A Trentham Scene

Up until 1974, there was a train that ran from Daylesford to Woodend.

In the days of wood logging and farming there was a need for the railway.

In latter years, the area became prolific with potato farming and the railway took produce to Melbourne.

The stations from Daylesford include Musk, Bullarto, Lyonville and then Trentham before travelling on to Fernhill and Carlesrhue. A tourist train still runs from Daylesford to Bullarto.

From there a walking track takes the same route as the old railway to Trentham.

Although signs of the track from Trentham to Carlesrhue can still be seen, particularly an old trestle bridge, it is not walkable as the farms along the way lease the land.

No More CHOO, CHOO

Trentham these days is 22 kms away from the nearest railway station. There are two, one at Kyneton, the other at Woodend. Should you wish not to drive, there is a regular bus service to the Woodend station. There was at one time a railway that ran from Daylesford through the smaller towns of Musk and Bullarto to Trentham and then on to Fernhill and meeting up with the Bendigo to Melbourne line. The Trentham station is now our Tourist Information Centre and is used for our monthly craft and garden market. Its also used for a starting point for our local Classic Car Club runs.

Commencing in 1880, it was a continuous working railway up until to 1978. As well as a passenger train, goods trains ran timber from several mills in the area. Being a prolific potato growing area, the goods train would transport produce to the markets in Melbourne.

Typical of Victoria's stations, the maroon and cream colour scheme has been retained although most of the existing rolling stock may well be past any form of restoration. Being halfway between the starting point of Daylesford and Woodend, it is the largest existing station where there is little sign left of the smaller stations on the past line.

From what I can see, it had three sets of tracks into the station with the goods train picking up produce from the north side. There is a tourist train that utilises the original tracks up the line which starts from Daylesford and ends at Bullarto, midway to Trentham. Maybe one day the line might be reopened to Trentham as a further tourist attraction, however I doubt it due to the cost.