Historic Photo of the Day: 2026-03-12

Today's historic photo of the day: A 'Grey Ghost' converted Harris train, departs from the terminus at Port Melbourne, Vic, June 8, 1987. Port Melbourne is located on Port Phillip Bay just 4km south-west of central Melbourne. Originally known as Sandridge, being on the bay, Port Melbourne became the major shipping port for Melbourne as it could accommodate ships too large to navigate the Yarra River into Melbourne itself. The railway opened in 1854, the first public steam powered passenger carrying railway in Australia. Trains shuttled between Melbourne Flinders Street station and Port Melbourne providing a frequent service for residents along the way. It was also the equivalent of the airport railway of its day as it enabled passengers arriving on passenger steamers and liners to quickly reach downtown Melbourne with just a short walk from the pier to the station. The line also carried goods, initially associated with shipping, but also to and from industries in the Port area. In fact, in the foreground here you can see some dead-end sidings in the yard, and some tracks that had led out onto Station Pier itself. Along with its sister railway to St Kilda, the Port Melbourne line was closed later in 1987 and converted to operate as part of Melbourne's tram network. The last train to Port Melbourne ran in October of that year, just 4 months after this photo. After gauge conversion, trams commenced running in December of that year and these still run today. Note the first new pylon for the tram overhead installed at right. Port Melbourne station building still stands and is today used for commercial and community purposes. Trams nowadays run to a new low level platform slightly beyond the former platform just out of shot to the right. The Grey Ghost converted Harris trains, which were regulars on these two short lines, outlived the two lines and remained in service primarily on the Sandringham line until eventually withdrawn in 1991.