A week in Victoria

[PETER ATTENBOROUGH <Peter.Attenborough@awtpl.com.au>]

Aus loco discussion mailing list

Guys !

The following is a brief summary of a trip to Victoria that Greg Travers and myself had from 15/1/00 to 23/1/00. I won't go into every sighting but just the highlights (from our perspective). 

Sat. 15/1
DL47/DL50 on Medway to Pt Kembla limestone 9.15 at Wingello
42220 on SL15 Griffith passenger (I followed it from Junee to Narrandera but sun angle all wrong this time of year). The train runs around the north leg of the triangle at Junee due to damage to points and signals account the derailment at Junee some weeks ago.

Sun 16/1
Grotty weather until late afternoon so checked out the new bridge over the northern end of Spencer Street yard - should be great for shots when it opens.

Mon 17/1 
TNT - G537/G53?
9140 - G513/X53
9126 - G521/X40(green)/S306
Waurn Ponds cement train X39/X50
9137 - G521/X39/X48/X50
9123 - G525/A79
Patricks had double CLPs (one green and the other bumble-bee)
Numerous N's on passengers
The WCR trains ran on time but the locos appear much dirtier than last year.
GM27/J103 shunting Great Northern yard at 19.30 

Tues 18/1
Grotty weather again until late afternoon so then checked out the A class on the pm commuter trains. A60 is in brilliant condition but A70 now getting dirty.

Wed 19/1 
9351 - P21/A77 (Tocumwal goods)
9352 - X36/A73
pm at Kilmore East with usual fare of N's and A's on pass and NR's and 81's on goods. G on 9692 Bandiana goods.

Thurs 20/1 
9351 - P22/A85 - ran late - 9.30 into Seymour.
pm in Kilmore/Broadford area
9352 - X36/A73
5MS7 - EL52/EL57/EL51

Fri 21/1
Tried 9351 again - this day on time with P21/A77/A78 which crossed up Shep pass at Seymour. We followed the goods to Toc. In the yard were A73/X36 on 9352 which left at 11.40 and X47 rolled in from the silos. A78 ex 9351 was added to X47 for a grain special back to Geelong. A77/P21 worked 9354. Toc is certainly busy this time of year - 6 locos and not a G in sight.

Checked out the grain silos of which there are 2 - Graincorp and Kelly and Son. 25,000 of canola and 62,000 tonnes of wheat at Graincorp with a further 38,000 tonne of wheat on ground at Kelly's plus whats in their silos - look forward to heaps of grain specials out of Toc !

9351 appears to be lead by a P class on the down due to need to have HEP to refrigerate containers of cheese from Murray/Goulburn co-op at Cobram on the up journey.

Sat 22/1
Up Austrac - EL57/EL52
BL29/BL30 on Long Island steelie.
Pretty grotty weather most of the day.

All NR trains noted were NR hauled with only a green DL and DL41 being sighted in the servicing facilities at Dynon. 

The action in Victoria (and the possibility of SUNSHINE) makes it a very appealing destination at the moment. The only down side to the trip was the cloudy weather along the coast from mid-week each morning which stopped us from visiting Geelong more than we did. The alternative is to go north over the range where the weather is (usually) very different to the coast.

I would be remiss in not publicly thanking Steve Dalton who kindly rang us upon our arrival with details of the Geelong line grain movements early in the week - thanks Steve - much appreciated - we did very nicely chasing 9137 and 9123 up to Ballarat in late afternoon light.

Regards

Peter


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