Melbourne’s Forgotten Outer Circle Line

Opened in 1891 and located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, 15km from the CBD, The Outer Circle Line is a little known gem of Melbourne.
Only open for 2 years in some parts, the line had little success, but can still be seen today.
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I am aware that I may have picked the wrong spot for Waverley Road Station, sorry!

[@allthingstechandgadgets657]

Really great video. It is so great to see a young man with such an interest in railways and the history surrounding it. I found your video very informative and as a local resident living here most of my life it is really interesting to see the history behind this. I go regularly to Alamein and walk down and near the Anniversary trail in Alamein and also go for my morning power walks in Markham reserve too. One of my main interests is trains and I play Train Sim World on PS4 which is a really great game. Once again fantastic work and keep up the great work in this 👍👍.

[@Wally1967]

If you a good PC get Transport Fever 2.

[@Wally1967]

This www.transportfever2.com/

[@stephenyoung6121]

Passing East Camberwell,the railway passes what was the Shenley substation,the grey building near the rail line.

[@garynewton1263]

There was a book titled "The outer circle line" released in the early 1980s, it was a smallish sized brown hard cover book with an illustrated dust jacket. I had a copy but lost it some years ago. I recommend reading it if you can find a copy somewhere. It has detailed diagrams of tracks, platforms and infrastructure and really nice photos.

[@erichough7080]

It is refreshing to see a young man so interested in the history of Melbourne. You have produced a good clip. I had heard of the outer circle but knew not much of it. I did not realise that I had often driven past sections of it. I, in fact gone past the northern end just this last week. I commend you for doing what you do. My daughter started doing little clips while at school and now movie making is part of her work life with her husband being full time in the industry. You never know where your hobby might take you.

[@DandamanV]

Well researched and narrated! Great job dude!

[@thetrainman548]

Thank you, glad you liked it, appreciate it!

[@GlennSyndallius]

Awesome vid mate! I've been curious about the history of the two Melbourne circle lines, love your work! You might be interested to know that Daniel Andrews has proposed a new Ring Rail line, to begin planning work in the next few years!

[@thetrainman548]

Thank you Glenn! Great to hear that you enjoyed the video. I do know about the Suburban Rail Loop, very exciting, but won't be finished for a long time. Thanks again!

[@benwhite6261]

Mate just found your videos! Love your stuff! Instant subscribe. So great to have a channel about some of these awesome, little known Melbourne Railway facts. I’ll definitely be riding the outer circle just like you did. Keep up the good work 👍

[@thetrainman548]

Cheers Ben! Glad you subscribed and enjoyed the vid, definately recommend riding the line, very pretty!

[@stevepemberton3651]

Great work! Really interesting integration of what it looks like now with historic photos and information!

[@dalybaz]

Thanks, Train Man for a great vid. I lived in Burwood for a couple of years and the closest station was Hartwell. The building there was once the Walhalla station and moved to Hartwell in 1938 as they were moving everything that wasn't screwed down out of Walhalla when the gold dried up or became too hard to get to due to groundwater invasion in the mines.

[@Melripley48]

I have watched a few of these recently and I am very impressed with your research skills, determination & communication skills. This one in particular opened my eyes after 50+ years in Melbourne. Great work.

[@Leopold5100]

thanks for the information on the history of the outer line; I regularly walk from East Camberwell railway station car park and along the picturesque and serene trail up to Kew for a spot of lunch at the couple of cafes and bakeries, and then return

[@amity1967]

Again , I loved watching this and learning about this line. Having a husband that has worked for railways for many years , we did not know about this until you bought it to our attention. Thank you for taking time to study and for sharing this information. It would be great if you could cover both the crib point / stony point line that includes Cerberus and the Mornington line. Look forward to seeing more of you.

[@longflare]

I've been away from Melbourne for a few years, and had no idea the Chandler bridge had been closed. The view is quite different now, your post is making me feel old. I used to frequent the area as I grew up as a cyclist and car driver, and then as a truck driver, so I've enjoyed the view from several different heights. Thank you for your presentation, keep up the good work.

[@barneyforsdike1427]

I learned a load more about Melbourne's rail system from this, Max. You found some cool surviving remains, several nice old photos and got to ride on a great looking cycle path. I would be tempted to use my bike more if we had those green ways where I live, but sadly a bike ride on the road to town for me what probably mean certain death! Keep up the good work mate, and looking forward to your next vid.

