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Mildura Oil Siding

Siding opened: By 15-6-1926.

Distance from Melbourne: 352 miles 09 chains

A loop siding to serve the British Imperial Oil Company (now Shell) was established beyond Mildura on the line to Yelta by 15-6-1926. It was secured by a staff lock, the key being the train staff for the Mildura - Merbein section.

This marvellous pressed enamel sign was provided by the Shell petrol company at its depot beside the Mildura to Merbein line. 14-12-1982. Photo: Bruce McLean

It was subsequently extended by 50 feet in December 1927 to serve the Vacuum Oil Company (now Mobil) and became known as Mildura Oil Siding. (At the beginning of World War II, the name of the siding was changed to Pool Oil Siding to consolidate distribution of oil products).

Esso Standard Oil was also an account holder on the siding from an unknown date.

Diagram of Mildura Oil Siding. 11-2-1957. Source: Victorian Railways

K176 is shown hauling a Shell tank wagon from Mildura station yard to the Shell Siding. The train is between the Eighth Street and Ninth Street level crossings. Circa 1964. Photo: Rev. Leon Marshall-Wood

In December 1982, work commenced to convert the siding from a loop to a dead end siding. The siding was lengthened to take the siding past the next-door Mobil depot almost to Tenth Street. The down end points were removed from the main line in December 1982.

With the siding no longer in a loop form, instructions were issued on 14-12-1982 allowing up to 8 vehicles to be shunted from the Mildura station yard to the siding during clear daylight.

A section of the loop siding has been removed and work has commenced dismantling the down end points of the Shell/Mobil siding at Mildura. Earthworks to the right indicate the future extension of the siding. 14-12-1982. Photo: Bruce McLean

A series of concrete discharge catchments were constructed along the new extension. Wagons would be placed so that the points where the discharge pipes were connected to the wagons were over the catchments and opposite the connection valves. 26-2-1983. Photo: Bruce McLean

X39 propelled two tankers and two ballast wagons onto the new siding on 18-3-1983. Workmen discharging the ballast directly from the wagons. Photo: Bruce McLean

When the trackwork was completed a security fence was erected around the siding. 26-3-1983. Photo: Bruce McLean

Work on the extension was completed by March 1983 with the erection of a security fence around the siding. In 1997 Mobil transferred their petroleum supplies to road transport leaving Shell as the only account holder. In October 2001, the Shell Company took over the fuel depot from Martin Petroleum, hopefully providing some assurance that fuel would continue to be delivered by rail from Shell's Corio refinery.