apologies for the late posting - I've decided to post a summary of my
notes on a monthly basis.
Enjoy!
Gunzelgram - July 1997
Our regular Conny of 8207 had returned from holiday's, so my roster goes
back to a split
Head Office/Conductor. All travel per 7:46 Sth Geelong pass (N loco -
FSH set) and 17:00
pass ex-Geelong (N loco - FN set) unless otherwise noted.
Please note that GEX loco sightings are not exhaustive - there are
usually more loco's
present than those noted, obscured by other loco's or wagons.
Monday 7/7/97
8:35 Bacchus Marsh replaced by road coach.
OL included the Ghan vehicle "Oasis Bar", it was inbound on the flyover
at 7:50 with CLP12.
Noted "Commence Section Authority Territory" sign in place on the SG,
down side of
Newport box.
GEX loco - A73, X41, H4, S301+S307, G514, G534, S306
Due to PTU strike, 8220/17 replaced by busses between GEX and MSS.
8220 had B61-
PCP292-ACZ255-BZ267-BRS221-BZ270, 8217 would have had the same cars, not
sure
about the loco though.
17:00 up
Lights not working in the ACN
GEX loco - T390, all 3 S's.
Tuesday 8/7/97
x up OL near Hoppers Crossing at 8:13
GEX loco X39, T400, T390, T409, G531
Due to PTU strike 8220/17 replaced by busses between GEX and MSS. Both
trains formed
by S302-BS201-BRS224-BZ269-ACZ252-PCP294
17:00 up
GEX loco 3 S's, T409
Wednesday 9/7/97
8:00 down BG goods waiting on up side of Newport dual-gauge with
G531+X34+T409+T390
GEX loco - A73, H4+T400, S301+07, S306
Strike action on this day saw trains 8217/32 replaced by road coaches
WMB-MSS.
17:00 up
Confronted by an unusual sight - Y110 and A73+T409 shunting wagons in
Geelong pass
yard.
GEX loco - T390, 3 S's.
North Geelong yard virtually empty, with none of the yard pilots to be
seen! Reason was the
high winds had caused some of the new light booms (which look much like
the "Hill's Hoist"
in my backyard) to break off, and yard was declared unsafe.
Subsequently, the lights were
progressively REMOVED!
x down SG train with G+C at Manor Loop at 17:26
Fri 11/7/97 - to GEX per 11:55 pass, then Conny on 8217, 13:29 ex GEX,
and 8246, 17:35
ex-WMB back home to MSS.
8217 had B61-BRS229-BS201-BRS224-BZ269-ACZ252-PCP294.
Departed Geelong at 13:39 - pass arrived at 13:34 (lost time acc.
several signal checks).
Delay in getting away due indirectly to the departure of R761 on the
School Holiday's pass -
it used Platform 1 (scheduled to depart as our train arrives), so we set
up our passengers,
ourselves, and catering supplies on Platform 3, then the train was held
outside the loco, and
brought into Platform 1! Arrived WMB at 16:04, 14 late.
8246 had the same consist, minus BRS229. Departed Warrnambool on time,
on-time
running all the way home, reaching Spencer St 4 early at 21:00.
Sat 12/7/97 - Conny on 8207 from MSS - GEX, same vehicles as 8246 the
night before
(becoming real familiar with this set!)
Had a clear run (unusual on a Saturday, hence there's 6 mins extra in
the schedule), had to
sit outside Geelong loco for 4 mins waiting to allow an up pass to
depart Platform 1.
8237 had A79+B61
Sun 13/7/97 - Conny on 8237 from Melbourne - Geelong, with
B76-BZ269-BRS225-BRS221-
BZ267-ACZ255-PCP292. I seem to handle the bigger passenger loadings
much better now -
getting plenty of practice! Plenty of tickets to be clipped - 1
passenger called me a "Ticket
Muncher"
Good running to Werribee, arriving 2 early (and waiting time till
19:23), the checked at Nth
Shore (19:44), arr Geelong 19:51
Mon 14/7/97
7:46 used Platform 2, perhaps 8207 was too long with B61+S311-5 cars-PCP
It was another freezing cold morning.....yet the thermometer on the silo
as you enter Geelong
was reading 23 degrees!
17:00 up
GEX loco H4, G534+532
Tues 15/7/97
The 7:46 had a "technical fault" delaying departure by 10 mins - no
train-to-base radio.
