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Turriff

Origin of name: Named after John Turriff, a Manager for E.H.Lascelles.

Station opened: 8-8-1905 as GORYA; 11-6-1906 renamed TURRIFF

Distance from Melbourne (via Castlemaine): 260 miles 35 chains 78 links; 419.149 km

Distance from Melbourne (via Ballan): 426.053 km

Height above Sea Level: 248 feet

The site of Turriff was originally a temporary stopping place opened during construction of the line on 20-10-1902 before the line was opened to Hattah on 15-1-1903. In May 1905, 17 local farmers representing 2,900 acres, requested a siding and this was subsequently provided (most likely with a goods platform) and opened for traffic on 8-8-1905 as Gorya. A private cart weighbridge was located in the goods yard.

Limit Boards were provided by 4-9-1905 as signals were not installed and a passenger platform on the up side was most likely provided in 1906 along with a departmental residence to provide accommodation for a station porter.

Gorya was renamed Turriff from 11-6-1906, most probably because of its similarity with Goyura on the nearby Hopetoun line.

A new 300 foot long passenger platform was provided in 1912.

Following 150 points of rain on 1-8-1912, a cloudburst on the evening of 2-8-1912 which resulted in 5 inches of rain within a period of 5 minutes, caused water to bank against the 14 foot high railway embankment about a mile and a half south of Turriff station at a box culvert. The water was over the rails by 6 p.m. and at 10 p.m. the bank gave away resulting in a washaway 33 feet long and 12 feet deep. Ganger Dames at Tempy had been watching the line at Tempy all the previous night. Mr. W. Gemmell, the porter in charge at Turriff, rang Ganger Dames to check if it was raining at Tempy. Gemmell told Dames that it was raining heavily. Ganger Dames went as quickly as he could to inspect the track at the box culvert and discovered the danger at 9 p.m.. A goods train was due at 11 p.m..

A special train was sent from Woomelang and departed from the Turriff site at 5 a.m. the following day. It met the up passenger train from Mildura with planks placed across the suspended sleepers to get to the emergency train. (A special train to convey the Turriff football team had to be cancelled and the match postponed. This was probably used as the relief train from Woomelang). A gang of workmen building a new platform at Turriff spent that evening rebuilding the embankment.

Road Master Liston reported the incident on 3-8-1912 and an enquiry was conducted into the question of providing a waterway.

(There was a local issue over the washaway incident. Reports about the incident appeared in the "Age" and "Argus" newspapers on 5-8-1912 that the Turriff Progress League was unhappy with Ganger Dames over the incident. [It is not clear what their complaint was - perhaps the box culvert had silted up or was blocked by debris]. The matter reached the attention of the Chief Mechanical Engineer's office on 9-8-1912. On 16-9-1912 the Tempy Progress League stated that the newspaper reports in regard to the washaway at Turriff were unfair to Ganger Dames who was in charge of the length, and forwarded a correct report from the "Woomelang Times" newspaper. On investigation the Chief Mechanical Engineer's office stated that Ganger Dames was merely carrying out his duties in accordance with Regulation 288.)

On 12-9-1912 the Chief Engineer recommended that the box culvert at 259 miles 51 chains 49 links be replaced with a bridge with 3 opes at 11 feet. Brick abutments were constructed to lessen the chance of a flood breach and it was completed on 16-2-1913. A large concrete pipe replaced this structure in 1992.

The bridge erected in 1913 to replace a wooden box culvert at 259 miles 51 chains 49 links near Turriff following a washaway. 3-10-1985. Photo: Bruce McLean

During their 1913 inspection tour, the Commissioners agreed to erect a ladies waiting room on the station and extend the goods loop siding.

From 8-2-1915, Turriff was worked under caretaker conditions. Location boards were removed on 1-11-1922.

Relaying of the main line with 80 pounds rails between Woomelang and Mildura had reached Turriff by December 1921. Work was discontinued at this time due to the increase in traffic generated by the forthcoming wheat season and did not resume until 1926.

On 4-9-1941, a 10 minutes gale lifted the station building into the air and moved it about 20 yards.

A galvanised iron bulkhead silo was erected in 1951. Two steel silos were erected by 1969.

A Horizontal Grain Storage of 200,000 bushels was provided by 17-2-1970, most likely replacing the 1951 storage.

B67 stands at Turriff with the up Mildura Sunlight on 2-9-1964. Note the first car is a sleeper off "The Overland" being worked back to Melbourne on the day train after its inclusion in an overnight train to Mildura. Photo: Rev. Leon Marshall-Wood

Turriff station reserve showing the passenger platform and buildings, and grain storages. The site of a departmental residence can be seen to the right of the entrance to the passenger platform. 1970. Photo: Victorian Railways

Departmental resident No. 2117 was sold and removed in 1970.

By 3-4-1973 Turriff was reduced to no one in charge conditions, supervised by Lascelles.

In March 1975 the Victorian Railways considered that "The Vinelander" passenger service between Melbourne and Mildura could be substantially improved by closing small stations such as Turriff to passenger and parcels traffic. In May 1975 it was announced that Turriff would close to passenger and parcels traffic and this was eventually effective from 10-11-1975.

Supervision was transferred from Lascelles to Woomelang by 27-11-1979.

Turriff station and silos looking in the Up direction. 16-8-1982. Photo: Bruce McLean

In February 1992, the small bridge built in 1913 was replaced by a large concrete stormwater pipe.

A new stormwater pipe was substituted for the brick pier bridge built in 1913 near Turriff. 7-3-1992. Photo: Bruce McLean

Turriff as it appears from the Up end. 20-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean

Turriff looking in the up direction from the down end. 20-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean