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Merbein

Origin of name: Aboriginal - "Merebin" name of local sand hill. Originally called "White

Cliffs" but changed to avoid confusion with the New South Wales opal

mining centre.

Station opened: 4-7-1910

Distance from Melbourne (via Castlemaine): 358 miles 22 chains 91 links; 576.606 km

Distance from Melbourne (via Ballan): 583.510 km

Height above Sea Level: 185 feet

Merbein opened as an extension of the line from Mildura without any intermediate stations, although a station ground was surveyed at Gibbs Street near the Lake Hawthorn inlet. A 200 feet long passenger platform, crossing loop and loop goods siding with a platform and shed was provided and it was a no-one-in-charge station supervised from Mildura.

Merbein station showing the ladies waiting room on left, station office and van goods shed at far end of platform. A goods train is preparing to depart for Mildura. Circa 1920's. Photo: Australian Railway Historical Society Archives

A feature of the line from Mildura to Merbein is a road bridge carrying McEdward Street over the railway formation which passes through a cutting at this point. This bridge, completed in September 1909, and the one leading to the Mildura goods yard, are the only overhead bridges on the Mildura line north of Ballarat.

Approaching the McEdward Street, Merbein, overhead bridge between Merbein and Mildura as seen from the cabin of a diesel-electric locomotive on 4-9-1976. Photo: Bruce McLean

Curious children inspect the Old R Class locomotive at Merbein, circa 1910 shortly after the opening of the line. Photo: Miss M. Bullock, Bob Whitehead Collection

An Old R Class locomotive is shunting the yard at Merbein shortly after the opening of the extension from Mildura in 1910. Photo: Miss M. Bullock, Bob Whitehead Collection

The goods shed was the location for the first church service conducted in Merbein. It was conducted by Rev W. Richards on the afternoon of Sunday 10-4-1910.

The goods shed at Merbein was a unique style and not one of the standard designs found at most locations in Victoria. The shelter was a later addition. Merbein's first church service was conducted in the goods shed in 1910. Note the verandah covering the siding outside the goods shed to provide protection for handling fresh fruit. 7-7-1968. Photo: Bruce McLean

A siding for Mildura Co-operative Fruit Co. (down side of line) was available by 16-9-1912. This siding extended from the down end of the yard and crossed Main Avenue by a level crossing.

A new siding for Irymple Packing Co. was constructed in 1914. The owner of the packing company, Mr. E.J. Roberts, has recorded the origin of this siding in his memoirs written sometime after 1940:

"After my return from overseas at the end of 1913, I could see that Merbein was to be a definite fruit-growing district..... I therefore thought that I should have a branch packing house there, so I canvassed the district and got considerable promises of support.....

The next point was to get a suitable site adjacent to the railway line - I have always been keen on that point. The most suitable land was in the railway yard at the corner of Main Avenue and Game Street.

I then wrote to the Railway Department asking for a lease of this site. The reply came back that they would not lease that land as the Department did not like sidings coming off the main line on the passenger side, but that I could have a site on the other side of the line, about 30 chains from the station towards Mildura. This was quite unacceptable. So I decided to go to Melbourne to see the Chairman of Commissioners and see if I could cut the red tape. In due course I called on him by appointment and we had quite a friendly chat about the future of Merbein and the fruit industry during which I told him my trouble.

He then sent for the Chief Engineer and a plan of the station yard, and when the engineer pointed out the site that was offered to me, and which I said I would not take, he looked up at me and said `Neither would I, if in your position'. He then asked the engineer why he had refused the site that I wanted. His reply was that the Department did not like sidings from the passenger side. The Chairman asked if that were a strict rule and got the answer `No', so then I piped in and told him that I had one on the same side at Irymple, and after quite a friendly all-round talk, he told the engineer to let me have it."

A new iron shed was constructed for citrus packing and another two gable shed of 80 x 100 feet was under construction by August 1914.

Safeworking was by the staff and ticket system but a down home signal was not provided until placed at the up end on 6-5-1913. A Stationmaster was appointed by 7-9-1914 and a portable station office provided.

A 2 ton private weighbridge was installed and available for use on 7-1-1918. A 2 ton manual crane was also provided.

The 2-ton manual crane provided at Merbein in 1918. The centre track in the background leads to the Mildura Co-operative Fruit Company Ltd. and the track to the right is the line to Yelta. 16-3-1978. Photo: Bruce McLean

During the Commissioners inspection visit to Merbein in 1919, they agreed to extend the goods platform eastward with an earth ramp 33 feet wide. In response to deputations, they also agreed to build a siding for loading doradillo grapes and wheat on the down end of the present goods shed siding, the platform to be 8 feet wide and to accommodate 8 trucks. They also agreed to erect a verandah over the siding outside the goods shed to provide protection for handling of fresh fruit. The "doradillo siding" was constructed in February 1920. Merbein was also busy in the wheat season with bagged wheat being delivered from November/December each year to the station.

