Photo of Tara Oldfield

Author: Tara Oldfield

Senior Communications Advisor

Last month we completed a new transfer of Vic Track records to our collection. This transfer is the third since August 2016, with the Vic Track collection now encompassing 40 series from: 
•    Department of Railways 1860-1871 and 1877-1883
•    Department of Railways and Roads 1871-1877
•    Victorian Railways 1883-1983
•    State Transport Authority 1983-1989
•    Metropolitan Transit Authority 1983-1989
•    Public Transport Corporation 1989-2003
•    Melbourne Underground Railway Loop Authority 1971-1983
•    Railway Construction Board 1965-1980
•    Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board 1919-1983

The full list of series can be found below including:
 

Tyabb to Long Island Railway photographs

The October transfer of records included an album of photographs of the construction of the Tyabb to Long Island Railway in 1968. The photographs display a method of creating a short railway tunnel out of partitioned corrugated steel that is bolted together which is then backfilled and covered over. It also includes photographs of a rail laying gang laying sections of the track. 
 

photo of construction on steel tunnels
Photos from the Tyabb to Long Island photo album, VPRS 18402 p1 unit1.

 

black and white photos of men working on tracks
Photos from the Tyabb to Long Island photo album, VPRS 18402 p1 unit1.

 

black and white photos of construction
Photos from the Tyabb to Long Island photo album, VPRS 18402 p1 unit1.

 

black and white photo of construction
Photos from the Tyabb to Long Island photo album, VPRS 18402 p1 unit1.



Land Plan books

Fascinating land plan books, estate office 1860 to 1999 are now also part of our collection.

This series comprises a set of plan or map books that were used by the Estate Office to record the locations of land held by the Victorian Railways, primarily along the railway corridors, and the changes in acquisitions and disposals of land over time. Each plan book refers to a particular railway line and contains a sequential series of maps of the line. Most of the maps were created at the time of the survey of the line before the railway was constructed, although some were created after construction. 

This plan is stamped Railway Department Melbourne June 1908 and shows the Alexandra Township Railway, an extension of the line was undertaken September 1909. 
 

hand drawn map
Victorian Railways Alexandra Township Railway plan, VPRS 18399 p1 unit3.

 

Full list of Vic Track series

VPRS 18409 p1    
 

Plan Number Books (1961 to 1994)
VPRS 18411 p1     Plan Number Books, V/Line and MET – Tram and Rail Drawings (1983 to 1989)
VPRS 18414 p1     Subject Index to Inward Correspondence, Way and Works Branch (1955 to 1977)
VPRS 18397 p1     Track Engineering Reports (1912 to 1988)
VPRS 18402 p1     Tyabb to Long Island Railway 1968 Photo Album
VPRS 18391 p1     Victorian Railways Blue Print Register (1908 to 1956)
VPRS 18410 p1     Sewerage Plans Record Book (1972 to 1994)
VPRS 12772 p16 Station Development and Commercial Development Project Records (1982 to 1990)
VPRS 18382 p1     Railway Loop Construction Plans (1883 to 1982)  
VPRS 18393 p1     Railway Plan Room Location Index (1990)
VPRS 18398 p1     Railway Station Plans Borrowed Movement Registers, Alphabetical (1962 to 1991)
VPRS 18388 p1     Key Index to Melbourne Yard Survey (1942 to 1978)
VPRS 18399 p1     Land Plan Books, Estate Office (1860 to 1999)
VPRS 18386 p1     Legal Opinion on Employees (1883 to 1918)
VPRS 18401 p1     Location Index to Historic Plans (1939 to 1983)
VPRS 18412 p1     Location Index to Metropolitan Railway Station Buildings (1888 to 1985)
VPRS 18403 p1 Index Cards to Railway and Tramway Electrical Engineering Plans and Drawings (1925 to 1987)
VPRS 18404 p1     Index Cards to Tramway Building Service Plans (1925 to 1987)
VPRS 18392 p1     Index to Contracts, Civil Engineering Department/Infrastructure Division (1990 to 1994)
VPRS 18383 p1     Index to Surveys, Plans and Contractors Used in the Construction of Melbourne Railway Loop (1960 to 1980)
VPRS 7811 p2     General, Registered and Unregistered Correspondence Files (1941 to 1957)
VPRS 18406 p1     Distance Statistics Books (1949 to 1987)
VPRS 18395 p1     Drawing Registers, Track Engineering Division (1992 to 2002)
VPRS 18385 p1     Estates Register (1919 to 1988)
VPRS 18468 p1     Field Survey and Level Books Indexes (1900 to 1996)
VPRS 18416 p1     Correspondence Register, Track Engineering (1985 to 1999)
VPRS 18413 p1 Correspondence Registers, Track Engineering, Way and Works Branch (1958 to 1992)
VPRS 18375 p1     Card Index to Financial Bond Holders (1974 to 1984)
VPRS 18394 p1     Circulars Issued, Chief Civil Engineer (1957 to 1976)
VPRS 18405 p1 Indexes to V/Line Plans by Location Name and by Plan Room Storage (1960 to 1982)
VPRS 18408 p1     Record of Railway Employees, Departmental Numbers (1918 to 1966)
VPRS 18379 p1     Melbourne Underground Rail Loop Drawing Index (1972 to 1983)
VPRS 12989 p1     Memoranda Books (1972 to 1977)
VPRS 18387 p1     Memorandum of Instruction, Existing Lines Branch (1883 to 1899)
VPRS 18384 p1     Metric Gradient and Curve Books (1982 to 1985)
VPRS 18407 p1     List of Met Plans, Alphabetical by Location Name (Computer Printout) 1993
VPRS 13002 p2     List of Contracts, Works and Administration Files (1971 to 1986)
VPRS 18389 p1     Register of Title Deeds (1930 to 1975)
VPRS 18390 p1     Card Register to Suggestion Files (1921 to 1990)
VPRS 18400 p1     Way and Works Branch Railway Line Plans Borrowed, Movement Register (1895 to 1998)



Simply type the detail from the right column into Search to find and order these records for viewing in the North Melbourne Reading Room. 
 

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