TheMelbourne and Essendon Railway Company was formed in 1858 and was authorised by theVictorian Parliament to build arailway line fromNorth Melbourne toEssendon. The single track railway was opened in October 1860. The company immediately commenced construction of abranch line fromNewmarket toFlemington Racecourse, which opened in February 1861.[1]
The operation was barely profitable and, in early 1864, the company asked theGovernment of Victoria buy the railway. The request was refused and the line was closed in July 1864. For the next three years, determined efforts were made to get the government to change its decision. In August 1867, the government paid £22,500 for the company's assets, and they became part ofVictorian Railways. The racecourse branch was reopened in November 1867, and the section from Newmarket to Essendon was reopened in January 1871.[1]
Onesteam locomotive built for the Melbourne and Essendon Railway Company in 1862 was sold unused toNew Zealand'sCanterbury Provincial Railways. Upon arrival in New Zealand, it became the country's first locomotive to operate in revenue service. Withdrawn in 1876, its frame subsequently returned to Australia when it was purchased by theSouth Australian Railways and was used as part of the SAR's locomotive No. 54, which operated until 1904.[2]
| Class | Wheel arrangement | Fleet number(s) | Manufacturer Serial numbers | Year introduced | Total | Total preserved | Year(s) withdrawn | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M&ER2-4-0T | 2-4-0T | Essendon, #459* | Slaughter, Gruning & Co. 458, 459* | 1862 | 2* | 0 | 1864 | ToSAR to becomeE 13 *#459 not used and sold to SAR to become E 10 |
| Companies | ||
|---|---|---|
| First | Melbourne and Essendon Railway Company 24 February 1859 – 27 August 1867 | Succeeded by |
