I missed it by a day, but 40 years ago yesterday, May 4 1986, I spent the day roaming around Melbourne suburbs photographing trains & trams. So here's a thread. First up, Willison station on the Alamein line. Melbourne's 13th least used station and 4th least-used on the electrified network 1 of 16

Singing, "Hey!" We're all just earrings to the left of our parents They're all just haircuts to the left of theirs And we all wonder, "Why do Nazis grow like wildflowers?" Hey, Helen, let's ditch the car, let's hide We'll throw seeds of doubt at passersby They will cross onto our side We'll […]

Sometimes you love a song in your youth, forget it, then rediscover it years later Greg Arnold's Aussie accent and its catchy melody made 'Wildflowers' by Things of Stone and Wood a favourite I returned to it today given after the events at this morning's Anzac Day services […]

Could it be that Melbourne's now under construction Suburban Rail Loop is about to be added to my Melbourne Train and Tram Map? railmaps.com.au/melbourne.htm Well, not quite yet. But I am working on it. I have quite a bit of layout redesign to clear a path for it.

The Australind train service between Perth and Bunbury will resume on June 29th when the first of four new diesel railcar trains enters service. As the remainder of the fleet arrives, the number of services will increase from the former two return trips per day to four or maybe even five per day […]

An updated version of my Brisbane and Gold Coast train, tram, ferry and busway map is now online. See it here https://railmaps.com.au/brisbane.htm or download a pdf version from here https://railmaps.com.au/Brisbane.pdf

Different policies enacted by various Australian States in response to the same global fuel situation, including removing public transport fares, has created a great natural experiment to measure effectiveness of those policies. Early results are interesting […]

The West Coast Wilderness Railway is as popular as ever, but costly maintenance and track closures due to wild weather damage are threatening its viability. The Tasmanian government is holding roundtable meetings to work out how to keep the important tourism venture on track […]

An updated version of my Adelaide train, tram and OBahn map is now online. See it here https://railmaps.com.au/adelaide.htm or download a pdf version here https://railmaps.com.au/Adelaide.pdf

One day a year there are passenger trains on the line Dillingen 🇩🇪 - Niedaltdorf 🇩🇪 - Bouzonville 🇫🇷 That day is Good Friday And yes, I am going I've been to Niedaltdorf by bicycle before during #CrossBorderRail. But tomorrow I will take the train there for […] [Original post on gruene.social]

A bit ironic that today Tasmania gets free public transport, but tomorrow the cost of getting to and from Tasmania on the Spirit will increase by 15% https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-30/new-spirit-of-tasmania-fuel-surcharge/106512786

I was going to keep this for a couple of days because the timing's perfect. But I hate April Fools Day, so it would be hypocritical and I'd probably stuff it up anyway. But what if Steamrail started running trains to add public transport capacity without […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Public transport across the State of Victoria to be free in April https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-29/free-public-transport-april-victoria-fuel-prices-cost-of-living/106506974 It starts on Tuesday March 31 presumably so people don't think it's an April Fools day stunt This is a practical […]

Albo announces the government will be purchasing 'literally shiploads' of fuel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwVgQsZJSEo

Today's historic photo of the day: A pair of H type #trams no 376 leading, ready to run a peak hour trip to Glenelg 'Express to stop 14' from Victoria Square, Adelaide, January 19, 2004. Today is the 10th anniversary of this historic photo of the day series […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: VLine X54 and AN 934 at the head of The Overland before departure to Adelaide, at Spencer Street station, Melbourne, June 21-28 1986. The Overland has linked Melbourne and Adelaide by rail ever since 1887. It ran on broad […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

RE: https://sfba.social/@TheOverheadWire/116280696646005096 How dire is this? A public transport operator renting out car parking spaces at its stations to non-riders in an attempt to cover its operating deficit.

Today's historic photo of the day: NSW State Rail Authority locomotive 4826 in 'yellow end' or ‘reverse’ livery hauls the Cooma Mail away from the staff exchange stop at Royalla, NSW, Saturday May 4 1985. The Cooma Mail #train at this stage of its history […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: 40 years ago today, X34 heads a Geelong-bound VLine passenger #train through Werribee, Vic, March 22 1986 VR bought 24 X class locos in three series between 1966 and 1976. The first series locos, built in 1966 were […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: 43 years ago today, 44228 and the North Coast Daylight Express at Central Station, Sydney, March 21 1983. The North Coast Daylight #train connected Sydney and Grafton on the NSW North Coast. As its name suggests, it ran in […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: Electric locomotive L1168 in traditional VR Blue and Gold livery heads a VLine Melbourne to Traralgon passenger #train at Maryvale siding, Morwell, Victoria, December 24, 1985 Maryvale siding is on the eastern side of […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: Diesel loco 42106 and its #train having arrived from Sydney the previous evening, are stabled in a siding before returning to Sydney later that afternoon, as 42101 at the head of the Canberra Express has just arrived at […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: 41 years ago today, class leader of VLine's fleet of A class EMD-engined double-ended streamliners, A60 in a pristine shiny paint job at the head of the morning #train to Albury awaits departure from Spencer Street station […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: Queensland Rail diesel 1495 hauls a #train of molasses tankers from Railway Estate into South Yard, Townsville, Qld, July 24 1986. This pic was taken from the very busy two-man Forkline Cabin at the entrance to the […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: Exactly 41 years ago today, in this early morning shot we see 48145 hauling a special tour #train heading south from Cooma near Rock Flat, NSW, March 16 1985. Rock Flat is 450km from Sydney just south of Cooma on the line […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: #Redhen diesel railcar no 418 on an Outer Harbour line train sits at Adelaide station, SA, April 10 1985 as a then 5yo 2000-class 'Jumbo' railcar set sits on the adjacent platform. Redhens were the backbone of Adelaide's […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: Exactly 39 years ago today, Victorian Railways Diesel-Electric Rail Motor (DERM) 63RM towing carriage 43BPL on the return leg of an enthusiasts special day tour #train from Seymour to Mulyarra, crosses Boosey Creek at […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: A candy-liveried two-car diesel set, comprising driving car NPF633 this end and permanently coupled driving trailer car NTC 733 behind, running a northbound local #train at Wollongong, NSW, December 14 1985. Prior to the […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: A 'Grey Ghost' converted Harris #train departs from the terminus at Port Melbourne, Vic, June 8, 1987. Port Melbourne is located on Port Phillip Bay just 4km south-west of central Melbourne. Originally known as Sandridge […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: The northbound Riverina #XPT runs through the station at Binalong, NSW, November 2 1985. Binalong is 354km south-west of Sydney on the NSW main South railway, which is also the main Sydney to Melbourne interstate line. The […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

