Victorian Railways - Operational Branches

Operational Branches

The Victorian Railways was divided up into a number of branches, each with a set of responsibilities. These branches were reorganised a number of times, in 1962 they were:

• Secretaries: headed by the Secretary for Railways, dealt with policy, administration, transport regulation and legal matters.

• Rolling Stock: headed by the Chief Mechanical Engineer, was responsible for design, construction, operation, and maintenance of all locomotives and rolling stock.

• Way and Works: headed by the Chief Civil Engineer, it constructed and maintained all fixed infrastructure such as track, bridges, stations, signalling and safeworking.

• Traffic: headed by the Chief Traffic Manager, it operated all goods and passenger services both on rail and road.

• Electrical Engineering: headed by the Chief Electrical Engineer, it managed the suburban railway electrification system, as well as power supply to stations.

• Accountancy: headed by the Controller of Accounts, it records all payments, prepared budgets, conducted audits, and paid salaries and wages to employes.

• Commercial: headed by the Chief Commercial Manager, it set goods rates and passenger fares, solicited for new traffic to rail, and took action against by-laws offenders.

• Stores: headed by the Controller of Stores, it received all incoming stores and materials, and controlled the railway printing works.

• Refreshment Services: headed by the Superintendent of Refreshment Services, it controlled food and bookstore services at station, managed advertising at stations, as well as the railway bakery, butchery, poultry farm and laundry.