Closure of the Bayles Railway Station

Kooweerup-Bayles line to be closed? This was the heading of an article in the Koo Wee Rup Sun of September 10, 1958, p. 3. The Kooweerup-Bayles line was the surviving remnant of the Koo Wee Rup to Strzelecki line, which I have written about here.  The last train from Bayles was on Wednesday, February 4, 1959

Kooweerup-Bayles line to be closed? 

The Kooweerup-Bayles railway line is to be closed down unless very good reasons are forthcoming from local users.

This information was forwarded to Mr. L.J. Cochrane, M.L.A., by the Minister of Transport, A. G. Warner last week.

The Railway Commissioners have been concerned at the steadily diminishing traffic on the line in recent years and requested a report from  the Joint Transport Research Committee.

The following report was received from Mr G. Condon, Co-Cordinator of Transport.

As directed , the joint Transport Research Committee has enquired into operations over this line and submits the following report and recommendation:

The subject single track line is some 4¾ miles in length, with no intermediate station. There is no passenger service and the goods service is one train per week. 

It appears to be evident that for all practical purposes the sole reason for maintaining the goods service in recent years has been to cater for what used to be a fairly substantial outward movement of sand from Bayles.  Inward traffic consisting of superphosphate, bran, chaff and briquettes has over the past four years averaged at between 1,500 and 1,600 tons only.

Progressive decreases in tonnage and revenue is evidenced in the Comprehensive Table hereunder:

Traffic volume has thus steadily decreased over the past five years but in April last when the Plowright Albion Kooweerup Wash Sand and Gravel Company Pty Ltd, [see here] ceased operations at Bayles, outward traffic was reduced to practically nothing and it could remain that way indefinitely. By way of explanation, it is advised that because of the non-flooding of the Bunyip River sand supplies at Bayles became exhausted in April this year, and the Company perforce commenced its sand operations further up the river; the Company now trucks its sand to the Garfield station on the main Gippsland line. 

Financial results of operations for  the four months  ending 30th July 1958 were:

On this basis for  a period of 12 months, operations over the line would produce line mileage proportion Revenue of £180 against Total Working Expenses of £1000 leaving an annual loss of £820.

The loss is not particularly heavy, but it will be constant because there is no real prospect of either substantially improving traffic volume or reducing operating costs. Withdrawal of the service on the other hand involves no great hardship for the consignees at Bayles because of the proximity of the Kooweerup rail head, and the more than adequate road transport facilities available for freight movements between Kooweerup and Bayles. 

As for the sand traffic, if at some future time the Company decides to resume operations  at its Bayles site, where incidentally it is maintaining its plant, the Company would not be seriously  disadvantaged by closure of the line, having regard to the alternative rail heads  available either at Garfield, 8 miles distant, where a loading ramp had been constructed or at Kooweerup, some 5 miles distant.

RECOMMENDATION:

In the circumstances obtaining, the Committee recommends that the Kooweerup-Bayles branch line be closed.

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On November 5, 1958 the Koo Wee Rup Sun published this short article about the Australian Railways Exploration Association's planned trip to Bayles by steam train - 

Koo Wee Rup Sun, November 5, 1958, p. 1.

The trip proved very successful, as this report tell us. It is transcribed below. 

Koo Wee Rup Sun, December 3, 1958, p. 1

Over 100 people on train trip to Bayles

Members of the Australian Railways Exploration Association together with interested friends and local people, went on a train trip from Kooweerup to Bayles, last Saturday afternoon. The outing was arranged by the Association whose aim is to travel on various lines, merely from the point of historical interest, prior to their being possibly closed. 

Over one hundred members and friends journeyed from Melbourne to Kooweerup where a most enjoyable afternoon tea was provided on the station by the Kooweerup State School Mother's Club. The visitors were high in their praise of the excellence of the afternoon tea.

At Kooweerup the train was joined by several local people who also made one of the last passenger trips to Bayles. Garden seats were placed in the guards van to accommodate the extra crowd. Many mothers and fathers took their children for the ride - as a train trip is always a thrill for the kids!

At one stage the train was slowed down to let a cow get off the line. Trees growing close to the line brushed the sides of the train in many places - an indication of the lack of use of this line. Only one goods train now runs to Bayles taking coal to the milk factory.

At the Bayles station all passengers alighted and took photos and generally looked around. Perhaps never before in its history has such a large crowd gathered on the tiny Bayles platform.

Amongst the passengers was Mr C.D. Gavan Duffy of Camperdown, one of Victoria's premier amateur railway men ; Mr C. Einsiedel of Monomeith ; Mr. Fechner of Bayles ; Mr Duffin and members of the staff of the Westernport Memorial Hospital.

All who travelled gained the distinction of being the last passengers to travel on the Bayles-Kooweerup line - perhaps!

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The Koo Wee Rup Sun in January 1959  had the following notice announcing the closure of the line.

Koo Wee Rup Sun, January 21, 1959, p. 1

As you can, the Koo Wee Rup Sun, had need of a proof-reader.