[@paulvirgona4901]

Really enjoying your fun and educational videos. Any chance of doing other forgotten lines. The inner circle line, Kew spur line comes to mind. I also know there was a railway between Oakleigh and Elstenwick. Great job Train Man.

[@thetrainman548]

Thanks very much Paul! I have already done videos on the Inner Circle Line, the Kew Line which you can check out, and the 'Rosstown Railway' beyween Oakleigh and Elsternwick is a line I will certainly do a video on in the future!

[@ayebee3356]

Awesome work mate, really well put together and well spoken! Stumbled across your videos and got the answers of what I used to think about as I rode down those trails/lines as a kid under the old structures. Well done and keep it up!

[@petervincent4002]

You missed the main point of the line. It was originally planned to route government trains from flinders street to oakleigh to bypass the then private railway Hobson's bay united railway co. However by the time construction was underway the Hobson's bay railway was absorbed into the VR.

[@getadogster]

Came to Melbourne in 1958 from country Victoria. Lived for a few months at my grandparents' house on Heidelberg Road Fairfield. To get to school we walked up Perry Street, a pot-holed gravel lane back then, and along the section of line from the APM to Fairfield Station. Well done, mate.

[@lanceadams9291]

Another good presentation. Just some information that you might not be aware of in that the Burwood station, down side building was destroyed by an accidental fire, started by the workmen building the present Up side structure during track duplication in the late 1950's. The building that is currently there, is a combination of the former Bayles station & the Catani stations on the former Strezleki line.

[@thetrainman548]

That is cool Lance, I knew a tiny bit about the accidental fire, however I had no idea about the station building being a combination of former Strezleki building! I will ensure to include this information when I travel down to South Gippsland in the future, thanks!

[@simonbergagna]

I remember when I was a kid some 30 years ago, cargo trains being diverted from Fairfield station to the paper mills (the new housing development) on the corner of Grange and Heidelberg rd. Your vid' has brought back a lot of nostalgia of my childhood. Thanks.

[@andreww1928]

I remember that bridge at 2:10 being built in the mid 1970’s when I used to catch the train from East Malvern to Syndal. We used cross the rail lines at the city end, no gates just walk across. No freeway then either. Awesome video. Oh and now I design bridges.

[@tcpnetworks]

"It's just trains" says my wife. Ahh. but there's so much detail in history if you look just a little deeper. Forgotten history is remembered here... Good, solid work.

[@gregthompson3274]

Often walk this trail from Fairfield to Hughes dale,terrific rail trail well done video. A interesting thing as there is virtually no remnants of the line left,in 2020 while installing new pipes near Gordon reserve Hughsdale they unearthed 3 railway sleepers,l don't know what happened to them but they should have put them on display with a information board explaining the lines history.

[@OPterro9002nintendofan]

3:22 I missed the old please insert your miky machine

[@retabera]

APM siding wasn't actually part of the Outer Circle line, in fact the Outer Circle line was closed before APM even existed. APM siding branched directly from Fairfield station. There is a Wikipedia article on it. Maybe you could cover it? I think most of the alignment is still there.

[@itechcircle9410]

money was a different object in the 1800s

[@euromania9373]

What a great video. You know your stuff, and it's great to see a young person take such an interest in history.

[@michaelvrigby]

Top work mate, you're obviously enjoying yourself whilst giving a very informative and intriguing glimpse at our rail history. Its so good to see such enthusiasm from you, keep up the good work. Liked and Subscribed. Mick MTM👍

[@emporioalnino4670]

Greedy capitalists lmfao

[@matthewparker4101]

well done thanks. I grew up in south caulfield between kooyong and hawthorn roads, i belive there may have been an old line near by. looking forward to more vids

[@johnd8892]

Sounds like the Rosstown Railway disaster. Luckily the millionaire behind it put his money where his mouth was and turned himself into a virtual pauper building the sub standard line. Only one train ran on it. No taxpayers money involved.

[@robertwhite1046]

Used to ride my bike from East Kew more or less following the line to Camberwell High School near Riversdale Station..congratulations on your most interesting historical visits to the old rail lines

[@deborahstead231]

Well done totally enjoyed listening, taking us back on that journey. Can't wait to here more tales of our past.

