Victorian Genealogy
Finding People and Places in Victoria, Australia.
Railway employees may have belonged to a union. See Union and Employer Association Records.
Also see Public Servants.
Also see Railways and Trains.
The Victorian Railways operated in Victoria and also some lines in New South Wales from 1859 to 1983. The first railway was built in Victoria in 1854 by a private railway company. There was a mixture of public and private railways until 1878 when the private companies had all been taken over by the Victorian Railways.
The Victorian Railways also ran the following:
For State Coal Mine employees also see Miners.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - RAILWAY RECORDS
Public Record Office Victoria holds railway records from 1855 to 2014 (VA 2876, VA 1038, VA 1044 and VA 2984). More recent records may be closed to the public. It also holds records for the following private railway companies:
This is a finding aid for railway and train employment records. The records are not online.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/railway_train_employment
VICTORIAN PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS - LISTS OF RAILWAY EMPLOYEES
Lists of railway employees may be seen in the following Victorian Parliamentary Papers:
1880-1881 |
Volume 3 |
page 138 |
1882-1883 |
Volume 1 |
page 693 |
1886 |
Volume 1 |
page 753 |
These are for the Victorian Parliamentary Papers located in the State Library of Victoria.
VICTORIAN PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS DATABASE - BOARD OF LAND AND WORKS: VICTORIAN RAILWAYS REPORTS 1862-1883 AND REPORTS OF THE VICTORIAN RAILWAYS COMMISSIONERS 1885-1972
“Board of Land and Works: Victorian Railways” reports and “Reports of the Victorian Railways Commissioners” may be seen on the Victorian Parliamentary Papers database. The former may include lists of railway employees. The latter may include railway employee appointments and removals from 1884 to 1903. Both may include lists of railway contractors. See under Victorian Parliament.
VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT GAZETTES - LISTS OF RAILWAY EMPLOYEES
List of railway employees were published every three years in the Victorian government gazettes from 1884 to 1929:
1884 |
Volume 1 |
page 1459 |
1887 |
Volume 2 |
page 2055 |
1890 |
Volume 1 |
page 1237 |
1893 |
Volume 1 |
page 387 |
1896 |
Volume 1 |
page 621 |
1899 |
Volume 1 |
page 433 |
1902 |
Volume 3 |
page 4099 |
1905 |
Volume 3 |
page 4719 |
1908 |
Volume 2 |
page 2333 |
1911 |
Volume 2 |
page 4457 |
1914 |
Volume 2 |
page 3267 |
1918 |
Volume 1 |
page 887 |
1921 |
Volume 1 |
page 1189 |
1924 |
Volume 1 |
page 1167 |
1926 |
Volume 1 |
page 1233 |
1929 |
Volume 2 |
page 1931 |
Lists of successful railway contractors are also included.
See Victorian Government Gazettes.
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES (GIN) - VICTORIAN PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS
The following records have been indexed into the Genealogical Society of Victoria's Genealogical Index of Names (GIN) Database.
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
VICTORIAN ASSOCIATION OF FAMILY HISTORY ORGANSATIONS - RAILWAY EMPLOYEES FROM VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT GAZETTE AND OTHER RAILWAY ANNUAL REPORTS
These include railway employees from Victorian Government Gazettes from 1884 to 1929 and Victorian Railway Reports 1884 to 1886. They are text searchable.
https://vafho.com/2019/04/27/victorian-railway-employees-another-gift-from-vafho/
FINDMYPAST - AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE, NOMINAL ROLL OF THE FIRST RAILWAY SECTION 1917-1920
This is an index of railway employees who formed the 1st Railway Section of the Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force during World War One. The original records are on microfilm at New South Wales State Records.
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES (GIN) - VICTORIAN PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS
The following records have been indexed into the Genealogical Society of Victoria's Genealogical Index of Names (GIN) Database.
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA - GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES
The Genealogical Society of Victoria has indexed into their Genealogical Index of Names (GIN) the following:
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
VICTORIAN RAILWAYS RESOURCES
This website contains information about the history of the Victorian Railways, the state railways of Victoria, Australia. The focus is on the infrastructure of the railways, with a particular emphasis on signalling. This website includes detailed histories of individual stations and Victorian railway maps.
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - FINDING YOUR ANCESTORS' OCCUPATIONS: TRAINS, TRAMS, BUSES
This lists resources held by the state library relating to trains, trams and buses. The library holds a rich collection of material relating to public transport including thousands of publications produced by the Victorian Railways.
https://guides.slv.vic.gov.au/c.php?g=435343&p=2968006#s-lg-box-wrapper-25989342
PRAHRAN MECHANICS INSTITUTE - VICTORIAN RAILWAY HISTORY LIBRARY
The Victorian Railway History Library has a large collection of books and journals on railways, predominately on Victorian and Australian railway history but also including an extensive British collection and a representative collection from other countries.
https://www.pmi.net.au/research-guides/research-guide-victorian-railway-history-library/
AUSTRALIAN RAILWAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
LIGHT RAILWAY RESEARCH SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA INC.
STEAMRAIL VICTORIA
Steamrail Victoria is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the restoration and operation of vintage steam, diesel and electric locomotives and carriages.
707 OPERATIONS
https://www.707operations.com.au/
SIGNALLING RECORD SOCIETY VICTORIA
The Signalling Record Society Victoria comprises a group of enthusiasts interested in railway signalling and is based in Victoria, Australia. They are dedicated to documenting the changes in Victoria’s railway signalling heritage.
SEYMOUR RAILWAY HERITAGE CENTRE
BELLARINE PENINSULA RAILWAY
A not-for-profit, volunteer run organisation offering steam train rides, train driver experiences, group charters, as well as family events and specials. It runs from Queenscliff to Drysdale.
https://bellarinerailway.com.au/
DAYLESFORD SPA COUNTRY RAILWAY
This is a tourist railway between Daylesford and Bullarto using railmotors.
MORNINGTON RAILWAY
Victorian Railway heritage train services operate along the original Mornington Branch Line on Sundays as well as Special Event dates.
https://morningtonrailway.org.au/
PUFFING BILLY
This century-old steam train continues to run on its original mountain track from Belgrave to Gembrook in the Dandenong Ranges 40 kilometres east of Melbourne.
VICTORIAN GOLDFIELDS RAILWAY
This is an authentic steam heritage train linking the historic gold mining towns of Castlemaine and Maldon in Central Victoria.
WALHALLA GOLDFIELDS RAILWAY
The heritage train services operate between Walhalla and Thomson stations.
https://www.walhallarail.com.au/
YARRA VALLEY RAILWAY
The Yarra Valley Railway is a completely volunteer, not-for-profit community based organisation that is restoring the railway between Healesville and Yarra Glen. The Yarra Valley Railway operates tourist rail services on the Walker Railmotor from Healesville Station to Tarrawarra Estate, through the historic brick tunnel.
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