The platform extension and earth ramp agreed to in 1919 by the Commissioners can be observed in this view. The goods shed was extended in 1948. 16-3-1978. Photo: Bruce McLean

Mr. H. W. Clapp, Chairman of the Victorian Railways Commissioners, during the annual inspection tour of the Mildura line, announced on 5-9-1921 that Merbein would replace Mildura as the main terminating station. Plans had been prepared and an amount of 17,000 pounds would be required to transfer the locomotive facilities.

In early 1922 the station was connected to the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission water main. Until then the only drinking water was from a small tank.

The construction of a turntable for reversing the AEC Rail Motor, to be introduced on a suburban service from Mildura to Merbein and Red Cliffs, was completed by March 1922. The siding came off the main line at the down end of the yards.

The small turntable for turning the AEC Rail Motor was installed at the end of a short siding off the end of the line at Merbein. The line ending with the buffer stop was later extended to Yelta. Photo: Australian Railway Historical Society Archive, scanned by John Thompson

Chief Commissioner Clapp visited Merbein on 3-9-1923, arriving in their special train at 8.30 a.m.. Members of various organisations were present and expressed their appreciation for the improved local rail motor service. Mr. Clapp also assured the group that work would soon commence to provide additional facilities including a locomotive depot.

A weatherboard cottage was erected next to the stationmaster's residence in 1923.

A siding to serve the new 300 feet x 90 feet shed for the Aurora Packing Co. was constructed from the main line at the up end of Merbein station yard and used from 14-2-1924. (The Aurora Packing Company - Merbein Branch, was established in 1924 by Henry Berry & Co. of Melbourne. It was built well back from the road on the corner of Main Avenue and Channel Road and was separated from Irymple Packing Pty. Ltd. by the railway line. After the outbreak of World War II in 1939, an approach was made to Irymple Packing Pty. Ltd. and agreement was reached whereby Irymple Packing Pty. Ltd acquired a controlling and eventually full interest in the business.)

A 70 foot turntable arrived by train on 28-2-1924 for installation at the up end of the station yard as the first stage in the proposed shifting of locomotive facilities from Mildura to Merbein. Foundations for the 70 foot turntable were being prepared at the same time.

The up end home signal was move 200 yards in the up direction most likely to clear the new Aurora siding and possibly to allow for the proposed locomotive depot.

The up end Home signal at Merbein viewed from a special passenger train (with livestock wagons attached) for Yelta. 29-12-1976. Photo: Bruce McLean

Construction of the extension from Merbein to Yelta commenced in March 1924. A siding to serve Merbein Packing Co. was constructed off the new extension immediately past the Main Avenue level crossing in conjunction with the new line and was completed by 8-3-1924.

Officials investigated sites for a rest house and departmental residences on 10-4-24 in connection with additional staff required for the proposed locomotive depot proceeded. An amount of 14,005 pounds was provided for in the government's Loan Application Bill introduced in December 1924.

The extension from Merbein to Yelta was officially opened for traffic on 27-6-1925. A home signal was provided for trains arriving from Yelta and a departure signal was installed at the down end for trains to Yelta.

A 20 x 12 feet wooden goods office was erected on the western end of the goods platform, being available for use from 2-11-1925. Previously all documentation associated with goods traffic was conducted from the station office on the passenger platform.

In 1925 the proposal to develop Merbein as the terminus of the service from Melbourne was abandoned. It was decided that Mildura would remain the main terminal with the acquisition of suitable land for the building of a new locomotive depot.

The suburban rail motor service between Merbein, Mildura and Red Cliffs, which commenced in 1922, ceased in 1928 as the result of road competition. The lightweight turntable for turning the AEC rail motors was dismantled in October 1930 and relocated to Linton. The siding was dismantled by 26-1-1937.

Merbein station viewed from the rear of a Commissioner's special train. Note the Stationmaster supervising the departure of the train from his station. Photo: Puffing Billy Preservation Society Archives

The Merbein Packing Co. siding was closed by 23-12-1930, was reopened as the Harrison Ramsay siding from 7-6-1932 and was renamed Mildura Co-Operative Fruit Co. siding (up side of line) by 27-6-1933.

