Old Monbulk Rd Level Crossing, Belgrave (Before & After Upgrade)

Here it finally is! The project that I've literally been working on since 2017 is finally coming into fruition! For the last 6 years, I've been travelling to Puffing Billy to meticulously film all 14 level crossings and 3 pedestrian crossings that dot the line. Over the next little while, I will be uploading footage of every single one. The reason it has taken so long is because I wanted to film a mix of NA's, Garratt's, diesels and fire patrol vehicles traversing these crossings, doing a range of normal passenger services, shunting shots, double-headed shots, and special trains. I have finally gathered enough footage for my videos, and let me tell you, it is worth every second
This is the first crossing on the line. This is the Old Monbulk Rd level crossing in Belgrave, with footage I took in August and December 2017, October 2018, March 2020, August, September and October 2022, and February, March and June 2023
In 2017, this crossing had:
- A McKenzie & Holland teardrop bell
- Westinghouse cross-arms
- Marked Westinghouse lights, both LED and incandescent
- Unmarked bases on all signals
In March 2017, the state government announced plans to upgrade the level crossings at Old Monbulk Rd, Edenmont Rd and Pinnocks Rd on the Puffing Billy Railway. Updated equipment would be installed at all three crossings, including boom gates, LED lights and fencing. Works were completed by 2018. The new upgraded crossing has:
- A Western Cullen Hayes mechanical bell. This is an unusual installation, as most level crossings with boom gates have two bells. However, all boom gate upgrades on the Puffing Billy railway post 2017 have one bell installed (except for Healsville - Koo Wee Rup Rd). The bell is also unusually placed on the individual signal on the south eastern side of the crossing, like its previous set-up, unlike on top of the boom gate mechanism. I'm assuming this was done for consistency with the old crossing. It is also unusual as it is a brand new mechanical bell. The only brand new mechanical bells for level crossings manufactured these days are Western Cullen Hayes bells. I'm assuming this bell was chosen to keep with the heritage feel of the railway AND to adhere to the modern standards of new crossings
- Westinghouse cross-arms
- Marked LED Westinghouse lights
- Western Cullen Hayes boom gate mechanisms with unmarked bases
- An unmarked base on the individual signal
I filmed both before, during, and after the ban on legs dangling out the sides of Puffing Billy was implemented in 2018 following a collision at one of the crossings, and then subsequently removed in 2021, so you'll see some occasions where passengers have their legs out, and other occasions where they don't. One bit of consistency you WILL see, however, is the waving passengers. It is customary at Puffing Billy that you wave to the passengers on the train as it travels past. It's a good little bit of fun and brightens up everyone's day!
And apologies if the footage from 2017 seems to be of less quality and of a lower frame rate. My camera produces two types of videos files, the lower quality MP4 and the higher quality MTS. I used to always use the MP4 files for my videos, because the file size was heaps smaller, and if I made videos using the MTS files the high quality was lost when I rendered them for uploading. I've only recently figured out a way to render videos with MTS files that KEEPS the quality, which is why my most recent videos are of better quality. I didn't know this years ago though, so I unfortunately deleted a lot of the higher quality MTS video files because they took up so much room, not thinking that I'd need them. I have since adopted the practice of using the MTS files from now on for my videos, though there are some old bits of footage where I can only use lower quality MP4 files, as the MTS files have been deleted. Better than nothing I guess?

[@JJXTEM]

You’re almost up to 1,000 subscribers Stuart!

[@stuarthunt101]

Nearly!

[@emmaziccone4037]

So much effort into a great and wonderful video

[@stuarthunt101]

Thanks Emmy

[@TazzieTransport]

Great Video! its interesting how the placement of the bell before and after upgrade at this crossing has been on the right side of the road!

[@stuarthunt101]

Thanks man :) yeah they did a lot of work to change this crossing

[@jacktherailwayenthusiast3343]

Great video Stuart

[@stuarthunt101]

Thanks Jack :)

[@JJXTEM]

I’ve been on the Puffing Billy on July 15.

[@stuarthunt101]

Ayyye

[@robbiewales3007]

Hopefully western cullen hayes mechanical bells replace all the e-bells on the railways in Victoria

[@jacktherailwayenthusiast3343]

That’ll never happen

[@stuarthunt101]

Wishful thinking, but we can dream

[@sbmetro165]

Awesome video! Can’t wait so the the other old setups too!

[@stuarthunt101]

Thanks man :) they'll be coming soon!

[@tomhenry6440]

December 2023? Have we came 3 months into the end of the year?

[@stuarthunt101]

Lol whoops, just ignore that for the moment