A minor update to my Melbourne train and tram map is now online. The main change is expansion of coverage to include Little River and Lara VLine stations, and I have added the new Lara to Avalon Airport connecting bus no 18 that commences this Sunday. Full map here: railmaps.com.au/melbourne.htm

Today's historic photo of the day: Exactly 40 years ago today, B74 in Vicrail Tangerine and Silver 'Teacup' livery hauls a VLine passenger train out of Spencer Street station, Melbourne, March 10 1986 B74 is one of 26 B class GM-powered double-ended […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: Exactly 41 years ago today, the northbound Cooma Mail from Cooma to Sydney hauled by SRA NSW Alco diesel locomotive 4422 passes the closed station at Williamsdale, NSW, March 9 1985. Williamsdale, 353km from Sydney and 32km […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: The weekends-only Moss Vale to Sydney via Wollongong #train hauled by 42102 in candy livery and 42110 in tuscan, east of Summit Tank, NSW, December 14 1985. At 108km by rail from Sydney via Wollongong, Summit Tank is on the […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: SW6 class #tram no 969 runs an outbound route 64 trip in Dandenong Road at Closeburn Avenue, Prahran, Vic, November 12 1988. No 963 is one of 120 SW6 class trams built between 1939 and 1951. In fact, entering service in […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: The Up Canberra Monaro Express operated by a 7 car DEB Set with HPF959 in the rear enters Queanbeyan, NSW, November 1985. The Canberra Monaro Express ran as a day return #train from Sydney to Canberra and Cooma. At various […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: Queensland Railways 1067mm narrow gauge 1-C diesel-mechanical #locomotive DL4 sits in the yard at Townsville, Qld, July 22 1986. The first of the four DL class Gardner engined locos, DL1, was built in 1939. Diesel […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: Looking north-west along the approach #tracks to Spencer Street station, Melbourne, Vic, August 30 1986. At right are the Bank sidings where VLine carriages and locomotives were (and still are) stabled. In the distance is a […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Three weeks from today, on March 24, my historic pic of the day series will reach its 10th birthday. It's getting hard to find previously published pics, so I'll bring the series to a close after that date. I'll still post pics of trains and observations about the world, but it'll be on a more […]

Today's historic photo of the day: Looking across the tracks running along the centre of Dutton street, we see the 322km post on the far side of the Rossi Street intersection, Yass, NSW, October 19, 1985. The shiny #rails tell us that the track had recently […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: Exactly 40 years ago today, Vicrail Teacup-liveried loco B69 teams up with an A class to haul VLine broad gauge passenger #train 8339 from Melbourne to Albury at Violet Town, Vic, March 2 1986. Violet Town is a small town […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: The very first electric #train to carry passengers in Sydney departed Central station for Oatley exactly 100 years ago today on March 1 1926. To mark the centenary, here's a photo of a Sydney single deck suburban electric […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: SM83 class rebbuilt 'Høka' #tram no 262 runs a Majorstuen-bound route 1 tram service in Inkognitogata, Oslo, Norway, May 28, 1988. Fifty-eight of these 180kW 600V DC tramcars were built between 1952 and 1958 by Høka and […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: SW5 class #tram no 810 runs a Prahran-bound route 77 trip in Batman Avenue, Melbourne, Vic, November 1 1986. Route 77 ran from Prahran terminus at the corner of Chapel Street and Brighton Road, St Kilda, north along Chapel […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: Adelaide H type #tram no 351 sits at the terminus in Moseley Square, Glenelg, SA, April 25 1986. Following closure of the majority of Adelaide's tram network in 1958, the one surviving line, to Glenelg, was a predominantly […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: Exactly 42 years ago today, Alco diesel 4808 hauls a tour #train on the bridge over the Wollondilly River on the Goulburn to Crookwell line at Kenmore, NSW, February 25, 1984. The Crookwell line branched from the NSW main […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: A 3-car Hitachi EMU running a broad gauge Melbourne suburban #train bound from St Kilda heads north at Albert Park station, July 12 1987. Albert Park station was 2.4km from Melbourne Flinders Street on the former broad […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

The Federal government will tomorrow announce another $230m for further planning work for fast trains between Sydney and Newcastle as part of the first phase of an eventual east coast High Speed Railway. Transport & Infrastructure minister Catherine King […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: 4705 with a 49 and a 48 class at the head of an up grain #train from Grenfell at Cowra, NSW, January 24 1986. Cowra is in Central West NSW on the cross-country Blayney to Demondrille line from the Main West to the main […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Today's historic photo of the day: Exactly 40 years ago today, diesel #locomotive X45 'Edgar H Brownbill', sits at the head of VLine train no 8133, the afternoon departure for Dimboola, in platform 1, Spencer Street station, Melbourne, February 22, 1986 […] [Original post on mastodon.online]