New life for Korumburra’s train turntable

KORUMBURRA’S train turntable departed for a new home on Wednesday, set to head into service at Yarra Glen station when plans to reopen a section of the Yarra Valley Railway between there and Healesville are realised.

Local Korumburra historian and railway enthusiast Bob Newton was on hand to see the turntable lifted by crane and skilfully loaded onto a waiting trailer, sad to see a part of the town’s history depart.

The turntable arrived in Korumburra from Foster in 1994 to support the South Gippsland Tourist Railway, which closed in 2015.

More recently, VicTrack and South Gippsland Shire Council liaised with a heritage architect concerning the turntable and as it is classed as equipment, a permit for removal was not required.

Another Korumburra local, Paul Rotthier was bitterly disappointed to discover the turntable had just been removed, arguing it was still a valuable asset for the town despite trains no longer operating there.

“It needed to be incorporated into the redesign of the whole area,” Paul said, suggesting an amphitheatre may be the kind of attraction that could have included the turntable.

Healesville’s Andrew Blair was present for the turntable’s removal, with the Yarra Valley Railway volunteer looking forward to welcoming it to its new home.

He said a heritage railway group has been striving to return the railway line to service since it closed in 1980.

While there were initially hopes of reviving a much longer stretch of track, the destruction of eight bridges during the 2009 bushfires ensured that would not be viable.

Andrew said the intention is to run steam trains between Yarra Glen and Healesville, with a turntable at Yarra Glen essential for that to happen.

Yarra Glen station is being faithfully restored for the occasion after extensive termite damage and Andrew said the Yarra Valley Railway will be in much better shape than it was at the time of its closure.

“We’re appreciative of the fact VicTrack has provided rails, sleepers, ballast and turnouts,” he said.

A VicTrack spokesperson said the turntable removed from Korumburra Station is one of very few in Victoria able to accommodate larger locomotives.

“It was allocated to the Yarra Valley Railway by VicTrack, as part of our work to offer disused rail assets to tourist and heritage rail operators and museums so they can be preserved or put back into use,” the spokesperson said.  

Lifelong Korumburra citizen Alan Cherrett was among those who saw the turntable prepared for its journey.

“It’s a lot of history gone by the wayside, and it’s history that will never be replaced,” Alan said.

Andy Wilson, also of Korumburra, agreed it is a shame to see bits of history go and said he liked the tourist railway when it operated but maintenance costs became unmanageable.

Although the turntable is gone, the pit it sat in is considered to be of significant heritage value and is expected to be incorporated into South Gippsland Shire Council’s plans for the Korumburra Station precinct.

While it was sad to see the turntable removed, the Sentinel-Times looks forward to showing it in its new home, especially when it returns to service.