Tyers Valley Tramway facts for kids

The Tyers Valley Tramway was a special kind of narrow gauge railway. It was built to move timber (wood) from the forests near Mount Baw Baw in Victoria. This tramway was built by the Forests Commission of Victoria, a group that manages forests.

The tramway was designed to connect with the main Victorian Railways narrow gauge line at a place called Collins Siding. This allowed the timber to be moved further by train to places like Moe and Walhalla. The Tyers Valley Tramway used the same 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge (the distance between the rails) as the main railway.

Why the Tyers Valley Tramway Was Built

Before the Tyers Valley Tramway, many Sawmills (places where trees are cut into timber) in the forests had their own small railways. These were often simple tracks made of wood, and horses pulled the timber.

In 1926, big bushfires destroyed many of these private timber tracks. Instead of letting each sawmill rebuild its own, the Forests Commission decided to build one strong, high-quality tramway. This new tramway would serve all the sawmills in the area, making it easier and safer to transport timber.

How the Tramway Was Built

The Tyers Valley Tramway was built using used rails that weighed about 40 pounds per yard. These rails came all the way from Tasmania.

The track was built to handle slopes, with the steepest part being a 1 in 30 grade. This means for every 30 meters forward, the track went up 1 meter. The curves on the track had a minimum radius of 80 feet, which means they weren't too sharp for the trains to go around.

Even though the tramway did not use ballast (the crushed stone under the tracks), it used more sleepers (the wooden or concrete pieces that hold the rails in place) than usual. This helped to make the track stable.

The Special Locomotives

The Tyers Valley Tramway used some interesting locomotives to pull the timber.

The First Locomotive

In 1927, a company called Alfred Harmon in Port Melbourne built a special geared locomotive for the tramway. This locomotive was meant to support local businesses. However, it turned out to be too heavy for the tracks. It only ran once before it had to be parked.

The Climax Locomotive

Because the first locomotive didn't work out, the Forests Commission got permission to bring in a Climax locomotive from the United States. This steam locomotive weighed 25 tons and was a Class B type. It was very special because it was the last Climax locomotive ever made. It was also the only one built for a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge railway.

TALC Rail Tractors

Besides the Climax, smaller TALC rail tractors were also used. These tractors helped move timber from the sawmills to a central point called Tyers Junction.

How the Tramway Operated

The tramway stretched for about 6.1 miles (9.8 kilometers) from Collins Siding to Tyers Junction. At Tyers Junction, the line split into two branches, following different parts of the Tyers River.

Normally, the TALC rail tractors would bring timber from the sawmills to Tyers Junction. Once enough timber was gathered, it would be loaded onto longer trains. The powerful Climax locomotive would then pull these trains uphill from Tyers Junction to Collins Siding. From Collins Siding, the timber could be transferred to the main railway network.

The End of the Tramway

The Tyers Valley Tramway stopped operating in 1949. After it closed, the special Climax locomotive was moved to another sawmill in Erica.

Today, the Climax locomotive is preserved and can be seen on the Puffing Billy Railway, which is a popular heritage railway. One of the TALC tractors is also preserved there. Most of the old tramway route has now been turned into a rail trail, which is a path for walking and cycling.