View source for Spring Vale Cemetery railway line

{{Short description|Railway line in Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name             = Spring Vale Cemetery
| other_name       = 
| color            = {{rcr|Australian closed line}}
| logo             = 
| logo_width       = 
| logo_alt         = 
| image            = Springvalecemeterystation.jpg
| image_width      = 
| image_alt        = 
| caption          = Tait train at Spring Vale Cemetery station
| type             = Former Melbourne suburban service
| system           = 
| status           = Dismantled line
| locale           = [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]
| start            = {{rwsa|Springvale}}
| end              = [[Spring Vale Cemetery railway station|Cemetery]]
| continuesfrom    = [[Cranbourne railway line|Cranbourne]] & [[Pakenham railway line|Pakenham lines]]
| continuesas      = 
| connectinglines  = [[Cranbourne railway line|Cranbourne]] & [[Pakenham railway line|Pakenham lines]]
| formerconnections= 
| stations         = {{ubl|1 current station|1 former station}}
| routes           = 
| daily_ridership  = 
| ridership2       = 
| open             = {{Start date|1904|2|7|df=y}}
| yearcommenced    = 
| yearcompleted    = 
| close            = {{End date|1951|12|19|df=y}}
| event1label      = Electrified
| event1           = {{End date|1922|12|11|df=y}}
| event2label      = 
| event2           = 
| event3label      = 
| event3           = 
| owner            = [[Victorian Railways|Victorian Railways (VR)]] (1904–1951)
| operator         = [[Victorian Railways|Victorian Railways (VR)]] (1904–1951)
| character        = 
| depot            = 
| stock            = 
| linelength_km    = 2.650
| tracklength      = 
| tracks           = [[Double-track railway|Double track]]
| gauge            = {{Track gauge|1600 mm}}
| old_gauge        = 
| load_gauge       = 
| minradius        = 
| maxincline       = {{Incline|50}}
| electrification  = 
| speed            = 
| signalling       = 
| elevation        = 
| website          = 
| map              = {{Routemap |inline=yes
|map=
~~km~~ ~~
CONTg~~{{rmri|u}}~~ ~~{{BSto|[[Cranbourne railway line|Cranbourne]] & [[Pakenham railway line|Pakenham lines]]|to {{rwsa|Flinders Street}}}}
HST~~23.3~~{{rwsa|Springvale}}~~{{rint|victoria|met bus|link=Springvale railway station#Transport links}}
CONTgq\xABZgr\~~{{rmri|l}}~~ ~~{{BSto|[[Cranbourne railway line|Cranbourne]] & [[Pakenham railway line|Pakenham lines]]|to {{rwsa|Dandenong}}}}
RAq!~exBUE~~23.9~~ ~~{{AUshield|A|60}} ''Dandenong Road ([[Princes Highway]])''
exKBHFe~~25.2~~[[Spring Vale Cemetery railway station|Cemetery]]~~(demolished)
}}
| map_state       = collapsed
| embedded        = 
}}
The '''Spring Vale Cemetery''' [[Rail transport|railway line]], in [[Melbourne]], Australia, branched from the now [[Pakenham railway line|Pakenham Line]] at [[Springvale railway station]], for a short {{convert|1.87|km|mi|2|abbr=on}} journey to the [[Spring Vale Cemetery]]. The terminus was [[Spring Vale Cemetery railway station|a railway station]] of the same name.

== History ==
The Spring Vale Cemetery branch line and associated station were opened on 1 March 1904 following completion of construction in December 1902.<ref>{{Cite news|date=12 November 1903|title=SPRING VALE CEMETERY MORTUARY TRAINS TO RUN FROM 1st MARCH|work=[[The Age]]|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/189350156|access-date=21 August 2021}}</ref> The line was used to transport corpses, funeral cortèges and visitors to the Necropolis. Special [[Victorian Railways louvre vans#Hearse vans (C/J vans)|hearse vans]] were constructed to transport the coffins and wreaths.  The line was electrified in December 1922.  Mortuary services ceased in 1943 and the visitor's service was suspended from 10 December 1950,<ref>{{Cite news|date=13 December 1950|title=Spring Vale Cemetery Line Closed|work=The Dandenong Journal|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/219305503|access-date=21 August 2021}}</ref> following the end of the statewide 55-day coal strike.  Formal closure was only a book date, being 19 December 1951.

== Current status ==
Throughout the first few months of 1951, the line was dismantled back to the western boundary of the [[Sandown Racecourse|Sandown Park Racecourse]], and eventually back to the station side of Sandown Road. By the 1970s, the visible remains of the branch line included a short stub of the line, known as "Siding B", and an electrical sub-station near where the branch junctioned, as well as a short section of the alignment between Sandown Road and the racecourse boundary. A stanchion base could be seen at the end of the Downard Lawn in the Necropolis.

By 2010, the remaining track, overhead power lines and supporting stanchions had been removed, along with other sidings east of Springvale station. The electrical sub-station building remains, along with the rail reservation up to Sandown Park Racecourse, although it is now crossed by Sandown Road.

A commemorative plaque has been placed at the site of the former Cemetery platform, located in the grounds of the Eucalypt lawn of the Springvale Botanical Cemetery.
[[File:Former Railway Station plaque Eucalypt lawn.jpg|thumb|Plaque of location of former railway]]
Another commemorative plaque marking the location of the base of the supported electric overhead wires for the railway is located in the AC Downard lawn.
[[File:Plaque of Base of former Railway AC Downard Lawn.jpg|thumb|Plaque of base of former railway]]
== Station histories ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Station
!Opened<ref name="Anderson">{{Anderson-All Stations}}</ref>
!Closed<ref name="Anderson"/>
!Age
! scope=col class=unsortable | Notes<ref name="Anderson"/>
|-
| {{rwsa|Springvale}} || {{TAC2|1 September 1880}} || 
* Formerly Spring Vale
|-
| [[Spring Vale Cemetery railway station|Cemetery]] || {{TAC2|7 February 1904|||19 December 1951}} || 
* Also known as Necropolis or Spring Vale Cemetery
|}

== See also ==
*[[List of closed Melbourne railway stations]]
*[[List of Melbourne railway stations]]

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
*[http://www.victorianrailways.net/signaling/completedia/svalecemetery.html Signal diagram of the station in 1942]

{{Victorian Railway Lines|branch}}

{{coord|37|56|46|S|145|10|57|E|region:AU-VIC_type:landmark|display=title}}

[[Category:Closed Melbourne railway lines]]
[[Category:5 ft 3 in gauge railways in Australia]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1904]]
[[Category:Railway lines closed in 1951]]
[[Category:1904 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:1951 disestablishments in Australia]]