With the imminent arrival of ‘The Big Switch’ and the end of anything other than HCMT’s on the Sunbury suburban services, I decided with four days to go, I better get some shots of what was once normal, but was about to disappear.

( And for those wondering, yes, I work better to a deadline)

Thursday 29 Jan I headed out towards Sunbury with a very loose plan of what and where I wanted to shoot, and, given it was a dirty overcast day actually helped.

Crisp clean daylight is nice, but sometimes bleak opens up some more options, cancelling out shadows.

With only a few days to go, it’s not like I could leave it for another day anyway.

For some reason, I gravitated towards Diggers Rest.

As a kid on family trips from Bendigo to Melbourne, I remember being stopped at the crossing at the end of the station, and much later, passing through on my way back and forth as an apprentice going home on weekends, and even later, attending faults there.

Eventually, overhead wires went up to Sunbury, then Regional Fast Rail saw increased line speed to 130kmh for Vline services. The ever expanding suburban sprawl, and more recently, the crossing being replaced by a bridge, has changed things hugely from my earlier memories.

On the road into town, the crumbling ruins of the 1850s goldfields era hotel are a sad sight. I had a beer in there years ago with a mate after chasing D3 658 ( also known as 639) back from Bendigo on one of it's first runs after .

It met its fiery demise in October 2008 under somewhat dubious circumstances, and despite rumours of a rebuild over the years, nothing eventuated.

Another mate who attended the famous Sunbury rock concerts recalls visiting on the way there - and when on the Saturday of the concert, the BYO ban was lifted, joining the throngs to get back to the pub for supplies!

Leaping forward to 2026, I pulled up outside the fenced off ruin, and walked around looking for any angle I could get of the railway and pub, and took a couple of shots that weren't all that inspiring, but something in the bag at least.

Sunbury Line comeng suburban train Diggers Rest hotel Scott Gould Railway A Life fine art photography train photography — Once a busy stoping point on the way to the Central Victorian goldfields, the remains of the Diggers Rest hotel stand silent as a Sunbury to the city train hurries past.

There was a couple of horses in a nearby paddock that looked like they were in need of having their photo taken, so obliged with a couple of trains as a passing backdrop, one Comeng, the other a Siemens.

Sunbury Line comeng suburban train Diggers Rest Scott Gould Railway A Life fine art photography train photography — There’s not too many places on the Melbourne suburban rail network that lines pass through paddocks these days - Sunbury and Hurstbridge are the most rural.

I then headed on the short section of the old Calder highway which previously carried traffic to Melbourne and took some across paddock shots, including some of the local flora - the western suburbs rose aka Scotch Thistle.

Back toward the station, thinking about a shot down the road to the former crossing would be interesting, but the crossing had been well planted out with trees and shrubs, so was off the table.

I took a few shots from different angles of the passing trains, including a pair of Comeng's crossing, with good friend Mark Bau driving the up.

Passengers disembarking from a Sunbury Line comeng suburban train Diggers Rest Scott Gould Railway A Life fine art photography train photography — Hometime for these commuters. Diggers Rest.

Two passing Sunbury Line comeng suburban train Diggers Rest Scott Gould Railway A Life fine art photography train photography — Passing services pull into Diggers Rest as a potential passenger consults the information screen.

Sunbury Line comeng suburban train approaching Diggers Rest passing under Calder Freeway bridge. A Railway Life photography Scott Gould — An up Sunbury comes under the Calder Freeway bridge past the V line speed board, as aspirational as it might seem, a Comeng is never going to bend the speedo needle that far!

I packed it up and was heading home when I decided to have one last go at the pub, further back and up the hill with my big zoom, and ended up closing out the day with one I was happy with.

Sunbury Line comeng suburban train Diggers Rest ruined pub Scott Gould Railway A Life fine art photography train photography — Last shot for the day, a Siemens train makes the journey to Sunbury past the power lines and what’s left of the pub.

It's all over now, with HCMTs reigning supreme from Pakenham and Cranbourne to Sunbury, another interesting chapter in Melbourne's railway history.

That too will eventually pass, I might get some shots a bit sooner next time!

Thanks for reading,

Scott

Time marches on - before the Big Switch.

38 + 01