Gunzelgram, August 1997

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

Gunzelgram August 1997

all work at Head Office, with travel per 7:46 Sth Geelong pass (N loco -
FSH set, dep MSS P7, arr GEX P3) and 17:00
pass ex GEX (N loco - FN set, arr MSS P2) unless otherwise noted

Monday 4/8/97, Head Office
17:00 up
GEX loco H4, G521
Noted A81+T408 on an up goods behind Nth Melbourne

Friday 8/8/97 - travel per 11:55 pass to GEX (N loco - N set), then work
8217/46 GEX-WMB-
MSS with B76, BZ267, BRS221, BRS224, ACZ255, CP291
A71 sitting on the flyover at 11:58
Overtook N469 running light engine towards Sth Kensington at 12:00
Y152 was shunting sleeper wagons behind Newport
GEX loco H5, T392, G512+515
On 8217, we got away from GEX 2 late, lost time at Winchelsea(8232 arr
at 14:08 with S300,
sched 14:01), hence we were 7 late out of XCO, 6 down at CDN and TEG,
making WMB 3
late.  X37 on the goods at WMB.
8246 made up time at most locations, arriving at GEX 3 early at 19:54,
but slow running from
Werribee to Laverton Jcn resulted in arrival at MSS 2 late at 21:06. 
Noted A60 shunting at Shell Corio at 20:09.

Sat 9/8/97 - run 8207 MSS-GEX with B76,BZ267,BRS221,BRS224,ACZ255,CP291
Departed on-time, slow running through Laverton Jcn, but clear run into
Geelong (unusual - perhaps the up V/Line pass departed P3?), arr 3 early
at 9:38.
I returned to MSS on 8232, noting G512, H5, A70 and A62 at GEX loco.
At MSS, BS216, BCZ254, BZ268 were coupled to the West End of an N set at
16:30.
And on the final leg of the home journey, noted that a baulk has been
placed on the siding at
Victoria Park, so only 1 six-car set can be stabled in this siding - a
set can no longer stand on
the Eastern Freeway bridge.

Sun 10/8/97 - work 8237 MSS-GEX, with S300,
BRS229,BZ270,BRS223,BS206,ACZ252,PCP294.
I was really flat out this night - whenever Essendon play Geelong at the
MCG, our train is
packed, and this night was no exception.  On night's like this it's
generally not a good idea to
mention that I'm an Essendon supporter.......In any case, the run was
not particularly good,
but when you're as busy as I was you don't notice what's holding you up
- you appreciate the
extra time to get all those tickets clipped!  We arrived at Geelong 8
late at 19:57.
The usual single Sprinter on the 20:30 up was replaced by P-FSH-FSH-P,
being a return
working of an earlier football special.  The journey took 10 mins longer
than usual, arriving at
MSS P1 at 21:40 (usually P6 at 21:30).

Wednesday 13/8/97 - worked at our Operations Office at GEX station,
commuting by car.
Interesting observations:
up OL with CLP 13 near Laverton at 7:40
N471 - FN19 arriving at GEX at 8:19 (20 mins late)
A70 heading for Waurn Ponds at 10:48, returning at 12:14....and don't
you know when
there's an A emerging from the tunnel, the dynamic brake is really
screaming and rattles the
windows!
N462 with the cab 'selectively clean', a patch of dirt left at one end
with "Heavy Henry"
written in it!
N17 had ACN51, BRN49, BN4, with BS216, BCZ245, BZ266 attached.
The 'spare' set arrived in P2 at 17:56, with BCZ251, BCZ258, BZ268,
BS219, BS218,
ACZ259 (the only Crimson vehicle in the set), hauled in by N463

Thursday 14/8/97 - travel per 10:55 Sth Geelong (2 Sprinters), then work
8217/46, with S302,
BRS225,BRS229,BRS224,ACZ255,CP291 on the down, and PCP292, ACZ255,
BZ267,
BRS229, BRS225.
Got a nice old surprise near Aircraft - there was work being done on the
platform, and hence
dets in place.  No sooner than we'd spotted the flagman, our driver gets
on the PA "Ladies
and Gentlemen, we are about to..." BANG BANG BANG!....leaving many
passengers
somewhat worse for wear!
x up NR steel train with NR81+BL (AN colours)+C near Little River at
11:30
Tamping in progress on the West line - the tamper itself was on the
bridge at the down end
of Lara.  Fortunately for the passengers, the second detonator layer was
standing some
distance in front of his "Audible Warning Devices", allowing the driver
to fit in the whole
announcement, and passengers to cover their ears accordingly!  Dets are
VERY loud in
Sprinters - you also see many drivers protect their hearing by covering
their ears when
running over them.
x up SCT train with G541+G537 powering uphill behind the Ford factory at
11:50.
H5 shunting in NOG yard
GEX loco G531, X33 and T388

8217 got away 4 late at 13:33 - our driver may have been trying too hard
to make up the
time, because we overshot Winchelsea, leaving just the ACZ and CP in the
platform.  After
setting back into the platform, then crossing 8232, we were a bit late,
but made WMB 2 early
at 15:48

After quite a bit of shunting at WMB (A79 was on the goods, B61 laying
over), we departed
8246 with an altered consist on time, and after an excellent cross at
WIA, we made GEX 5
early.  Departed on time, and arrived at MSS 5 early at 20:59. 
Something of an unusual sight
at MSS was T379 running around VHGY wagons in Platform 2 at 21:01 -
apparently it had
run around 15 or so in P7 before we arrived there.  I think it was this
night that I noticed East
Tower appeared to be leaning backwards!  In subsequent days, it was
fully demolished.

