The changes in Menzies Creek's yard layout illustrate the changing needs of a railway.
The changes in Menzies Creek's yard layout illustrate the changing needs of a railway.
In V.R. days Menzies Creek was a simple loop siding with a standard small portable station building, and a small goods shed.
On the 12/4/1921 a crossing loop was opened. As the crossing loop was the goods siding this implies that the siding was not often used.
Between 1962 and 1965 Menzies Creek was the terminus of the restored Puffing Billy line from Belgrave. As the PBPS wanted to use the loop (mainly as a ballast siding) a run around loop was constructed. The unusual layout was considered the easiest for inexperienced workers to build quickly. By this time the goods shed had been demolished.
The construction of a Museum on the hill above the station led to the need for an access spur on a 1:30 grade up the hill. Hence the catch points.. An additional loop was built and the temporary run around loop removed. A goods shed was built, and new toilets provided to cater for the increased demand.
By 1983 a platform had been built for crossing trains. This was not an ideal solution as passengers still had to cross tracks, and many took the short way between from one train to another. A siding off the catch points on the museum access siding was built to provide track for the Museum to run its 2'6" gauge locomotive.
By the 1990s concern for passenger safety lead to the construction of an island platform. The earth works were an army exercise. A good exercise it was too, for we continued to cross trains at Menzies Creek while the exercise was on. The new #1 rd. ran through the location of the old station building, which had been shifted to the middle of the island platform and extended. No change is completely perfect, and in this case the solid brick toilets were no longer on the platform, although provision was made for toilets in the station building. Menzies Creek now has a small Refreshment Room in the station which is open every day. (They serve excellent coffee.) The under-car inspection pit siding was utilised to provide access to the museum
The normal running road is 2rd. because of the restricted vision for drivers when entering 1rd. from Lakeside. When crossing, trains from Belgrave generally use 1rd. Menzies Creek has a small signal box. (This is not traditional for Victorian Narrow Gauge.)
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