The Stationmaster was charged with stealing 100 pounds, the property of the Victorian Railways Commissioners, between 1-4-1935 and 20-5-1935.

An extension of "nearly 100 feet" was added to the Irymple Packing Co, siding, in advance of building alterations made to the packing shed in September 1939.

In 1941 the verandah on the platform side of the station building was extended to the western side to give protection to the booking office and ticket window.

Merbein station 17-11-1973. Photo: Bruce McLean

Extensions were made to the goods shed in early 1948.

The Aurora Packing Co. siding was slewed approximately 60 feet in a northerly direction by 12-6-1951 and the Mildura Co-operative siding (down side) was extended by 50 feet by 1-6-1954.

The Merbein Chamber of Commerce met the Chief Commissioner of the Victorian Railways, Mr. R.G. Wishart, during the Commissioner's annual tour of inspection of Merbein on 12-10-1954. The Chamber asked the Chief Commissioner to give consideration to moving terminal facilities to Merbein from Mildura. The Commissioner rejected to notion by pointing out that Mildura had not yet reached the point where it would be economical to move facilities to Merbein.

Extensions to the Irymple Packing Company required the siding to the packing shed to be relocated to a position on the southern side of a new building and be reduced in length by 155 feet. The siding was available for use by 23-7-1957.

The Mildura Co-operative Fruit Co. siding (down side) was extended by 90 feet by 8-5-1962.

N424 has just arrived at Merbein with a goods train from Mildura. Circa 1964. Photo: Rev. Leon Marshall-Wood

In 1964, the Merbein High School Advisory Council leased about five acres of railway reserve to grow grapes as a fund-raiser for school projects. Some years prior, two acres had been leased for vine production to a local grower who did not wish to renew the lease. Water for irrigation was piped under the railway line from a nearby channel. Mildara Winery provided a ready outlet for the crop each year. Vines were also propagated for resale. The original doradillo variety was grafted to Chardonnay about 1990 to meet changing market demands in the wine industry. The small, but productive vineyard, remains an important source of funds for the school.

About five acres of railway reserve was leased by Merbein High School Advisory Council in 1964 for use as a vineyard to raise funds. This view was taken from the Up end home signal in 1971. Photo: Victorian Railways

The up and down home departure signals were abolished 22-6-1967.

Work to widen the rail overbridge at Ridge Road from 28 to 40 feet, commenced on 5-12-1967.

A special steam train run by an enthusiast group travelled from Mildura to Yelta and return on 12-4-1968. J515 is shown at the head of the special passenger train at Merbein station. Photo: Bob Whitehead

Merbein goods shed 17-11-1973. Photo: Bruce McLean

Following the opening of the Mildura Freight Centre on 4-12-1978, it was reported three months later that four jobs had been lost in the district following the closure of Merbein railway station and scaling down of operations at Redcliffs and Irymple. There were no trains scheduled on the Merbein line following the end of the wheat season and large movements of stone aggregate for the Wentworth Shire Council and N.S.W. Department of Main Roads had been completed. The next train movements on the Merbein line would be for fruit traffic.

Merbein station after closure of the station office. A Stationmaster was still located at the station, but worked from the office next to the goods shed. 16-3-1978. Photo: Bruce McLean

Tenders for the purchase and removal of Departmental Residences No. 1948 and 4127 were advertised in April 1979. Residence 1948 was occupied by the Stationmaster until 11-9-78. The last occupant in Residence 4127 vacated on 10-5-78 and Merbein was worked under no one in charge conditions supervised by Mildura.

The office and goods shed at Merbein. Relieving Stationmaster Mr. E. Sibley is standing on the steps. 16-3-1978. Photo: Bruce McLean

The Merbein station yard looking in the Down direction. The van goods shed on the passenger platform had been demolished and removal of the station building was pending. 16-3-1978. Photo: Bruce McLean

Merbein station yard looking in the Up direction. Note the scotch block clamped on the rail in No.2 road. The points to the left lead to the IPC Siding. 16-3-1978. Photo: Bruce McLean

The Mildura Co-Operative siding on the up side of the line was no longer in use by 1978 and was dismantled on 30-8-1979. This siding was originally opened on 8-3-1924 to serve the Merbein Packing Co..

