Gunzelgram November 1997

[Craig Haber <albatross@harnessnet.com.au>]

Gunzelgram November 1997

Sat 1/11/97 - run 8207 MSS-GEX with S302, BS205, BRS221,
BZ269,ACZ255,PCP292
A very typical Saturday morning run, depart on-time, checked by a spark
at Laverton Jcn, clear running south of Werribee then slow outside GEX
loco, arr GEX 9:39.  
Return on 12:35 up Sprinter (x2), noted X44+A66 (pass loco) in Melbourne
Yard.

Sun 2/11/97 - run 8237 MSS-GEX with S311,BZ270,BZ267,
BRS225,BS201,ACZ252,PCP294
1 late getting away acc. waiting for pax luggage off the XPT, then wait
time at WRB 19:21-23, arr GEX 19:47. 
Return home on 20:30 Sprinter, noted NR77 on the Overland.

Mon 3/11/97 - H.O. down on 7:46 SOG pass
GEX loco G534, X45, X46, X40, S307
17:00 up pass
GEX loco A81, A7?, H4, X33, X50, X40

Tues 4/11/97 (Melbourne Cup day), run 8217 with S302, BRS221, BRS223,
BZ269, ACZ255, PCP292, and 8246 (to Sunday timetable) as above, minus
BRS221
On the 11:55 SOG pass noted
GEX loco A78, S301, R707, A81, A77, A85
On-time running with 8217, cross 8232 (S311) at WIA, arr WMB 3 early. 
Shorter turnaround in WMB - Sunday’s 8246 departs at 17:05, ran to time
throughout, including a wait of 6 mins at GEX, arr MSS 3 early at 20:17

Wed 5/11/97, HO.
H5 shunting in NOG yard
GEX loco T379+T409+T388, G526, A78, A81, X45, X47, and an S in the shed

17:00 up
GEX loco - T’s as above, H5+X47, A74+G523
G526+S301+X45 up goods at NOG ‘A’ box
Some AusRail conference display rollingstock was at Spencer St platform
1, including the new QR “Great South Pacific Express” cars, Trailerail
green NR (54?), State Car #4, BZN car, Avoca, Sprinter 7001.  The AN RTL
type truck and a forklift/wagon were in the SG runaround.  J104 hauled
away the SG vehicles at 18:04, the AN RTL departed under it’s own power
at ~18:10, while a Y class hauled away the BG cars at 18:22.

Thurs 6/11/97 - run 8217/46 with S300, BS205, BRS223, BZ269, ACZ255,
PCP292 on the down, swap for B76 and add BS201 for 8246.
8217 got away from GEX 3 late, but we lost more time waiting at WIA for
8232 (S311), the delay here resulting in arrival at WMB 11 late.  X37 at
WMB.
8246 was on-time to XCO, lost 2 mins here obtaining a train order,
crossed 8237 (B61) at WIA, stopped SOG 19:58-20:00 to set down a group,
hence late at GEX (20:03-05), but only 1 late on arrival at MSS.

Sat 8/11/97, run 8220 GEX-MSS with S302+S311, PCP292, ACZ255, BZ267,
BRS223, BS205, BS206.  S311 brought the train solo WMB-GEX, with S302
added ex-BXT.  We were running on altered time S.97/5502 acc Werribee
signal panel works, but it made no difference really, we made Spencer St
at 10:12 after a relatively uninterrupted run.

Sun 9/11/97, run 8237 MSS-GEX with S311, cars as per 8/11.
Departure 1 min late acc passengers streaming up the ramp at departure
time (doesn’t anybody run on-time these days??), and arr GEX 19:48.
Funnily enough, one could find TWO Gary Ablett’s at GEX station around
20:20.  Gary Ablett (the ex-football version) was seeing somebody off,
onto Gary Ablett (the Sprinter version, no. 7008).

