Transport – Public Transport – Railways

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This guide to railway records held at Public Record Office Victoria is a revised version of the guide originally compiled by railway researchers M. Guiney, T. Rigg, and D. Jowett in 2002.

Image of VPRS 12800/P1 item H 2230

The early development of railways in Victoria was undertaken by private enterprise. Companies such as the Melbourne and Hobson’s Bay Railway Company and the Melbourne, Mount Alexander, and Murray River Railway Company were incorporated in 1853. In 1858 the first Railways Department (VA 2877) was established to administer the infant network. The State Government purchased the rights and property of the private companies that had been incorporated in the previous four years. The development, operation and maintenance of the rail system was successively under the control of Department of Railways I, 1857-1871; Department of Railways and Roads, 1871-1877; the Department of Railways II, 1877-1884; the Victorian Railways Commissioners 1883 – 1973 and then Victorian Railways Board 1973 – 1983. In 1983 the government of the day amalgamated metropolitan rail and tram services under the Metropolitan Transit Authority (VA 1044).

The records held by the Public Record Office Victoria can be used to undertake research on the historical development of railway lines and/or structures. They can also be used for family history research by identifying persons communicating with, employed by, or contracting to the Victorian Railways.

Suggested record series for family history research

The following series, used in conjunction with their indexes and registers, can provide information on individuals via the use of the surname:

· Secretary's Inward Correspondence 1859 – 1962 (VPRS 421)

· Inwards Correspondence Registers 1859 – 1871 (VPRS 422)

· Engineer in Chief Minute Books 1859 – 1904 (VPRS 423)

· Engineer in Chief Inwards Correspondence 1859 – 1980 (VPRS 425)

· Engineer in Chief Indexes to Inward Correspondence 1867 – 1956 (VPRS 427)

· Existing Lines Branch Inwards Correspondence Registers 1878 – 1904 (VPRS 433)

Using correspondence to research general railway subjects

The Inwards Correspondence of the Secretary for Railways (VPRS 421, 1852 – 1962) contains a wide range of correspondence created in the day-to-day operation of the railway system. It includes files on railway staff involved in matters other than their normal day-to-day work and correspondence from people or companies writing to the Department.

Examples of these files are:
Private railway companies	Train operations
Provision of new locomotives	Proposed railways
McKeen Petrol Railmotors	Signalling alterations
Steam Services on country lines	Locomotive and rollingstock development
Private sidings	Requests for alterations to station sites
Alterations and new works at stations	Renaming of stations
Bridge construction	Grain rates
Regrading schemes	Fares and freight rates
Cemetery railways

Each file has an annual single number (eg. Sec. 32/5649), representing the year and a progressive number, which can be obtained from the Inwards Correspondence Registers, VPRS 422 or from references on other correspondence.

Inwards Correspondence Registers VPRS 422

These register inwards correspondence to the Secretary for Railways (VPRS 421). From 1872 to 1911 letters were registered in alphabetical sections by surname or organisation for each year and so the registers are a good starting point for family history research.

In addition to surnames and company names, correspondence from municipalities, government departments, and internal railway branches is recorded alphabetically. From 1889, there is a separate volume each year for government departments and railway branches.

The following are examples using listings under "L":

Lancaster W.K., Requests refund on unused portion of return ticket

Lancefield residents seek an earlier train service to Melbourne

Long Gully Gold Mining Co ask permission to mine under railway property

Longwarry Timber Co ask for a siding to load timber from their mill

Following the general entry pages but still under "L", separate pages are provided for:

Lands Department

Law Department

Leigh Shire Council

Locomotive Superintendent

Suggested records for researching construction of railway lines and structures

Image of VPRS 12903/P1 item Box 001/10

The records listed on page one of this guide can be searched under the name of the contractors, (details of contracts can be obtained from Government Gazettes), the name of the railway under construction, or location of the station.

Series containing additional material relating to railway construction:

Contract books 1857-1968	VPRS 419
Victorian Railways Line Plans and Sections 1878-1929	VPRS 5751
Commercial Branch Proposed Lines Files 1890-1930	VPRS 437
Parliamentary Standing Committees on Railways Reports 1891 – 1972	VPRS 5399
Victorian Railway Building Plans 1909-1961	VPRS 4986
Victorian Railway Building Index 1909-1961	VPRS 4987
Final Returns of Construction Costs of Lines 1892 – 1929	VPRS 428
Correspondence and Administration Records, Engineer in Chief and Existing Lines Branch (includes Rough Diaries of Robert Watson, Engineer in Chief) 1854-1930	VPRS 418

Minister of Railways and Minister of Transport

Unregistered Correspondence 1893 - 1902	VPRS 617
Ministers General Correspondence Files 1930-1971	VPRS 10217

Miscellaneous railway series: (listed by subject)

Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company	VPRS 1281
Melbourne and Suburban Railway Company	VPRS 1282
Accident Reports	VPRS 3619
Frankston Railway Station Records	VPRS 4963
Railway Commissioner's Policy Files	VPRS 10214, VPRS 10706
Books of Instruction	VPRS 5752, VPRS 5753
Special Timetables	VPRS 4056
Rollingstock drawings	VPRS 3426
1928 Royal Commission into the Victorian Railways	VPRS 2564

Researchers can consult PROV’s Online Catalogue or the PROV Wiki Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Railways and Railway Employment Records for more information on records related to railways.

Searching for and ordering Railway records

For advice on how to search for Railway Employment Records, please refer to PROV How to Ordering Railway Employment Records.

For information on ordering other Railway records, please refer to PROVguide 21 Online Catalogue – Ordering Records

Photographic Sources

Public Record Office Victoria holds a large collection of Railways photographic images. You can use an online database index to locate photographs.

Image of VPRS 12800/P1 item H 1117

Researchers can also search the “Pictures Catalogue” at the State Library of Victoria (www.slv.vic.gov.au) or “Picture Australia” (www.pictureaustralia.gov.au). “Picture Australia” is an Internet based service developed by the National Library of Australia that allows you to search a number of significant online collections of images at the same time. When you undertake a search using “Picture Australia”, you are in fact searching the collections of the participating agencies.

Published sources at the State Library of Victoria

· Petitions from districts, towns, Railway Leagues seeking railway communication.

· Surveys of routes.

· Parliamentary authorisation:

Railway Standing Committee Reports

Progress of Bill

Construction Act

Information regarding the above three areas can be found in Victorian Parliamentary Papers, Parliamentary Debates and Victorian Statutes, which are available at the State Library of Victoria.

Records in Other Places

University of Melbourne Archives - Accession Number: 76/85 Melbourne Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company, Minute book April 1853 - August 1856.

Victorian Railways History Resources – an interesting site with links to histories of individual Railway

Stations and Victorian railway maps http://www.vrhistory.com/

Museum Victoria http://museumvictoria.com.au/railways/ explores Victoria's rich railway history, drawing on over 1,000 historic images from the collections of Museum Victoria and the Public Record Office Victoria.