Noted the 'spare' set to have ACZ259-BS216-BS217-BZ268-BCZ263
WCR BS206 in NOG yard
GEX loco - G521, X32, A73, G532
arr GEX 9:01
17:00 up
Noted N loco - D van - ACZ262 (locked) - N set on the 18:15 Shepparton.
The inclusion of a
D van and ACZ is not unusual on this train - why? Signs on the doors
advised that carriage
is available for Economy class ticket holders.
Wed 16/7/97
x up OL with CLP8-7 cars-HM van-Motorail at Newport, 8:00
GEX loco H4, X44, G515, T390, T400, 3 S's
17:00 up
GEX loco T400, G522+534
x down SF with a single BL (AN colours) down side of Lara at 17:11
Thurs 17/7/97 - Travel to GEX per 11:55 pass, then work 8217/46
GEX-WMB-MSS
x 4 G's at the head of the SCT at Manor Loop at 12:25
GEX loco A79, H4, X43
8217 had B76-BRS229-BRS224-BZ270-ACZ252-PCP294 - Pretty average run down
to
Warrnambool, dep GEX 13:32 (3 late), arr WMB 15:54 (4 late).
8246 was busy, with S311-PCP294-ACZ252-BZ270-BRS224-BRS229-BZ269, this
being the
last day of our "Rails To The Whales" tours to Warrnambool. BZ269 was
worked empty to
Melbourne, on it's way to the wheel lathe. A good cross at Winchelsea
allowed arrival at
GEX at 19:55, 2 early. We again made up time north of Geelong, arriving
at Spencer St 6
early at 20:58 (6 early) - 58 mins a good effort with 5 cars and stops
at North Geelong, Corio,
Lara, Werribee and Footscray.
Friday 18/7 - travel/work as per Thursday 17/7.
On the 11:55 down, noted G515, T390, H4, A60, and the 3 S's at GEX loco.
8217 had a poor run through the suburbs, we departed GEX at 13:35 (6
late) with S302-
BS201-BRS221-BZ267-ACZ255-PCP292. We steadily recovered the time,
arriving at WMB
at 15:51, just 1 late.
Same loco and consist on the up, and we again made up time, waiting 2
mins at Terang
(18:05-7), 3 at Camperdown (18:20-23), 4 at Colac (18:48-52, allowing
time for a quick chat
with the crew), then got a good cross at Winchelsea (19:16 - 26),
beating the signalman and
the booms at South Geelong (slowed, but not stopped), arriving GEX some
5 early at 19:52.
Continued to make time on the last leg, arriving at Spencer St at 20:59,
some 5 early.
8237 had B61+X46 - the X being worked to WMB to run the up goods
Monday 21/7 - Run 8207 MSS-GEX, return home on the 15:40 pass.
8207 had S311-BS201-BRS221-BZ267-ACZ255-PCP292, and had an excellent
run,
departing on time at 8:49, arriving at Geelong 49 mins later at 9:38.
15:40 up - N loco - ACZ262-BCZ-BCZ-BZ
Those ACZ's are sensational to sleep in - they have more legroom than
the ACN cars, and
the seats are more comfortable, so much so that I was asleep before
North Geelong, and
woke up when we stopped at Spencer St (good thing too, because this set
departs 3 mins
later for Traralgon!).
Tuesday 22/7/97 - back at Head Office
Noted the spare set had ACZ259-BS216-BS217-BS218-BCZ263
Wednesday 23/7/97 - Head Office
On arrival at Spencer St and before boarding the 7:46, I noted that B76
was turned the wrong
way on 8207 (our B's must run no. 1 end leading), it was turned before
departing.
GEX loco - G516, X33, T409, T408, S302
17:00 up
GEX loco T408, G534, G521
WCR BS206 in North Geelong yard
Stopped at North Geelong 'A' Box 17:05-09
x NR79-down SF at Lara, 17:19.
Thursday 24/7/97 - unusual shift for me, run 8220/17 GEX-MSS-GEX, then
book off at 13:30,
back on at 17:30 until 20:30
8220 had B61-PCP292-ACZ255-BZ267-BRS221-BS201, and after several signal
checks
arrived at Spencer St 4 late at 9:54.
At Spencer St the set was re-marshalled, so 8217 had
B61-BZ267-BRS221-BS201-ACZ255-
PCP292. Slow running and a signal stop at Werribee (13:04-06) saw
arrival at Geelong 8
late at 13:34.
