Melbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company
Encyclopedia
The Melbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company was a railway company in Victoria
, Australia
. It was established on 8 February 1853 to build a railway from Melbourne
to Echuca
on the Victorian-NSW border, as well as a branch railway to Williamstown, but struggled to make any progress. On 23 May 1856, the colonial Government took over the Company and it became part of the newly-established Railway Department, which was part of the Board of Land and Works, and which in 1859 became Victorian Railways
. British engineer George Christian Darbyshire
was made the first Engineer-in-Chief for the Railways Department, and supervised the design and construction works until his replacement by Thomas Higginbotham in 1860.
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It was established on 8 February 1853 to build a railway from Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
to Echuca
Echuca, Victoria
Echuca is a town located on the banks of the Murray River and Campaspe river in Victoria, Australia. The Border town Moama is on the northern side of the Murray river in New South Wales. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Shire of Campaspe...
on the Victorian-NSW border, as well as a branch railway to Williamstown, but struggled to make any progress. On 23 May 1856, the colonial Government took over the Company and it became part of the newly-established Railway Department, which was part of the Board of Land and Works, and which in 1859 became Victorian Railways
Victorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...
. British engineer George Christian Darbyshire
George Christian Darbyshire
George Christian Darbyshire was an English and Australian civil engineer. He was the second son of George Darbyshire, also a surveyor and railway engineer.-Early life:...
was made the first Engineer-in-Chief for the Railways Department, and supervised the design and construction works until his replacement by Thomas Higginbotham in 1860.