A piece of railway history has been uncovered during Inland Rail works at Euroa in Victoria, sparking interest from local heritage enthusiasts.
Retired engineer and Euroa resident Tim Miller stumbled upon the find while visiting his local railway station with his young grandchildren to watch the demolition of the Anderson Street bridge.
Near the old station building, Miller noticed a distinct insignia on a piece of old rail protruding from the ground and serving as a bollard to keep cars off the platform.
“I could see an insignia on the rail and thought it looked significant,” he said. “On closer inspection I could see the date ‘1875′.”
Determined to preserve the artefact, Miller approached Inland Rail construction partner John Holland and requested to have the piece extracted and delivered to him for preservation.
After trimming the corroded section and cleaning off 150 years of rust, grime and numerous layers of paint, Miller confirmed the inscription read “Blaenavon 1875 MD”.
Further research revealed the rail originated from Blaenavon, a village in Wales known for its ironworks during the 19th century.
“It’s incredible to think this piece was made 150 years ago in Wales and ended up here in Euroa,” Miller said.
The railway was opened to Euroa in 1872, with the full Melbourne to Wodonga line opening in 1873.
Miller said the historic piece of rail was lighter than rail used on the mainline at the time and believes it was likely used on a siding or in the goods shed.
The antique rail is also wrought iron instead of the universally used steel rail of the 20th century and beyond.
Australia imported all its early rail, locomotives and rolling stock primarily from the United Kingdom in the 1800s, but by the late 1800s local manufacturing of locomotives and carriages had begun. Rail was not rolled in Australia until 1911.
In December, Miller delivered the restored rail to the Euroa Historical Society, where it will be displayed alongside its story.
Adding a personal twist, Miller’s great-great-grandfather, Henry Miller, served as Victoria’s Commissioner of Railways and Roads in the 1860s.
“This find connects local history, global industry, and even my own family heritage,” Miller said. “It’s a piece of the past that deserves to be remembered.”
