Canb - Syd Sightings: 29/02/2000

["Melanie J. Dennis" <meld.asg@netspeed.com.au>]

Aus loco discussion mailing list

Canb - Syd Sightings: 29/02/2000  -  Once in a BlueMoon....

With Countrylink offering the "Once in a Blue Moon" special fare (anywhere in the state on the 29th Feb. for $20), Gerardus and I decided to head first class to Sydney for the day.   Xploder set EC2525 - EB2517 - EC2501 sat in the platform road awaiting departure.  8007 sat alone in road 2, having arrived solo on the oil train.  An on-time departure steadily degenerated to behind time:  although station work along the way was slick (often under one minute), safeworking requirements on the Canberra - Goulburn section took between 2 and 4 minutes; Tarago being the worst in both directions.

Our hasty notes show 8156 / 8175 on a loaded wheatie, possibly overtaken at Goulburn which, in contrast to recent visits, actually had locos and wagons in the yard.  We were checked to a 30 second stand between Goulburn and Towrang.  At Medway Jcn., 8132 and MT limestone train was in the loop before heading up the branch.  The section Bundanoon to Exeter was taken relatively slowly.  Moss Vale yard and Berrima Junction were virtually empty but just north of the junction a southbound MT limestone was passed.  Unfortunately, inside the railcars, you get very little warning of approaching traffic and the loco has passed before one realises it!

At 09:53, Tahmoor Colliery had an 81-led train loading - too far away for a number sighting but with reference to Ivar's Great Day Off sightings, possibly  8183/8133 on TM12 Tahmoor push/pull.

By Campbelltown, we were 13 minutes down and had lost our path through the suburban maze.  We were routed into No.3 platform (Down Main) which allowed T14 Tangara set in Platform 2 (Up Main) to depart 'stopping all-stations' ahead of us!  We awaited a down Tangara to cross from the Down Main to Platform 1 before crawling back to the Up main via the crossovers.  By Minto, we were suffering signal checks as we caught up to the preceding Tangara but at Ingleburn, we switched to the un-wired third line and raced past the subbie at Macquarie Fields then turned back onto the Up Main after Glenfield Junction then into platform 1 at Liverpool.

The high speed run was then checked for a right turn at Cabramatta.  Leightonfield produced solo NR67(?), 4716 and a candy 47 (more info anyone?).  48213 was seen shunting Mungo Scott's sidings as we approached Flemington.  A Down Endeavor service led by 2811 checked our entry to Central - arrival in Platform3 was 11:21 (25 minutes down).  The Grafton XPT was in Platform 1, topped and tailed by 2012 and 2018.  

After some bookshop browsing, we took a subbie up the north shore to Hornsby riding in Tangara car ON5807.  Changing at Hornsby for a trip down to Strathfield, we just happened to chose Tangara car ON5817 - a bit of fodder for the number-superstitious.  A north-bound MT Wheatie, double-headed by two 81's, roared past us north of Beecroft at 14:55.
A trip west to Granville, saw 8215, 8230 and 8153 (or 2) at the east end of Clyde yard.  Heading back into town, 42220 with three cars shot past us around Strathfield at 16:04.  

Back at Central, a five car Exploder set EA? - EB? - EC2523 - EA2506 (missing some side-skirt panels) - EC2526 sat in platform 1 and departed before us - is this the service that splits at Werris Creek?  Our train EC2524 - EB2516 - EA2507 awaited in platform 3 and departed on-time at 18:14.  The sprint through the suburbs was much faster compared with our indifferent morning performance.  The tail of a north-bound freight was seen disappearing around the North Strathfield avoiding curve and 8168 was spotted leaving Flemington west end on a freight.  Leightonfield produced nothing!

Timekeeping on the return journey was much the same as the trip up whilst trying to identify passing workings in the dark was almost impossible.  Two hopper trains and one steel train were passed between Campbelltown and Goulburn but the most common sightings were the backs of my eyelids.  Arrival back in the ACT was slightly late.  One must ponder on the consistently late running:  a)  is the timetable too tight?, b)  do track conditions prevent time being recovered?  or c)  are the Xploder cars underpowered when fully loaded?  Anyone care to comment?

Two local ARHS members went as far as Maitland (an hour to spot there) whilst another went from Yass to Melbourne and return in the day allowed, giving 13 hours in the southern capital. Thanks to Countrylink for this imaginative fare deal.
I hope we don't have to wait until another 'Blue Moon' for a repeat.

Melanie Dennis & Gerardus Mol
Australian Steam Group


______________________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe, write to Ausloco-unsubscribe@listbot.com
______________________________________________________________________
Advertisement:
Enter to win $1000 at winfreestuff.com!
What else do you want to win? If you want cash, gourmet foods, palm
pilots, and other great prizes don't look any further than
winfreestuff.com! We've got what you want. Check it out at:
http://www.listbot.com/links/winfreestuff2