A Derm Good Getaway

Today our adventure begins after breakfast as we walk to Southern Cross Station to board the regular (and air conditioned) V/Line VLocity service that will whisk us through the Melbourne suburbs and into the countryside to Bendigo. Upon arrival, you’ll have time for a quick exploration and a coffee and snack or early lunch at leisure before regrouping at the station to board our private heritage railmotor – the 58RM, known as the DERM (Diesel Electric Rail Motor). Completed in January 1930 by the Newport Railway Workshops in Melbourne to an American design, the DERM spent its entire career on the Victorian Railways servicing lines throughout Melbourne and smaller branch lines further afield. Restored to immaculate condition and operated by a dedicated group of volunteers, it retains its traditional VR Blue and Gold livery with pride.

Our private train departs Bendigo station in the late morning.  Enjoy rolling through the Victorian countryside, cocooned in the train’s beautifully restored interior with picture windows that open, all the way on one of Victoria’s historic country lines that is still largely intact – the Piangil Line. The line was opened from its junction with the Deniliquin line, just north of Bendigo, to Raywood in 1882, reaching Swan Hill 1890, and extended to Piangil in 1915. Originally, the line extended further to Kooloonong and Yungera, however, the section between Kooloonong to Yungera was closed in 1957, and the Piangil to Kooloonong section followed in 1981. The last passenger service from Swan Hill to Piangil ran on 24 December 1976.

We’ll pause at Kerang in the early afternoon to allow the scheduled V/Line Swan Hill train to pass, providing around an hour for you to explore this small country town on the Loddon River – you might like to have a quick bite to eat for lunch at the nearby local pub. 

Back on our private railmotor, we’ll roll on through the farming lands of Central Victoria to Swan Hill, arriving mid-afternoon. You’ll have the option here of disembarking and staying in town, or staying on board with your Tour Leader and embracing the rare opportunity of travelling to the end of the line at Piangil. For those who want to spend the afternoon in Swan Hill, you’ll make your own way to our motel, conveniently located in the main street just a short walk from the station. Those who choose to ride the line to the end will be back at the motel in the late afternoon.  

Tonight, we’ll gather for a jolly dinner at a local restaurant to exchange a few laughs and share the memories we’ve already made.

Overnight: Jane Eliza Motor Inn, Swan Hill (B, D)

This morning after breakfast and check out, we’ll return to the station and our waiting privately-chartered DERM to follow the line south and away from the riverlands all the way back to Melbourne. You’ll have a great opportunity on this journey to learn all about the railmotor from the onboard volunteers or simply relax and watch the world go by through the picture windows.

We’ll need to pause at the township of Pyramid Hill to let the regular scheduled Swan Hill passenger service pass us, so there’ll be time to hop off and visit the local cafe or bakery for some morning tea and perhaps even pop into the local museum to view the fascinating collection of local items. Back on our railmotor we’ll continue south through Central Victoria passing several small towns along the way, arriving back in Bendigo around midday.  

There’ll be time for a leg stretch here while we take delivery of a delicious picnic lunch to enjoy onboard as we start the final run back to Melbourne, passing through rolling countryside, tunnels and the enormous Taradale Viaduct before the first sights of the Melbourne suburbs bring us back to reality. While on the platform, you might enjoy the curious, if not envious, glances of local commuters as they watch you climb back onto your own private train!  

Our tour ends when we arrive back at Southern Cross Station around 4pm and bid farewell until we meet each other again somewhere else down the line.

End of tour (B, L)