Thread by @ozbob13

#virtualrailfanning
Join my Grandfather P G Dow who took a photographic record of the last train from Crowes to Beech Forest on the 9/12/1954. Travelled from Colac to Crowes on the 8th. Stayed overnight in the NC Van & to Beech Forest in the morning.
Map members.optusnet.com.au/~narrow.gauge/…

Return ticket for my Grandfather and Uncle.

All aboard! The last train from Crowes is about to depart. G41 and two NC Vans. Goods will be picked up on the run to Beech Forest.

Uncle Mal in the cab of G41

Crowes VR G41 2-6-0--0-6-2
Two were built G41 & G42. Beyer Peacock England 1926.
Bass Straight can be seen.

Lavers Hill
Pick up some goods.

Wyelangta

Last train from Crowes at Kincaid tank 9/12/1954
Time for a drink ...

Near Kincaid. The 2' 6" was in reasonable shape until the end.

Weeaproinah - the line was truncated back to W. when the line closed from Crowes. I managed to go to Weeaproinah twice on the 2'6" in the late 1950s.

Ferguson.

No frills at Ferguson ..

Approaching Beech Forest. With a sense of history the crew made sure it was recorded. Photo stop!!

Last train from Crows entering Beech Forest 9/12/1954
The line on the left is to Colac.

Beech Forest

Beech Forest, from the coal stage by the look of it.

Beech Forest station itself.
Here ends the trip. A few interesting additional photographs follow.

Trains were turned by a loop around a tennis court at Beech Forest. This photograph is of one of the farewell tours 1959.

Coming back from around the tennis court.

Local Otway Ranges Dow Family at Beech Forest
Myself left lower with the funny hat. A hat my Grandfather obtained for me when in India/Pakistan.
Farmers, kept sending spuds and stuff by rail. Helped keep the line open for a while.

Weeaproinah station. Couple of scallywags ...

Heading to Weeaproinah. Line on the left to Colac.
Hope you enjoyed this look at one of the great Victorian Railways narrow gauge (2' 6") railways. Others were Whitfield, Walhalla and of course Gembrook (still operational).

Here a few more photographs of Colac with the narrow gauge in place.
Track layout 1944
victorianrailways.net/signaling/comp…

The train from Beech Forest has recently arrived.
1954

R724 ARHS trip 1960. G42 waiting for the pax to transfer across.

1960 trip. Colac.
That's me hanging off the G.

The carriages were from Puffing Billy (UFG).

Colac c. 1949.

This was the narrow gauge transfer siding.
COLAC NARROW GAUGE SIDING - Public Record Office Victoria wiki.prov.vic.gov.au/index.php/VPRS…
You can identify the location on the track diagram above.

Quite unusual this. Both Gs at Colac. I think the front loco is G42 and the G41 is in steam. Another farewell trip. c. 1959.

And a NA.
Colac.

For interest. Beech Forest had probably the only diamond double cross over on narrow gauge.
victoriancollections.net.au/items/534a0727… 1959