Historic Photo of the Day: 2024-02-12

Today's historic photo of the day: 37 years ago today, diesel loco X45 hauls VLine broad gauge train no 8043 bound for Swan Hill through Sunbury, Victoria, February 12 1987. Sunbury is a large population centre 38km by rail north-west of Melbourne. These days, it is an outer suburb of Melbourne and Sunbury station is the northern extent of Melbourne's electrified suburban rail network. But in 1987, it was a country town 20km beyond the then terminus of suburban trains at St Albans. You can see the station in the background and whilst there are a few cars in the car park it's a fairly rustic scene with horse paddocks and shady trees all around. In the background you can see a track maintenance machine in the loop at right, and you can also see a P class diesel locomotive shunting its set of H type carriages in the platform roads. this had presumably just completed its short commuter journey from Melbourne. It's possible that was the train I had just arrived on before rushing up to the overbridge to capture this photo. That's the sort of thing I would have done. Today, this scene is virtually unrecognisable. Electrification of the railway was extended first from St Albans to Watergardens in 2002 and then to Sunbury in 2012. In the foreground there are now seven tracks - five stabling sidings plus the double track main line. The area surrounding the station has been completely transformed into a major shopping centre with car parks and big box stores, rather than trees and paddocks the dominant features are concrete and tarmac. However, VLine trains do still run though here - and in fact, whilst you won't see an X class loco hauling a VLine train, Swan Hill trains still run with N class carriages just as was the case 37 years ago.