Happy anniversary R 761

This year Steamrail Victoria is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the restoration of possibly its most well known locomotive, R761.

The big 4-6-4, or Hudson as that wheel arrangement is known has now spent far longer in heritage service than it did with the Victorian Railways. With dieselisation, it had a fitful service history between when it was delivered in 1952, stored on and off until it was overhauled in 1970 for Vintage Train duties, until its last trip on 5 September 1974.

1980 saw restoration begin on the loco, with trial trips run in late 1984 leading up to a members train to Ballarat in December that year.

Early in 1985, it travelled to Bendigo where it was painted at the railway workshops in stunning gloss black and red.

The first time I saw it was on the day it transferred back from Bendigo to Newport after getting its new coat of paint.

Due to contacts at the Bendigo loco depot, Dad found out when it was due to head back to Melbourne, so, based on what we were used to - K classes on slow moving trains, I was allowed a day off school, and we headed down to the steep climb to Elphinstone tunnel from Castlemaine.

I have vague memories of Dad shooting the last of a movie film on another train, and some scenery so he could put in a fresh pack of super 8 before the R arrived.

When it did, it flashed by us up the hill and into the tunnel, not being impeded by a train certainly helped, but nothing like anything we'd seen before!

Since then, I've travelled behind 761 into South Australia, and across parts of the Victorian network that are either gone, or now standard gauge. I've been extremely fortunate enough to have had cab rides from Spencer St. to Ballarat, and Ballarat to Ararat on different occasions, both very exhilarating runs!

Saturday 21st of September was chosen to run The Vintage Train to Castlemaine to commemorate the event, which sold out quickly.

I was in two minds, travel or chase, in the end, my dithering left me with only one option!

Sunbury was on the cards again, in a slightly different location to where I shot Night Moves, this time the Jacksons Creek bridge not far further around the corner, but a totally different angle. The sun kept disappearing behind clouds, and so it remained when the train was heard whistling into Sunbury, and the exhaust could be seen above the trees. It looked and sounded magnificent as it crossed the bridge, then roared up the deep cutting towards Clarkfield. I hung around for a few more minutes to shoot the loco hauled Swan Hill passenger train before heading back through Sunbury, and onto the Calder Freeway.

Leaving Sunbury in its wake, R761 and The Vintage Train crosses Jacksons Creek.

The R is gleaming at the moment following a repaint earlier this year, and looked fantastic climbing the grade out of Sunbury.

We crossed the railway near Woodend, and smoke still hanging in the air had the train just in front of us, so a few minutes late.

School holiday traffic wasn’t helping progress, and as we took the Malmsbury exit, I was wondering if we would actually make my next planned shot at Taradale.

A last minute decision to try a shot at the beautiful Malmsbury viaduct paid off, with the train coming around the corner as we pulled up.

It was a fortunate stopping place, as Janelle who was paying attention to the view said shoot it over the vines, which was a great call.

The beautiful bluestone Malmsbury viaduct with R671 and train heading north to Castlemaine.

There was a bit of a lull in proceedings as the train had to stop at Taradale to allow passing traffic, before heading into Castlemaine.

This gave plenty of time to get to the top of Elphinstone tunnel, the top of the last climb before the train. Like most popular spots, there was plenty of people there already, and others arriving after me, but I decided to see what I could get.

Like a lot of the network, there’s more trees and shrubbery than ever before, the corridor doesn’t see the vegetation maintenance it used to.

I managed a reasonable shot, then back to the car to trundle into Castlemaine well after the train arrived.

The overgrown cutting on the approach to Elphinstone tunnel has always been soggy, it's hard to believe it was once a double tracked railway.

Lunch was next across the road from the station at the Bar Midland in the Midland Hotel, where we caught up with one of our friends visiting from the UK who had actually managed to secure a seat on the train.

He was however departing on an earlier Vline service in time to get back to watch the footy at the MCG. That ended up being a bit of a drawn out affair, with all passengers booted off the train, and the two three car Vlocity sets re-marshalled due to a fault.

The train eventually departed about 30 minutes down, by which time my parents had arrived from Bendigo to catch up.

We wandered over to platform three, where the Victorian Goldfields Railway train with freshly painted J549 was waiting departure time.

It was a great opportunity to have a look at the J, and chat with Addie and Brett, both long time volunteers on the railway.

Addie and Brett on the recently returned to service J549.

After the train departed for Maldon, we headed back over the road for a drink and a chat, and despite Janelle telling me the Steamrail train was out at 15:30, I had it in my head it was 15:50 departure, so we missed it!

It was due to wait at Taradale for 20 minutes, so there was plenty of time to drive out, and see it depart once the Bendigo bound Vlocity went past.

Starting right at the bottom of the 1:50 grade at the end of the viaduct, the R looked, and sounded fantastic as it comfortably accelerated away and under the bridge.

Taradale crossing - the R gets away smartly on the climb out of Taradale as an opposing Bendigo service dips into the loop.

It's a testament to the volunteers and employees of Steamrail that the loco was restored, and has remained in almost continuous service for such a long time, far longer than its Victorian Railways career.

If you’d like to travel on The Vintage Train to Castlemaine, it’s running again in November, more details here on the Steamrail website.

Looking forward to many more years of travel and photographing R761!