JANUARY 1974: Flinders Gate project p6. Stainless steel train survey p12. ‘Puffer’ Sawyer; Dick Youren; Mick Ryan p13. Tom and Alan Hilder; Damian Cybula; James Beasley p14. Alex Briggs; Malcolm McKenzie p15.

FEBRUARY 1974: Chairman answers Geelong critics p18. Goodbye Mirboo North [railway line] p20. Retirement of Railways Secretary C.S. ‘Charlie’ or ‘Chas’ Morris; new Secretary Norman H. Rashleigh p21. Jolimont sub-station to close p22. Changing train timetable p26. Flinders Street Station thesis p28. Keith Smith; Tony Xuereb; Mark Waterman p29. Stan Keen; Ray Hollier; Bill Pollock; Ted ‘Grumpy’ Jones p30. Maurie Baker; Len Bennett; Phil Coates p31.

MARCH 1974: Ray Jackson (cover). Jacqueline Meertens p35. Last run of swing-door trains p36. Supervisor of apprentices retires [‘Uncle Roy’: Roy Curtis] p37. David Rashleigh p37. Noise and vibration expert advises Murla p38. Carriage house, Vaughan Springs; Maryborough Railway Station foundation stone; Wagon K 279 or K crane; Creswick Railway Station water tank p40. Baderloo Railway Museum p42. Josie Winnett; W.H. ‘Bill’ Olver; Giovanni ‘John’ Di Rocco; Maurie Walsh p44. R.B. ‘Reg’ Carr; E.S. ‘Ted’ Hubbard; Robert Bradford p45. Ken Hughes; Allan Collins; Brian Conelly; Jack Crouch p47.

APRIL 1974: Report suggests big parking increase p50. Eastern Railway – the Board’s case p51. Vandalism p52. Turnouts renewal p54. Welcoming of cast of ‘Number 96’ p55. Wells Road, Seaford overpass p56. Railway tanks supply townships water [Toolamba] p58. Behind the scenes of the Spencer Street mural; Alphonse ‘Little Alfie’ Muscat p59. Hugh Brown; Kevin Davis; Allan Briggs p61. John W. Carnie; Eric Hourigan; Hanna Ruff p62. Bob Richards p63. Harry Gillard; Jack Fairchild p64.

MAY 1974: Marketing Branch is born p67. I.G. Hodges appointed General Manager p71. L.A. McCallum appointed Deputy General Manager p71. A century for the sleeping car p74. Albert Psaila p75. Percy Terrill, Stan Price; John Boak; Bob Holmes p78. Des O’Donnell; Graeme Smith; Jack Williamson p79.

JUNE 1974: Old uniform restored p82. Geelong commuters want quicker journeys p82. Newport builds multi-purpose hopper wagons p83. PR Chief retires [H.R. Hauptmann] p87. New PR Chief named [Alan Brook] p87. Railway reunion for rescuer and rescued [Eric Christie, Harry Evans] p91. Mrs Heather Lahm; W. Batch; Fred Simcock; Maureen Gardner p93. Gijsbert ‘George’ Lucken; David Melton p94. John Phillips; Ian Adcock; Peter Dwyer [NOTE: Melton and Adcock photos transposed] p95.

JULY 1974: Vandalism p101. C.G. Ainley; C.W.A. Pilgrim p101. Knox to revive old station p102. R.M. Wright; C.W. Miller p103. The line that bombed out [Flemington Racecourse line] p106. M. Ronald, J. Crute; Jack Cleary p109. Jack Kennedy; R.I. Wastell p111.

AUGUST 1974: Glen Waverley project goes ahead p115. Maryborough Station p119. While the workmen hunted gold p122. Allan Coward p125.

SEPTEMBER 1974: Hay burners built the Altona line p133. Ray Barden; Jack Anderson p143.

OCTOBER 1974: Railways vital – town planner p147. New tracks to South Kensington and Footscray p149. Sandridge Line opened 120 years ago p152. Ken Feltscheer; Bob Widdison; Charles Harcoan p158. Jean Lindner, Margot Morel, Eileen O’Connor, Helene Michaelides; Bert Hiddleston p159.

NOVEMBER 1974: More VR evidence for Eastern Railway inquiry p163. Chalet plans earn praise [Mount Buffalo Chalet] p167. Charlie Cully; Con Sheehan, Ralph Murcutt; Kevin Crockett p174. Vincent Toohey; John Nolan; Jack Lewis p175.

FEBRUARY 1975: Living with level crossings p19. Press commends Pakenham extension [electrification] p20. VRI meeting honours five [Bill Marr, Harold Simmons, Bob Wright, Lindsay McCallum, Norm Roberts] p26. Vincent Winter, Bob Wright; Jack Ryan p29.

MARCH 1975: Bob Cole p35. Cairn to commemorate ‘Battle of the Coloured Lines’ [Ararat] p38. New South Wales plans major update p39. Bushfires rage at Hattah p41. David Kitt; Ray Wilmott p45. Maureen Carroll; Alan Cole, Nagambie museum p46. Raymond Homelhoff; John James [Arto the Clown]; Reg Knox p47.

APRIL 1975: Space-age design wins Heyington [Railway Station] competition p51. Les Perrott p55. Vic Bonighton; Bert Stoman p62. Ieuan Charles; Lance Burton p63.

MAY 1975: Ararat centenary highlights 1975 inspection tour p69. R.M. Wright, M.L.G. McKenzie p76. George Smith; Ron Irwin; Keith Crowther p79.

JUNE 1975: Sir Harold Clapp p86. Bridge on the Maribyrnong River p88.

JULY 1975: A.G. Gibbs p99. Viaduct is vital to MURLA project p103. Mount Waverley Railway Station mural p109. Harold ‘Harry’ Millane p111.

AUGUST 1975: Cutting sleepers is a family business [Donchi family] p118. Michael Field; Michael Gesualdi; Gladys Carson p126. Vic Marriott; Jeff Hibberd; David Rashleigh p127.

SEPTEMBER 1975: Laurie Stinson p131. Minister announces new transport centre for Frankston p132. New bridge means fishing treat [Yarrawonga] p136. The Gippslander celebrates its 21st p138. Clem Mahoney p139. Yarrawonga bridge (back page).

OCTOBER 1975: Kananook Station opens p147. Harry Fletcher appointed Mayor of Richmond p151. Chairman says Flinders Street Station development should go ahead p151. Rudi Hummel p154. Garratt locomotive p154. Reg ‘Puffer’ Sawyer p158. When the Chalet horses come home [Mount Buffalo Chalet] p159.

NOVEMBER 1975: Computer take over [Victorian Railways gets a computer] p163. Plans for Box Hill [transport centre] p164. New wheel lathe p165. Australia’s first public railway at Goolwa, SA p166. Jim Kain retires p170. Tassos Ioannidis p171. Puffing Billy extension to Lakeside [Emerald] p174.

DECEMBER 1975: The 11th Royal train [for Princess Margaret] p180. VR was first with electric tramways [from St Kilda Station to Brighton Beach] p186. Bill Clinnick retires p190.