Victorian Goldfields Railway crews were left in shock following a near miss between a train and a child on the railway line on October 31.
About 4.45pm on the Sunday, the crew of the train operating from Castlemaine to Maldon saw four young children on the rail corridor about 100 metres from the Midland Highway level crossing in Castlemaine.
John Hoy, VGR vice-president, said one child was extremely close to the line, in a position where they would likely have been struck by the locomotive had the crews not taken prompt action to bring it to a halt about three to four metres from the child.
“Such an incident, though a near miss, illustrates the dangers that can easily come into play when you least expect it,” Mr Hoy said.
“From the railway’s perspective, our crews were left quite shocked by the near miss and hopefully some of the children involved may have gained an appreciation of the danger that they had placed themselves in.”
Mr Hoy said the Castlemaine and Maldon Railway Preservation Society, the operator of the Victorian Goldfields Railway, asked the residents of Castlemaine and Maldon to be more mindful of the trains that were operating on the branch line.
“As the State of Victoria opens up, with more visitors to the region, there will be more trains operating over coming months,” he said.
“The Castlemaine Maldon Railway’s crews will continue to be vigilant in keeping an eye out for people who may be placing themselves at risk in the railway corridor.
“The railway would like everyone to be more aware of what is going on round them and in particular take good care of people in their care. And stay safe!”
The Victorian Goldfields Railway is now operating trains on Wednesdays and Sundays, as well as special trains. Full details of these trains can be found at www.vgr.com.au. Bookings should be made online.
