 The Melbourne–Echuca railway or Bendigo line was commenced by the private Melbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company, but when the company experienced financial difficulties it was taken over by the Victorian colonial government in 1856, with the Victorian Railways Department being formed to operate the new public railway system.The line opened in five stages from February 1859 to September 1864, and was at the time the largest engineering undertaking in the colony.More than 6,000 men were involved in construction of the Bendigo line with the main contractors Cornish and Bruce undertaking the works.