[@thetrainman548]

Thank you Deborah, I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the video 😊

[@imac2682]

Great video. Pity about "... greedy capitalists seeking an investment opportunity ..."

[@SharkytheGunzel]

Great video! We researched and informative

[@marcusluciani1620]

"Greedy capitalists seeking an investment opportunity". Put your politics aside. That's how development happens.

[@jessesands4099]

3.55 Shenley Railway Station! I Remember A Few Years Ago Being In The Railfan Shop In Mont Albert Looking At A Book Of Old Victorian Edmondson Tickets And Seeing One Of Shenley Railway Station So I Asked The Guy Working In The Shop And He Showed Me A Guide To The Outer Circle Line Think There's A Tennis Club Near The Sight These Days!🙂🏚️🛤️🚂🎾

[@wezza60]

Great video and research, love your videos. The overhead staunchions between Alamein and East Malvern never existed in the time of the Outer Circle Railway, these were added much later to feed power from the East Malvern substation to the Alamein line. The overhead staunchions are 1950s era style, the same style that were used on the Traralgon line. The Traralgon line which was electrified in 1954 exclusively had these structures from Dandenong, but now all have gone from beyond Pakenham and the rest replaced by modern staunchions. I should do a video on the different Staunchions throughout the Melbourne metro area, there is quite a lot of different structures ranging from the early 1920s up to the current ones. If you are travelling between Malvern and South Yarra, keep your eye for the few 1920s era staunchions still in existence and the weirdest ones I've seen anywhere are the 3 between Malvern and Hawksburn that look like a corkscrew.

[@troysartori5397]

Grew up in the area around Alamein, great research, very interesting

[@Noosa21]

The outer cirlce line was to originally take fresh farm produce from East Victoria to the markets. There was no govt railways back then transport was funded by businesses who took huge risks with their own money. Then without any help from the govermment, they Victorian Govt started making theor own roads and railways and undercut businesses.

[@FromtheWindowSeat]

Very interesting! Nice work! 👌

[@rtaj247]

Wow! I grew up in Kew and sometimes walked part or that track in Deepdene. The Outer Circle was something I’d always heard about and part of me wished it would magically return ! Used to look at the old Melways and you can trace the path of the former railway.

[@darylcheshire1618]

I travelled on an RTA special train (I think it was a DERM) from Fairfield to the Chandler Rd intersection where there was a crossing loop. Alas we didn’t go into the APM siding. I was told a story by a second person (fireman) of an E class electric loco which was pulling a string of GYs across Chandler Hwy when the E class caught fire and blocked the intersection. The train set back into the siding which was on a downhill grade where the fire was extinguished.

[@shannonpincombe8485]

Nice video. I have lived in a few different places along this now defunct railway over many years. I've always enjoyed walking the line and looking about to see the remnants of how 'the old line' must have appeared when in its full glory. The underpass in East Kew is fascinating and I can never understand why there isn't an organised 'Outer Circle Line Walk' which takes folks on an historical lesson and adventure including exercise and some mild refreshments. Also...I don't get why we're not using this important rail corridor. It's a great avenue. The walking is nice now though.

[@jamesharris2788]

Amazing video. Spent so much time as a kid riding this trail. Thanks for putting this together.

[@tabbytomcat3693]

Great work! I lived in Kew near the reservation and in Hartwell opposite the station.

[@wazowski6709]

Stumbled on your channel the other day. Keep up the great work champ. You've earned a sub 👍

[@thetrainman548]

Thanks very much Mike, I appreciate the sub, glad you enjoyed the video ::)

[@alibostanmusic1964]

Great video. Thanks man now I know what was old stuff that was left behind. Thanks for this video man. It’s great.

[@markielinhart]

Just like Australia ended up with more than one rail gauge due to ‘non communication’ between governments it seems all these early railway routes were a mish-mash of uncoordinated systems. All that construction and infrastructure gone to waste in such a short period of time. Shame really…✌️

[@cobra2]

Great job mate just fantastic. you do excellent work. I hope one day you'll get to North Carlton Station on the Inner Circle line. It's a community building these days

[@felab5313]

Use to play on the old steam train parking at Windsor station Melbourne peace Flexi Dee future 4.What happened to that train?

[@greghayes9118]

Surely politicians and town planners can learn a great deal from this example of wastage of public funding.

[@henrywhittaker2519]

"Greedy Capitalists" ????? What are they teaching you.

