
TheFyansford Cement Works Railway was anindustrial railway nearGeelong, Australia, built by the Australian Portland Cement Company to carrylimestone from its quarry to its cement works atFyansford.
The railway was notable for including a 1.3 km (0.81 mi) tunnel, the longest rail tunnel inVictoria apart from the underground sections of theMelbourneCity Loop. It had a fleet of one diesel and 11 steam locomotives, the majority of which have been preserved byheritage railway operators, in particular theBellarine Railway.[1][self-published source?]
The line was built in 1926, replacing an earlier overhead ropeway from the quarry to the main works. The railway had two main sections: one from the works depot to an older quarry, and a longer track which used the tunnel and connected to a newer quarry. The length of the main line from the new quarry to the depot was 5.6 km (3.5 mi). The rail track had agauge of3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm), one not often used in Victoria, where the predominant rail gauge was5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm).[2]
The cement works railway operated until 1966, when it was replaced by an above-groundconveyor belt between a new crushing works on the quarry floor and the cement works. At the time of its closure, the railway's motive power consisted of adiesel-electric locomotive (which was sold to theVictorian Railways), and six steam locomotives, which were donated to preservation societies.
Of the original twelve locomotives, seven (one diesel and six steam locomotives) are still in existence today.[3] With the relocation to Queenscliff of theAustralian Standard Garratt from theNewport Railway Museum in May 2013, all six steam locomotives existing at the time of the line's closure are now in preservation at theBellarine Railway.
| Number | Builder | Year built | Wheel arrangement | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beyer, Peacock & Company,Manchester, England | 1938 | 2-6-0+0-6-2Garratt | Scrapped | Some components from this locomotive were integrated into sister locomotive No. 2 when it was overhauled, similar toWestern Australian Government Railways Msa class[4] |
| 2 | Beyer, Peacock & Company | 1938 | 2-6-0+0-6-2Garratt | Stored at theBellarine Railway | Was on display at thePuffing Billy Railway's museum atMenzies Creek until 2010, before relocation to the Bellarine Railway for eventual restoration. |
| 3 | Victorian Railways,Newport Workshops | 1945 | 4-8-2+2-8-4Garratt | In workshops at the Bellarine Railway | The last remaining completeAustralian Standard Garratt. Moved on 31 May 2013 from theNewport Railway Museum to the Bellarine Railway, for restoration. |
| 4 | Vulcan Iron Works,Wilkes-Barre,Pennsylvania, United States | 1916 | 0-6-0T | Stored at the Bellarine Railway | Originally used at theHenderson Naval Base,Western Australia, acquired by APC in 1926, along with loco 5. |
| 5 | Vulcan Iron Works | 1916 | 0-6-0T | Stored at the Bellarine Railway | Stored in park in Ringwood before removal for restoration. |
| 6 | Hudswell Clarke,Leeds, England | 1903 | 0-4-2T | Stored at the Bellarine Railway | Originally used as a shunter at the Wallaroo & Moonta Mining & Smelting Co's copper smelter inWallaroo, South Australia. before acquisition by APC, along with locos 7-9. NamedWesley B. McCann after being donated to theBelmont Common Railway.[2] |
| 7 | Hudswell Clarke | 0-4-2T | Scrapped | See no. 6[2] | |
| 8 | Hudswell Clarke | 0-4-2T | Scrapped | See no. 6[2] | |
| 9 | Hudswell Clarke | 0-4-2T | Scrapped | See no. 6[2] | |
| 10 | Perry Engineering,Adelaide | 1926 | 0-4-0T | Scrapped | Originally used by the State Rivers & Water Supply Commission of Victoria in construction of theHume Weir. Acquired by APC in 1946, along with number 11 fromState Electricity Commission of Victoria.[2] |
| 11 | Perry Engineering | 1926 | 0-4-0T | Under restoration at the Bellarine Railway | Was on display at thePuffing Billy Railway's museum at Menzies Creek until June 2010, when it was relocated for eventual restoration.[5] |
| D1 | Clyde Engineering,Sydney | 1956 | Bo-Bo | Operational at707 Operations | Bought new by APC and namedWesley B. McCann, sold to theVictorian Railways in 1966, regauged to 5'3" and renumberedT413[6][7] |