▁whe e led ▁open ▁w ag ons ▁being ▁built . ▁The ▁f ift ies ▁also ▁saw ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁short ▁branch ▁lines , ▁particularly ▁country ▁where ▁the ▁only ▁traffic ▁had ▁been ▁tim ber ▁or ▁liv est ock . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁the ▁break ▁of ▁gauge ▁at ▁Al bury ▁was ▁elimin ated , ▁with ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁East ▁standard ▁gauge ▁line ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 . ▁The ▁new ▁line ▁a ided ▁fre ight ▁traffic ▁between ▁the ▁state ▁capit als , ▁and ▁enabled ▁though ▁passenger ▁trains , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Southern ▁Aur ora ▁and ▁the ▁Inter cap ital ▁Day light . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁the ▁si xt ies ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁steam , ▁with ▁the ▁demol ition ▁of ▁the ▁massive ▁North ▁Melbourne ▁Lo comot ive ▁Dep ot ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁saw ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁Rail ways ▁produce ▁a ▁£ 1 9 3 , 7 2 7 ▁sur plus , ▁but ▁by ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁increasing ▁costs ▁and ▁decl ining ▁re venue ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁$ 8 6 , 0 8 6 , 3 6 1 ▁def ic it . ▁On ▁ 2 0 ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁the ▁La ver ton ▁der ail ment ▁occurred , ▁killing ▁one ▁passenger , ▁in ▁what ▁was ▁the ▁last ▁railway ▁passenger ▁fatal ity ▁not ▁involving ▁a ▁road ▁vehicle . ▁By ▁the ▁late ▁sevent ies ▁road side