[@johntaylor8822]

As a kid, I am now 84, I lived in East Kew. At the time there were still train lines in the East Kew station area complete with a few railway trucks. I think the rails even extended to Deepened. There was also an air raid shelter on the station site that "Werner's gang" had adopted as their headquarters. Werner was to be avoided.

[@karmicselling4252]

An interesting fact about the Outer Circle Railway - The entire line connecting Fairfield Park and Oakleigh was only open for just over two years. However, passengers could not travel the entire line on a single train. The line was split into three sections, each one serviced by a different passenger service.

[@CARambolagen]

Are you going to work for Melbourne public transport? With your enthhusiasm you would be an asset!

[@torpedodropkick59]

Inner circle line still visible, Princes park area and south of the Brunswick station. Upfield line you will see old tunnel turning east when going north to Brunswickand coburg

[@mickandmj]

Loved this video. I am a huge fan of the outer circle line...especially following the old routes. I even learnt stuff.

[@karmicselling4252]

The cost to build the line equates to about $50 Million in 2021 Australian Dollars.

[@chrispetritsch1291]

Yes,great work mate. Maybe just throw in a little more info regarding street names and which direction you're heading. Sometimes it's hard to work out where you are or which way you've gone until you stop at another station.

[@multiranger748]

I’ll be honest from travelling on Mont Albert road and around during peak times school times and so on particularly where camberwell grammar is and deepdene Does only push my thoughts to bring the line back so many cars and student and it’s built up with lots of residents these days

[@rolymal9357]

i used to play on the old camberwell cutting in the 1950s

[@LiliaArmoury]

imagine how useful it would be if this was rebuilt and reopened as a full outer circle line. although we are getting the outer metro tunnel line if we keep labor governments in office

[@shaggyirl]

I’d love to see what you could find out about the trains that ran through Broadmeadows where the tracks ran passed my old high school the tracks that I’ve seen are gone now that were by the school but I haven’t been able to find much out about it

[@garynewton1263]

.......it's said that every now and then on a mild summer's evening the ghost of the Deepdene Dasher or other similar train can be seen hurtling through the old station site and through the whitehorse rd crossing.

[@Murrangurk2]

You make great content! Well done!

[@Wog68]

Good presentation. Didn’t know such a history is so close.

[@BigDog.1979]

Hey great vid mate I grew up in hughesdale and know the start of the outer circle line

[@martyjohnson3718]

Hey mate, I’ve got an old book on the Outer Circle railway as well as old train tickets etc that were part of my grandfathers collection if you’re interested in them?

[@ianwoff7000]

Another fascinating doco with the benefit of live travel - love your work!

[@thetrainman548]

Thanks Ian, glad you found the video, and enjoyed it!

[@familyhistory4U]

Excellent work most informative

[@garynewton1263]

Train Man, you missed two stations: North Fitzroy & North Carlton. And Roystead wasn't renamed Stanley. Stanley was the original name, then it was renamed Balwyn then Roystead. I explored the Outer Circle line back in the 1980s and Roystead platform was still in existence as was North Fitzroy.

[@thetrainman548]

I stuffed up a lot in regards to Stanley, again my apologies for that North Fitzroy and North Carlton feature in my inner circle Line video, which is not amazing I warn you haha Would love to hear your knowledge one day on such a fascinating piece of history

[@grantrafter8590]

The next Geoff Marshall

[@thetrainman548]

Haha, hopefully, thank you!

[@steveweatherly1965]

Another great video of history

[@thetrainman548]

Thanks Steve!

[@multiranger748]

Maybe make a video on the old Doncaster tram route

[@Jesse-B]

This line should have been reopened years ago.

[@paulhicks3595]

Very good, thanks. However it would have been much, much better if you’d used a map throughout your story for location context.

[@thetrainman548]

Current train man is kicking past train man that he didn't use a map :( Thanks for watching

[@comengsh]

Amazing video awesome information Happy New Year mate 👍

[@bradleytrevaskis7744]

Thanks for the mention

[@thetrainman548]

You too, glad you enjoyed!

[@nealsecker4896]

Thanks for video there is station closed in sorrento

[@gregessex1851]

Why were they "greedy" capitalists?

[@thetrainman548]

Hey Greg, I beleive that I used the wrong word. A few investors were seeking a profit for themselves off the line, not necessarily greedy haha, some people do think they were greedy though. Hope you liked the video!