Earlier in the day, 8207 was involved in a level crossing accident at
the Anglesea Road,
consist S311-BS205-BRS229-BZ270-ACZ252-PCP294. The 4 occupants of the
car were
extremely lucky to survive. The train continued to Waurn Ponds, where
passengers
transferred to busses, S311 ran around and returned 'tender first' with
the carriages to
Geelong. The carriages remained in Platform 2, S311 headed to GEX loco
for repairs. A set
was formed by carriages at Warrnambool (B76-CP291-BRS223-BRS224-BS206)
to run
8232. The cars from 8207 were hauled to Melbourne by G528, departing
GEX at 14:51.
During this time I'd headed out to North Shore (photograph 8232), then
Gheringhap
(photograph G-C501 (dead) - up steel), then North Geelong 'C' box
(photograph up BXT
Sprinter, and BL-down Superfreighter, held here to cross the Sprinter).
All this highlighted
the stupidity of the dual-gauge North Geelong 'C' - Gheringhap, when an
interstate freight
train has to waste time crossing a single Sprinter of passengers! A
flyover on the down side
of North Geelong 'C' and dual single lines (one SG, one BG) to
Gheringhap would have been
the go.
Saturday 26/7/97 - run 8207 MSS-GEX, with
B76-BS205-BRS229-BZ270-ACZ252-PCP294
Again, the silliness of the Saturday timetable was evidenced - 8207
departs 6 earlier on
Saturday....if you get a clear run you then wait 6 mins outside Geelong
loco waiting to get
into platform 1 at GEX!. We did just that, departing MSS 8:44, stopped
Geelong loco 9:30-
36, then arrived Geelong 9:38
Sunday 27/7/97 - run 8237 MSS-GEX, with
S302-BRS224-BS206-BRS221-BS201-ACZ252-
PCP294. Another good run here, departed 1 late at 18:56, yet had to
wait time at Werribee
(19:21-23), then arrived at GEX 2 early at 19:47.
Returned on the 20:30 up pass, the usual single Sprinter.
Monday 28/7/97 - to GEX per 11:55 Sth Geelong, then run 8217/46
GEX-WMB-MSS
At Spencer St, Y163 was shunting BS206-PCP492 in platform 5.
Noted an up service of 2 x Sprinter stopped at Aircraft (why?), then we
crossed to the West
line at the down end of Corio (acc. trackwork at North Shore), and back
to East line at North
Geelong.
8217/46 had S302-BRS221-BS201-ACZ252-PCP294, departed GEX 6 late at
13:35, but
steadily made up time, arriving at WMB 2 early at 15:48. 8246 got away
on time, made up
time and arrived at Colac 3 early at 18:49. I was about to give the
"8246 Station Work
Complete" when the driver radioed me, advising that we were to be issued
with a new train
order, acc. delays to the down pass 8237 (loco swap at GEX - see
below). We got away
from Colac at 19:00 (8 late), the cross was still carried out at
Winchelsea, we were there from
19:23 till 19:43 (8237 arrived at 19:40), reaching Geelong at 20:07,
departing 20:10 (10 late),
but making up time all the way home, arriving at Spencer St 5 late at
21:09.
Earlier in the day, B76 was removed from 8232 at GEX with traction motor
problems,
replaced by T400+T390 to MSS. 8237 had X42 MSS-GEX, replaced by the
repaired B76 at
GEX, delaying departure until 19:12.
Tuesday 29/7/97 - Head Office. Met on strike, so I drove to/from
Geelong, hence no notes.
8237 had X42
Wednesday 30/7/97 - as per Monday.
x CLF+GM on up Patricks at 12:17 at Paisley
GEX loco G521, G511, G514, T408, T390, 3 x S
8217 consist S311-BRS221-BS206-AZ252-PCP294, got away from GEX 1 late at
13:30,
crossing S300 on 8232 at Winchelsea (back in traffic after major engine
repairs), arrived at
WMB at 15:47 (3 early).
X44 was on the goods at WMB, and my train was altered to
S311-PCP294-ACZ252-BS206-
BRS223. Waited time everywhere - a good cross at Winchelsea saw us
arrive at Geelong
some 5 mins early at 19:52. Departed at 20:00, again making up time
north of Lara, arriving
at Spencer St 5 early at 20:59.
Earlier in the day, X42 (ex 8237 the previous night) had returned to
Melbourne solo on 8220.
Note also that all the ill-fated floodlights have now been removed from
North Geelong yard.
North Geelong 'B' box hasn't got it's sign back yet either!
Cheers,
Craig.
-- Craig Haber albatross@harnessnet.com.au Manufacturing Systems Engineer (almost) Web Page Designer, Harness Racing, Railways, and Essendon Football Club fanatic http://www.harnessnet.com.au/