<< Back | Home | Site Map

Speed

Origin of name: After Charles Gordon Speed who originally owned the land the station was sited on.

Station opened: 19-12-1906 as 105 MILES LOCAL; 1-5-1907 named SPEED

Distance from Melbourne (via Castlemaine): 264 miles 58 chains 28 links; 426.040 km

Distance from Melbourne (via Ballan): 432.844 km

Height above Sea Level: 270 feet

Speed was established nearly four years after the opening of the line. It was formerly known as 105 miles local. A passenger platform was provided on the main line and a goods loop siding on the down side with no one in charge.

Instructions were issued on 20-11-1907 for the erection of "Limit Boards".

Speed was a Caretaker station supervised by Woomelang until 23-12-1912when supervision was transferred to Lascelles.

By 16-12-12, Speed was established as a Train Staff and Ticket station equipped with signals and with a man in charge by 6-1-1913. The station was lengthened to 301 feet, additional tracks were provided, including No.2 road for crossing trains, and short extensions at each end to cross trains longer than the loop. A dead end extension to the up end of No.3 road goods siding was also provided. Sheep and cattle yards were located on the goods siding. There were two departmental residences and a private 15 ton weighbridge.

Speed was ideal for crossing trains, being about half way between Woomelang and Ouyen. Construction of the Ouyen to Kow Plains line was progressing and the additional traffic no doubt warranted an additional crossing station.

The electric staff system of safeworking was introduced in 1915 between Lascelles - Speed and Speed - Ouyen. The telegraph instrument was removed by 16-5-1922.

Relaying of the main line with 80 pounds rails between Turriff and Speed resumed in 1926.

From 11-9-1930, Speed was operated under caretaker conditions supervised by the Stationmaster at Tempy. From July 1931, Tempy was reduced to a caretaker station, with Speed and Tempy both under the supervision of Lascelles.

A concrete 65,000 bushel elevator was constructed by the Grain Elevators Board circa 1939 on the goods siding.

A heavy downpour of rain caused the washaway of an embankment about half a mile on the down side of Speed on 17-3-1950. The Melbourne express passed over the damaged section which was sagging about 2 feet in the middle with the sleepers suspended off the rails with nothing to support them. The speed of the train (48 m.p.h.) is believed to have averted a disastrous accident.

Mr. Charles Gordon Speed died in Melbourne on 6-5-1952 aged 66 years. Mr. Speed was the owner of the land the railway station was established on.

The down home signal was moved 200 yards further out and the up end points moved 260 yards further out. This work was completed on 7-9-1960 and provided for an increase in train length from 56 to 75 vehicles. The dead end extension at the down end of No. 2 road was also removed.

A "BH 70" type steel grain silo was provided by 17-2-1970.

Speed station reserve showing two departmental residences, the station platform and buildings, and grain silos with wagons being loaded. 1970. Photo: Victorian Railways

Speed was altered to become supervised from Woomelang instead of Lascelles, by 27-11-1979.

Speed station and silos. 16-8-1982. Photo: Bruce McLean

By 11-6-1985, the wooden portable station building at Speed had been fitted with new cladding and refurbished - usually a sign that the station had no long term future. Note the radio communication tower behind the station building. Photo: Bruce McLean

A radio communication repeater tower was installed at the station in early 1984.

Speed was closed to passenger traffic from 5-4-1987 when new timetables were introduced on the Mildura line with "The Sunraysia" day train was introduced and "The Vinelander" cut back to three nights. The average weekly patronage was only 11passengers. Speed residents would have to travel to either Woomelang or Ouyen if they wished to travel by either the night or day services.

In what appears to be a case of "eventual rage", the Speed community decided to get up in arms over the "The Vinelander" going express through their station on 26-4-1988 - a year after the station was closed to passenger traffic. V/Line executives agreed to attend a meeting at Speed on that night with a big crowd in attendance. Mr. R. Edgar, a lifelong resident of the area, told the meeting that half of the Speed platform was demolished when some sleepers were replaced and then they were told that the platform wasn't long enough for a passenger service. The meeting also argued that the nearest stations were Woomelang (45km south) and Ouyen (40km north). The train was also Speed's only public transport link to capital city services and all they wanted was for the trains to stop on request.

The efforts of the Speed people were not in vain. It was announced on 19-10-1988 that Melbourne bound trains would stop at Speed to set down passengers and pick up pre-booked passengers who have reserved seats at Mildura station at least one hour prior to scheduled departure.

One of the problems for V/Line was that the crossing loop at Speed had been altered with separate tracks through the station area for up and down trains in connection with the introduction of Train Order safeworking. Passenger trains would have to stop on a track without a platform and V/Line would not pay $15,000 to build a second platform for a few passengers who may want to use the service. It was intended to withdraw staff from Speed and arrangements were made for the local Post Office/Fuel Agent to sell V/Line train tickets.

The Victorian Railways first bogie grain hopper wagon VHGX1 (formerly GJF1) at Speed on 13-7-1988. Photo: Bruce McLean

The up and down home signals were removed on 1-6-1989.

Speed looking in the up direction from the down end. Note the changing landscape with grain rolling stock now showing the green color of Freight Australia ownership from the former V/Line yellow. 20-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean

Speed station platform. 20-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean