Elders IXL Siding
Line: Melbourne - Geelong - Warrnambool
Distance from Melbourne: 61.190 km
Track Diagram: View
Google Maps: Satellite / Map
Opened: March 12, 1986
Opened in 1986, it was built to serve the 4 large wool warehouses built by Elders on Forrest Road. The main line connection is protected with a switch lock. The siding crosses the standard gauge line on a diamond crossing, before making a 90 degree turn, and then crossing Forrest Road. The siding then splits into two parallel roads running alongside two of the warehouses.
At present the siding does not see any wool traffic, but was used by a softwood timber mill located in the adjacent Heales Road industrial estate. Log flats were occasionally seen at the extreme western end of the siding for this reason.
In 2008 Wettenhauls Transport moved into one of the warehouses, having relocated from the former Geelong Freightgate at North Geelong Yard after PN ended their fasttrack freight service in 2007.
The broad gauge siding was removed by ARTC in 2010 as part of their works to provide a new crossing loop on the standard gauge track to be named Elders Loop. The down end of the new crossing loop will be approximately where the siding left the main line. The mixed gauge diamond crossing for the siding was removed on October 3, 2010 as part of the construction works. Removal of the main line points will be carried out at a later date, along removal of other associated infrastructure.
Events
| March 12, 1986 | Switch Lock provided on the West Line for IXL Siding. Flashing lights provided at Forrest Road |
| February 18, 1995 | Standard Gauge crossing in use for ballast trains. |
| June 5, 1996 | Elders Block Point provided on Standard Gauge account introduction of Section Authority System |
Line Opened
| November 1, 1856 | Line opened Lara to Geelong |
| June 25, 1857 | Line officially opened between Geelong and at temporary terminus at Greenwich. A ferry was used the complete the journey to Melbourne |
| October 3, 1857 | Temporary Greenwich terminal and stub line closed. Geelong line now connected to the partially completed Williamstown line. A ferry complete the journey from Williamstown to Melbourne |
| January 17, 1859 | Williamstown line finally completed to Melbourne. Geelong trains can now operate direct to Spencer Street Station |
Track Amplified
| September 19, 1981 | Line duplicated Lara to Corio |
Diagrams
NOTE: Diagrams are not to scale.
Photos
9 of 15 images found displayed. Click them to enlarge.
Looking towards the end of the siding |
Forest Road level crossing looking south |
Forest Road level crossing looking north |
Grease pot for the tight curve in the siding |
Close up of the grease pot |
Derailer in the siding before the main line |
Connection with the main line, looking south |
Connection with the main line, looking south-east |
Equipment at the mainline points |