The position of the points and siding leading to the Mildura Co-operative Fruit Company on the northern side of the line to Yelta, on the down side of Merbein. The siding was out of use by 1978 and dismantled by 30-8-1979. This was originally the Merbein Packing Co. and is now occupied by a loop siding and inter-modal depot for Wakefield Transport. The down end home signal can also be seen in this view taken on 29-10-1979. Photo: Bruce McLean

Two Mobil bitumen tankers were based at Merbein to provide hot tar for the Shire of Mildura. Each wagon in the bitumen tank fleet carried the name of famous explorers or engineers on the ends of the tanks. Tank wagons TW434 "Flinders" and TW416 "Merry" were at Merbein on 24-11-1979. Photo: Bruce McLean

Merbein was disestablished as a Train Staff and Ticket station in lieu of the section Mildura - Yelta on 15-1-1980. As Merbein was no longer a crossing station, work commenced in July 1980 to remove No.2 track, but was halted when train crews objected to the difficulty of working the IPC and Aurora Sidings with only the loop siding in use. It was finally removed in August 1980 - a short-sighted decision made by engineers without any comprehension of the potential growth for rail traffic at Merbein following the introduction of containerisation and increased grain traffic from Yelta.

With the disestablishment of Merbein as a Train Staff and Ticket station, No.2 road crossing loop was dismantled in August 1980. This is one of the railway administrator's classic bad decisions as at this time business was growing with the advent of containerisation as shown in this scene taken at the time the loop was being lifted. The remaining siding is filled to capacity with container wagons as a locomotive shunts in the background. 7-8-1980. Photo: Bruce McLean

The station building and last remaining departmental residence were removed early in 1981. The goods shed and the platform it stood on was removed by June 1982.

Removal of the goods shed and its wooden platform was completed by June 1982. The portable goods office was also removed. 18-6-1982. Photo: Bruce McLean

By 13-12-1983, the 2.5 tonne crane was out of use, and the ramped goods platform was out of use.

One and half acres of railway reserve land was sold for $46,000 in January 1987 following an earlier parcel of land sold for development of a transport depot.

In February/March 1987, the Aurora Packing Co. sidings were dismantled. The last known use of the siding was on 29-12-1976 when T361 collected three vans.

T361 collects wagons at the Aurora Packing Co. siding. This was probably the last use made of the siding on 29-12-1976. Photo: Bruce McLean

T361 hauls the three wagons along the long lead to the Aurora Packing Co. siding at Merbein. 29-12-1976. Photo: Bruce McLean

In February 1983, Mildura Shire Councillors representing the Merbein area expressed concern with the state of the McEdward Street rail overbridge. Repairs were undertaken in May 1983, a flat wagon load of bridge timbers having arrived at Mildura on 9-4-1983.

Flat wagon VFAA128 at Mildura with timber to repair the McEdward Street rail overbridge. 9-4-1983. Photo: Bruce McLean

The Aurora Packing Co. siding points were still in place (spiked out of use) on 8-7-1984. Photo: Bruce McLean

The up and down home signals were abolished on 1-9-1988.

The up Home signal post and 583 km post at Merbein. 13-4-1986. Photo: Bruce McLean

Despite being dismantled in August 1980, the remnants of the points to No.2 road were still extant on 13-4-1986. Photo: Bruce McLean

The siding serving the Mildura Co-operative Fruit Company on the down side of the line was an extension of No.2 road in the yard. The siding saw little use from about the late 1970's. In this view we see the remains of the siding which can be defined as an "S" curve through the long grass behind the small white vertical stick. It then crossed the Calder Highway and went under the canopy. 13-4-1986. Photo: Bruce McLean

A 1½ acre parcel of railway land sold for $46,000 at auction during January 1987. An anonymous buyer bought the land. It followed on from the sale of another section of railway land for development as a transport depot.

It is understood that the Irymple Packing Co. siding was relinquished to V/Line ownership in the late 1980's. This siding became useful with the growth in rail transport being generated by Wakefield's Transport through its major clients, including Mildara Winery.

The 2 ton hand crane at Merbein on 13-4-1986. The crane siding was an extension of No.3 road at the down end and was provided in 1918. Photo: Bruce McLean

In April 1987, the Aurora Packing Co. siding at Merbein was dismantled.11-4-1987. Photo: Bruce McLean

The points leading to the Aurora Packing Co. siding at the up end of Merbein were removed from the main line during April 1987. Photo: Bruce McLean

The disconnected sidings at the down end of Merbein were also removed during April 1987. This work was being done in advance of the relaying of the Mildura to Yelta line. 11-4-1987.Photo: Bruce McLean

The Up end of Merbein following relaying and ballasting. 3-9-1988. Photo: Bruce McLean

The down end of Merbein station yard following relaying and ballasting. 3-9-1988. Photo: Bruce McLean

The overhead road bridge at McEdward Street was subject to major repairs for a fortnight from 20-2-1990.

