Memories of my Early Years in Malvern

Rail Transport Developments During Vincent Wickenton's Early Years in Malvern.

Trains

Train services to and through the Malvern Railway Station began in May 1879.

The railway track ran from South Yarra to Caulfield, where it completed a rail link between Caulfield and Gippsland, as far distant as Bairnsdale.

Other stations added to the suburban network with the opening of the new link included Hawksburn, Toorak, Armadale and Malvern.

Steam engines hauled passenger carriages on the line for the next 43 years.

In 1910 tram services were introduced in Malvern, and these resulted in cuttings being excavated for the railway. Bridges were built where the train and tram lines crossed at Hawksburn and Malvern.

At the same time, the single track between South Yarra and Caulfield was duplicated.

The first Malvern Station is thought to have been built about 1878/79.

This was demolished after the excavation for the line was carried out.

Design on the present station started in 1912/13 and the project was completed in 1914.

Constructed to an Edwardian design, the station has a heritage listing.

The First World War delayed plans for the electrification of the suburban rail network.The work was to have been completed in 1915, but the first electrified

section was achieved in 1919. The line through Malvern was electrified in 1922 and most of the surburban network was completed by the end of the following year.

Vincent’s Father, Joseph, was a carpenter with the Victorian Railways and was involved with the construction of stations in country Victoria before being transferred to

Melbourne in 1911. He was then involved with building and maintaining railway stations and other facilities across the suburban network and nearby country stations for almost five decades.

Clockwise from above: The old Malvern Station as seen about 1900.

Photo: Malvern Historical Society, Stoningtom History Centre Collection.

Joseph Wickenton, Vincent's Father, second from right, working on a building project for the Victorian Railways thought to be in 1920s.

Steam train at South Yarra Station heading for Malvern and intermediate stations about 1883.

Photo: Kingston Historical Website.

A mantle clock bearing a plaque:

"Presented To Mr J Wickenton By His Fellow Railway Employees, Sale, January 1897".

The reason for the gift is not known, but it may have been to mark the departure of Joseph, Jane and their infant daughter, Lilly, to another work location on the Victorian Railways expanding country network.

The face of the clock identifies it as from A.W. Bennett, Sale. Mr Bennett operated the Jewellers & Watchmaking business after buying it in 1886 until he sold out in 1925.

Picture (above top) shows a steam passenger train pulling into Malvern Station, around 1900. The original photo appears to have been hand tinted for use as a postcard shown above. The train carries a destination sign "Flinders St."

Photo: Stonnington History Centre Collection.

Post Card: Museum Victoria

Collection: Norm De Pomeroy

The photo at right is a still picture taken from an early silent film documentary.

It shows a steam- hauled passenger train arriving at Richmond Station.

The traffic was supprisingly busy. Within a few moments of this scene being taken, three similar trains entered the station from various directions.

National Film and Sound Archive

Some early electric services employed carriages which had doors that swung outwards.

Victorian Railways Photo

The swing door carriages were superseded by the " Tait" carriages which had sliding doors.

Above photo shows a steam engine hauling the first "Tait" carriages in 1913.

Victorian Railways Photo

Before the advent of the tramways in the Malvern area, the Victorian Railways provided a service between Prahran Railway Station and Malvern Railway Station. The photo left shows a motor powered omnibus operating the service in 1905.

Photo: Museum Victoria

Views of the present Malvern Railway Station. Top four Photos : On My Doorstep

Above photo : Railpage Comeng 301Ms. Photo below: News Life Media.

Trams

A tram service started in Malvern in May 1910. The original depot building off

Glenferrie Road is still being used today. It is heritage listed.

The service was operated by the Prahran and Malvern Tramways Trust which was

formed in 1908 to build and operate electric tramways.

With tracks and power lines completed , services started were along High Street from

Prahran to Tooronga Road Malvern, and along Glenferrie and Wattletree Roads to

Burke Road, East Malvern.

One year after its launch, services were extended to Caulfield and St Kilda, into

Melbourne City in 1912, to Hawthorn and Kew the following year and to Camberwell in 1916.

The Tramways Trust was taken over by the Tramways Board at the start of 1920 .

Laying the first tramway rail in High Street, Malvern, 20 October 1909.

Photo: Stonnington History Centre Collection

Clockwise from above: Scenes from the innauguration of electric tram services from the Malvern Tram Depot, 30 May 1910.

Pictures are stills from a silent film documentary held by the National Film and Sound Archive.

Above: Part of the huge crowd which attended the tramway service opening.

Photo: Stonnington History Centre Collection

Above :100 years later...to the very day...a re-enactment of the occasion was staged at the Malvern Tram Depot. Note the original buildings from 1910 are still in use. They are heritage listed.

Photo: Mal Rowe

Trams DownUnder Archive

Above: Looking to the south from Llaneast Street in 1915.

Photo: Stonnington History Centre Collection

Below: The same view today.

Photo Google Maps

Above: Another view of Glenferrie Road soon after tram services began.

Photo: Stonnington History Centre Collection.

Laying of tram tracks in Glenferrie Road, Malvern, 1910.

Photo: Stonnington History Centre Collection

Left: The same occasion recorded on a photograph from the Stonnington History Centre Collection.

Another photo from the Stonnington History Centre ( below) shows crowds lining Glenferrie Road on the opening day of tram services.

First tram travelling north along Glenferrie Road, Malvern, 30 May 1910. The vacant

block on the right of the picture is at the corner of Union Street.

Photo: Stonnington History Centre Collection

Above: Electric tram heading north up Glenferrie Road, Malvern, 31 May 1910.

The two above photos: Malvern Historical Society.

Stonnington Heritage Centre Collection

A line of trams at the corner of Glenferrie and Wattletree Roads, Malvern, 16 December

1911.

It was the opening of the Dandenong Road line.

Photo: State Library of Victoria.

Some trams Vincent Wickenton would have seen during his early years in Malvern.

Photos below from Stonnington History Centre Collection, Friends of Hawthorn Tram Depot and Ballarat Tramways Museum.

First type of tram introduced in 1910. It was a single-bogie drop-end open California combination car (later classified A-class).

The above tram was originally built for the Prahran and Malvern Tramways Trust in 1913. It ended its working life in the Ballarat (Vic.) tramway fleet.

This tram was also built in 1913 for the Prahran and Malvern Tramways Trust. After many years of service in Melbourne , it also ended its career as a Ballarat (Vic.) tram.

The C Class tram began service with the Malvern Depot fleet in 1916.

Class T tram which began service in 1917.

Although ordered in 1919, the Class L trams were delivered for service in 1921.

Class W and W2 trams (above) began service in 1923.

The X-Class tram was introduced into service at Malvern in 1925.

Class X1 tram started service the following year, 1926.

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