3078 history: the paper mill

There have been some terrific photos from the old Alphington paper mill circulating on social media lately.

Like this one of the train that used to connect between Fairfield station and APM.

The siding was opened in 1919 specifically to service the paper mill at Alphington and the trains transported coal and paper products into the mill for many years, diagonally through the busy intersection of Heidelberg Road and Grange Road.

In 1994 V/Line closed the APM siding, after boilers at the paper mill had been converted to gas and there was no longer a need for daily coal delivery.

This photo was taken by John Dare, published in VR Diesel Pictorial, 1977 by ARHS (Victoria)

Also here are a couple of photos from inside the factory from 1945. Fascinating hey?