Tenders were called in March 1990 for the sale and removal of the 2 ton, manual, steel jib crane located in the goods yard at the down end.

A New Era for Merbein

Containerised transport was not new to Merbein as the packing sheds had discovered this form of export was ideal for dried fruit shipments in the late 1960's.

Another big exporter in Merbein was the famous Mildara Winery who had also discovered that the combination of road and rail transport was an effective and economical method of distribution of their export wine products. In 1989, Mildara used 42 containers to export products from the winery or for their national distribution business. Mildara arranged its transportation in conjunction with Wakefield's Transport - a Merbein based family owned trucking business.

The introduction of a superfreighter service from Mildura on 29-6-1993 was further advanced when V/Line commenced an "uninterrupted export cold chain" system at Merbein on 13-8-1993. The new system developed by V/Line was competitively designed to replace road transports which have loaded containers of export table grapes and then raced to Melbourne to "hook up" the containers at shipping terminals before the temperature of the fruit rose to a critical level. Merbein was selected as the centre for this operation with intermodal deliveries from the Sunraysia area loading specially converted container flat wagons provided with power pack units to maintain fruit within refrigerated containers at a constant temperature. The success of the concept lay in an intermodal combination of road transport to the rail siding, rail transport to the shipping terminal and ship to the country of export, operating to a strict schedule with maintenance of the fruit at a constant temperature.

This had the effect of making all of the district's railway siding connections redundant. Wakefield's Transport was contracted by V/Line for the intermodal activities in Sunraysia.

In June 1994, work commenced on a new loop siding on land owned by Wakefield's Transport on the site of the old Merbein Packing Co.. Mr. M. Halley, Intermodal Marketing Manager of V/Line Freight described the development as a proper freight terminal with container storage and would be the "Hub" of intermodal activities in Sunraysia.

Construction of a new loop siding at Merbein was well advanced by 21-6-1994. Merbein station ground is in the far background. Photo: Bruce McLean

Ballasting of the siding was being undertaken on 1-7-1994. This is the up end of the siding. Photo: Bruce McLean

The down or Yelta end of the new Wakefield's siding at Merbein. 1-7-1994. Photo: Bruce McLean

G521 at the head of an up grain train from Yelta passes the new intermodal siding established for Wakefield's Transport at Merbein. 6-7-1994. Photo: Bruce McLean

The new siding at 853.850 km was commissioned on 30-1-1995. The clear length of the siding is 280 metres and the points at both ends were fitted with a WSA lever and a hand locking bar and padlock. Hand operated Hayes derails were fitted at both ends of the siding.

Wakefield's Transport is a business built up over four generations. Manager Mr. Ken Wakefield's great grandfather came from Dunolly in 1917 to cut wood and cart it by horse and dray for the boilers at Mildara Winery. His son took over the business and bought his first truck in 1948 to cart wine to the Merbein station for transport to Melbourne, or to Loxton for railing to Adelaide. Mr. Robert (Jimmy) Wakefield then took over the business and built the business from one truck to seven. His son, Ken, moved into running the business in 1990.

Today, Wakefield's Transport operates from a four acre site at Merbein and has transformed the movement of produce for the whole region since its intermodal link with V/Line Freight and now Freight Australia. Tens of millions of dollars of the region's produce, particularly for export shipping, is handled at Merbein. About 60% of containerised freight is under refrigeration including wine, juice concentrates, meat and a wide variety of fresh produce. The elimination of use of rail sidings at district packing houses by transporting all shipments by road to Merbein, has consolidated loading operations leading to more efficient use of road transports and railway rolling stock.

Wakefield's can move up to 1,000 tonnes a day with one train movement and Freight Australia now terminate and originate one Superfreighter a day, Sunday to Friday at Merbein.

Wakefield's intermodal operation was the first of its kind.

Sign telling the story of the Wakefield Transport operation linkage to Freight Australia at the entrance to their Merbein headquarters. 14-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean

Forklift handling containers at Wakefield Transport intermodal depot at Merbein. 14-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean

Freight Australia changed container charging arrangements with the result that Wakefield Transport developed a container storage area on the railway reserve at Merbein between the up end of the loop siding and the Aurora Packing Co. shed. In April 2002 the area was sealed to provide a significant container storage area. In this view we see containers stored parallel to the loop siding and empty container flat wagons ready for loading. 14-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean

On 11-3-2003, VicTrack commenced the renewal of bridge beams and decking on the McEdward Street railway overbridge. The bridge was closed to vehicular traffic for about two weeks while the work took place.