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Spirit of Progress. A large amount of rollingstock was restored in very little time for this trip, including the CS brake van, Parlor Car, Dining Car, and locos B74 and S303.

SRHC ran shuttles for the 'Tastes of the Goulburn' festival, running hourly between Seymour and Avenel, or 112km post on the Goulburn Valley line, just past Mangalore. The shuttles were run in push-pull using T320 and T357. Also some shots at the depot including freshly re-painted S303.

Steam shuttles run between Hurstbridge and Diamond Creek for the annual Hurstbridge Wattle festival. As with the last two years, steamers K190 and K153 in push-pull configuration ran the trip. Video from this day can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWErNmtMkIk and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oukM7KNcpZQ

Some photos taken between Frankston and Stony point, of the A class hauled pass service and BL29 on 9553 Long Island steel. Video from this day can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYTncFfCWWs

Shuttles between Darling and Glen Waverley with 2-8-0's K190 and K153. Video from this day can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1ObC4L6qlc

Photos taken around North Melbourne, Dynon, and under citylink at Macaulay.

Photos from the 'Steam On Show' event at the Victorian Goldfields Railway. Mixed and double-headed trains with K160, J515 and Y133, the latter two of which are currently at VGR on hire from SRHC. Video from this day can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxOESYTjSi0 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9CUluSwAfY

Photos taken around Dynon and North Melbourne, including MA6 and a BG grain operation at the Port of Melbourne. Also a few shots taken around Clifton Hill on the way there, and of the history of transport mural at Southern Cross on the way back.