Mon 10/11/97, back on the 17/46 shift, with S311, BRS223, BZ267, ACZ255,
PCP292, adding B76 up front and BRS221, BS206 and BRS229 down the back
(all empty on their way to the wheel lathe) for 8246.
On the 11:55 SOG noted A70 and A66 at MSS with staff exchangers removed,
and modified ladders over the cavity.  State Car #4 in pass yard.
12:25 x NR89+BL30 waiting at Manor Loop with an up steel train and new
white tank wagons at the rear
GEX loco A81+X37+G534, X45, G526, S301, T379, T409, T388, T396, H4, S307
On time running with 8207, cross 8232 (B61) at WIA, arr WMB 3 early. 
X44 at WMB.
8246 docked late acc the extra shunting an departed 5 late at 17:40, but
2 ‘horses’ on 6 cars had no trouble making the up the deficit, departed
TEG 3 late, CDN 2 late, and XCO on time.  Cross 8237 (B61) at WIA, arr
GEX at 19:54, where B76 was removed (to BXT).  Arr MSS on time.  We had
been followed in from XCO by a severe thunderstorm, and passengers were
treated to a fine display of lightning!

Tues 11/11/97, 8217/46 again with B61,BZ269,BRS225,BRS224,ACZ252,CP291,
swapping the B for S302 on the up, and adding BRS221, and BS206.  Note
no powervan - BRS cars powered themselves plus the next carriage, while
BZ269 remains an axle-driven car (no HEP reqd).
On the 11:55 SOG, noted A66, PH451, FSH22 (crimson), State Car #4 in
plat 1, and A71 on the flyover.  G538 on a down ballast waiting in Manor
Loop #2 road 12:28.
GEX loco T388+T379+T409, A79, X45, A78, A73, H5, B76.
On time running on 8217, arr WMB 1 early, joining X40 and S302.
The heavy load on the up was for Warrnambool day-tour groups, I think
this was the most passengers I’ve had on one train to this point.  They
certainly enjoyed themselves - the group in the BZ spent the night
singing and dancing!  Solo S302 had no problem holding time with the 6
cars plus van, waiting time 2 mins at CDN, 3 mins XCO, arr GEX 19:53. 
Made a special stop at Yarraville to set down one group (over 70
passengers off in 2 mins, we reckon that’s a pretty fair effort!) from
20:50-20:52, arr MSS 21:05.

Wed 12/11/97, 8217/46 with S311, BS205, BRS223, BZ267, ACZ255, PCP294 on
the down, adding BZ270 and BS206 for the up (acc. day tour passengers).
On the 11:55 noted PCP292 in the pass yard (to wheel lathe).  We had the
West end door on the A side of the ACN broken by a rock thrown by
vandals at Laverton Jcn.
GEX loco T388+T379+T407, A73+S301+X37, G515+A81, H4+X47
On time running 8217, arr WMB 4 early.
S311’s turn to flex it’s muscles with 6 cars on the up, it matched the
performance of S302 by arriving CDN 2 early, (where we loaded a group of
45 pax, hence dep 1 late at 18:24), then we lost approx 7 mins waiting
for 8237 at WIA, stopped SOG 20:00-02 to set down the group ex-CDN,
departing GEX 7 late, but arr MSS just 2 late at 21:06.

Thurs 13/11/97, 8217/46 with S302, BZ269, BRS225, BRS224, ACZ252, CP291,
adding BRS229 on the up.
GEX loco X45, T388+T379+T409, B76, A78, G532, X47+H5
8217 dep GEX on time, lost 5 mins at WIA waiting for 8232, steadily made
up the time an arr WMB on time, joining X40 and S300.
8246 dep WMB 1 late (crew waiting for train order), ran to time,
crossing 8237 (B61) at WIA, and arr MSS 2 early.

Fri 14/11/97, more of the same with S300, BZ270, BRS223, BZ267, ACZ255,
PCP294
GEX loco T388, X37, G528+G534, H4, G515, A81
8217 dep GEX 2 late, cross 8232 (B61) at WIA, lost a couple of mins at
Birregurra (looking for another passenger to get off.....who had decided
to extend journey to XCO!), arr WMB 4 late, joining A71 and S302.
8246 ran on-time, cross 8237 (B61) at WIA, arr MSS 2 late after slow
running in from Footscray.

