Port Melbourne railway line
The Port Melbourne railway line is a former railway line in Melbourne, Australia, opened in September 1854, that is now a light rail line. It was instigated by the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company to carry passengers arriving in Victoria at Station Pier and to alleviate the high cost of shipping goods using small vessels up the Yarra River to Melbourne. The line's conversion to light rail occurred in 1987; it is now served by tram route 109.
The Melbourne end of the line (near the centre) stopped at the City Terminus on Flinders street, at the end of Queen Street
The line, inaugurated on 12 September 1854, was the first in Australia to be steam-powered. A train is pictured here arriving at the company's City Terminus at Flinders Street.
D-class Melbourne tram on route 109 at Port Melbourne. The former railway station building housed a medical centre and restaurant.
Looking towards Port Melbourne from the Swallow Street level crossing, the railway signals have been removed and have been replaced with signals resembling traffic signals for the trams
Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company
The Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company was a railway company in Victoria, Australia. The company was incorporated on 20 January 1853 to build the line from Melbourne to the port of Sandridge, now Port Melbourne.
The locomotive that hauled the inaugural train on 12 September 1854 and continued in service for the following three months. It was hurriedly built by Robertson, Martin & Smith in time for the inauguration of the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay railway when production of Robert Stephenson and Company's locomotives in the UK was delayed.
A train arriving at the company's City Terminus at Flinders Street
The company's busy pier at Hobson's Bay contributed to profitability until the company was sold in 1878 to the Victorian Government.