[@jordansmith7182]

All capitalists are inherently greedy. It's the correct phrasing.

[@gregessex1851]

@@jordansmith7182 According to dictionary.com, a capitalist is someone who has capital invested in a business enterprise. That describes everyone from Donald Trump to someone who owns a small shop or a family farm. Are you saying all these people are greedy?

[@jordansmith7182]

@@gregessex1851 Yes. Yes, I am. Every single capitalist is exploiting the labour of others through the stealing of surplus-value in the name of greed.

[@gregessex1851]

@@jordansmith7182 I'll let the my friend that owns a small cafe and is struggling to feed his family that he is greedy.

[@nkelly.9]

Great effort. Thanks for posting this.

[@anthonymcdibble9496]

Thanks dude. Keep up the good work.

[@COLINJELY]

What about the old freight line through Carlton, wasn't this part of the old Outer Circle Line?

[@karmicselling4252]

No. That line was actually called the Inner Circle Line. It was a completely different line. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inner_Circle_railway_line

[@timothyscully5887]

I love your videos young man.

[@notoriousstaa8478]

2:08 voice crack when he said cross

[@MrAustruck]

great stuff mate, I am 50, but as a young teen in the early 80's I lived in Fitzroy north, i am sure there was an old railway station with an overhead walkover for pedestrians on the edge of the fitzroy football oval,

[@allangibson2408]

A lot of the Fairfield paper mill’s equipment was moved to the APM Maryvale mill north of Morwell. The outer circle also had a line through Preston / Northcote.

[@Dico6]

Great video, well done.

[@jackowilson8031]

Ur voice is changed my guy

[@thetrainman548]

Yes, it is more noticable when you look at my first videos haha, thanks Jaxson

[@letsseeif]

Thanks for you insightful research into The Outer Circle Railway. You have filled in a significant part of this mysterious line.

[@darrenbethell5893]

Great video train man I must tell you though with all due respect that the Stauntions beyond Alamein were erected a lot later than when the line was in operation

[@karmicselling4252]

Indeed. They were erected well after the line was truncated and electrified to Alamein Station. The stauntions south of Alamein were erected to carry electricity from an Electrical Substation located down at East Malvern up to where the railway line ended just south of Alamein Station. Afaik, the stauntions never carried an electric catenary wire that could be used to power the trains directly.

[@scottgreen9977]

Good work young man!

[@irenentontis9396]

Well done. Enjoyed it

[@patrickwatson740]

Hey that's an impressive piece of documentary making and research. Love your work!

[@smitajky]

The really funny thing is that not long after its final closure it became the railway we should have had. All those places along it are now "inner city". As you point out, so much of the line was built with grade separation just as modern practice once more demands. Alas so many "outer Melbourne" destinations have since become congested with inadequate roads and no rail. No land left to build a better system because too much was sold off. And what is left cannot be rebuilt as we require rail to get out of the way of cars. Ain't progress wonderful.

[@thetrainman548]

What I would give to time travel back to the 1890s to show how much this line would be utilised today. Hope you enjoyed and pray for the 'what could've been' aha

[@karmicselling4252]

@@thetrainman548 So I guess you are fervently spruiking the benefits of Suburban Rail Link SRL then?

[@johncourtneidge]

Lovely! Well done!

[@PeterShieldsukcatstripey]

What a shame it is gone.

[@jonathankeren-black2983]

Loved it - and we benefit from the Willesmere Community Gardens - many thanks

[@thetrainman548]

Cheers Jonathon, glad you benefit from the repurposed areas!

[@wizzard5442]

Willesmere was originally the site of Kew Lunatic Asylum built in 1870's and was later named Kew Mental Hospital and then Willesmere Hospital till it closed 1988.

[@charleslee5541]

love your videos.

[@PeterShieldsukcatstripey]

Good research!

[@mattjoy]

And nearly a hundred years later, they're planning on building a similar line, but further east... What a shame it's not here today for our greedy convenience 😉

[@nealsecker4896]

Many years ago there use to be train to Mornington near football oval near shops

[@johnd8892]

Opened 1889 and closed in 1981, so closed just 40 years ago. Well into the home computer age. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mornington_railway_line#:~:text=The%20Mornington%20railway%20line%2C%20in,1889%2C%20and%20closing%20in%201981.