Sat 15/11, run 8207 MSS-GEX with S311, BZ270, BRS223, BZ267, ACZ252,
PCP294
Dep 1 late (more late passengers), arr GEX 9:40. 

Sun 16/11/97, run 8237 MSS-GEX with B61, BRS225, BZ269, BRS229, BRS224,
ACZ252, CP291.  On time running, wait time 2 mins at WRB, arr GEX 1
early 19:48.

Mon 24/11 HO - no I haven’t skipped a week, was off sick/booked off for
all of the week prior.
Noted the Overland had NR77, and consist included the Blue/Yellow
ex-Explorer powervan, and ARJ car “Brachina”, sitting at No. 1 box at
7:49
GEX loco G534, X45, G516.

17:00 up - N loco, spare set of cars, including ACZ259 (this car has
been fitted with the spring-loaded parking brake).  Great stuff, I find
the ACZ cars more comfortable than the ACN’s.  Noted G516 on up goods at
NOG ‘A’ Box.

Tues 25/11 - HO.
On the 7:46 SOG noted S302+B76 at GEX loco
17:00 up - back to the usual consist N loco - FN set
GEX loco G523, T388, H5+X44, T379, with G527 up goods at NOG ‘A’ box.

Thurs 27/11/97, run 8217/8246 with S300, BS206, BRS224, BZ269, ACZ252,
PCP292 on the down, swapping for S311 and adding BRS223 on the up.
12:27 noted G538+G537 up SCT in Manor Loop no. 2 road.
12:45 overtake NR97+BL27 down NR steel train.
G513 in NOG yard, GEX loco T409, H5, X47, A78, X44
Relatively unremarkable running, 8217 lost 5 mins crossing 8232 at WIA,
arr at WMB 4 late.  A71 at WMB.  
8246 on time or ahead of time until Yarraville, with slow running into
Spencer St, and arrival 1 late.  Noted the XPT was still there - it was
not available for boarding until approx 21:15

Fri 28/11/97, run 8217/8246 with B76, BRS229, BS201, BRS221, BZ267,
ACZ255, PCP294, removing BRS229 at WMB.
The 11:55 SOG pass waited at the down end of Plat 2 until 12:00 before
proceeding.  A71 on flyover.  Crossed an up NRC steel train at Werribee
Racecourse.  G528 arriving at NOG yard ex-Waurn Ponds ~12:55
GEX loco X45, G534, X46+H4, G518, G521, G532, G512
Time logs read almost the same as the previous day - 8217 lost 5 mins
crossing 8232 (S300) at WIA, arr WMB 3 late.  Some variety at WMB - A81
on the goods, S311 also present, the unusual working was A78 stabled on
a ballast train.  8246 wait time TEG (2 mins), CDN (2 mins), XCO (3
mins), checked by sigs approaching Spencer St, arr 2 late at 21:06.

Sat 29/11/97, run 8207 MSS-GEX with B76, BS201, BRS221, BZ267, ACZ255,
PCP294.  Another Saturday ‘carbon copy’ run, depart on time, checked by
sparks at Laverton Jcn, then stop outside GEX loco 9:35-9:37 (where one
could see H5+X47, A71, G512, G521), arr GEX 9:39.

Sun 30/11/97, run 8237 MSS-GEX, with S300, BRS223, BS206, BRS224, BZ269,
ACZ252, PCP292.  To conclude what was a consistent month timekeeping
wise, we again departed on time, wait 2 mins WRB, arr GEX 19:49.  Return
on 20:30 up Sprinter, noted Sprinter 7021+another, N460, A71, G512,
X47+H? at GEX loco.

Cheers,
Craig. (a.k.a. Computagunzel)

-- 
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/