You'll have noticed some consist's running without PCP's, due to PCP292
being at BXT for
repairs.  Our carriage maintenance guru's at WMB modified BRS221 and
BRS224 so that
their D/A units could power one additional carriage in the absence of a
powervan.  BRS224
was also turned, as the power supply could be taken from one end of the
vehicle only.

Friday 15/8/97 - work as per Thurs, with B76, BZ270, BRS223, BS206,
ACZ252, PCP294
The West Line tamper had reached about halfway between Lara and Little
River
x up Patricks train at North Shore with CLF2+CLF?? at 11:50
GEX loco H5, T388

8217 got away 5 late (delayed through the suburbs, and by the above
tamping work), we had
a slow run across the Barwon River Bridge - there appeared to be some
earthworks going on
at the down end of the bridge.  As a result, we were late out of WIA,
and had a further delay
at CDN, with the local Policeman checking the train for some local
shoplifters (who had not
boarded).  Resultant arrival at WMB was 10 late at 16:00.  X41 was on
the goods, with S302
laying over.

8246 departed 6 late at 17:41, acc repairs to the ACZ.  B76 put in a
good performance,
departure deficit's were TEG - 7 late, CDN - 6 late, XCO 4 late, WIA 4
late, and a good cross
and clear run into GEX saw arrival on time at 19:57.  While clipping
tickets, I was surprised to
find a passenger standing looking out an external door (there were
plenty of seats).  When I
asked why he was standing, he pointed to the spectacular orange
sunset...I suggested he
take a look out the rear door on the last carriage - the view out there
in the evening is like
something out of a postcard on a clear night.  He agreed, and was was
joined there by a
couple of his companions!  Further good running north of GEX allowed
arrival at MSS 1 early
at 21:03.  Noted P20+H5 both long end leading heading for Flinders St on
what may have
been the Lyndhurst Cement working.

Monday 18/8/97, run 8207 MSS-GEX with
B76+S311,BZ270,BRS223,BS206,ACZ252,PCP294
Hmmm, not sure what I came home on (must have slept well though!)

Tuesday 19/8/97, Head Office
GEX loco T392, G531
17:00 up
GEX loco G528, 3 x S
T392 standing behind Nth Melbourne with an up goods.  East Tower was
fully demolished by
this date

Wednesday 20/8/97, Head Office
Apparently there was a shunting crash in the pass yard on this day,
damaging a BCZ and
PCJ.
Noted the spare set had ACZ259-BS218-BS219-BZ268-BCZ258-BCZ253
FN12 has three orange N cars, and crimson BZN274
GEX loco T392+T390, G515, A71, 2 x G

17:00 up
GEX loco G531, 2 x T, 3 x S
T390 standing behind Nth Melbourne on an up goods
X41 hauled briquettes from Gippsland around MSS at 18:20

Thursday 21/8/97 - travel per 11:55, then run 8217/46, with
B61,BZ270,BRS223,BS206,ACZ252,PCP294 on the down, with BS201 added to
rear of the
up.
A78 was outbound on the Flyover at 11:58
x up SCT with G535+G??? departing Manor Loop at 12:29
x up steel with ??? + BL at North Shore 12:45
GEX loco X44, T392, A62, T390, G531
Tamper in the West line between Werribee and Manor Loop.

Uneventful run to WMB, late departure from GEX acc trackwork, arrive WMB
7 late.  A73 and
S300 were at WMB.  On the up I was very busy with 'Whales' tours
passengers.  We had a
slight delay at Winchelsea acc late running of the down, arriving at MSS
just the 1 late at
21:05.

Saturday 23/8/97, run 8207 MSS-GEX with S311,
BRS224,BRS225,BZ267,ACZ255,PCP292.
As usual, 8207 was held outside GEX loco to await access to platform one
(why not depart the up local from P3??)

Returned home on our train 8232, noting:
X 31 shunting the sand train at Spotswood at 15:55
X39+X40+A66 on the down Maryvale, passed around MSS at 16:20
My first Conductors log book ran out on this day!

Sunday 24/8/97, run 8237 MSS-GEX with
S300,BS206,BS201,BRS223,BZ270,ACZ252,PCP294
Busy (as always on this train), but uneventful run, arrive GEX at 19:50
Returned home on the 20:30, ever-reliable Sprinter 7022 doing the
honours as usual.
G543 running L.E. on the Sunshine lines through Footscray at 21:20

Monday 25/8/97, per 11:55, run 8217/46, with
B76,BRS223,BZ270,ACZ252,PCP294
Noted an NR loco running light engine towards the Bunbury St Tunnel
(from Dynon) at
12:04
GEX loco A81+T392, X31+T390, T388, G521

8217 got away from GEX on time, had to wait time at Colac (unusual), and
arrived at WMB 3
early at 15:47.  A73 and S302 at WMB
8246 was again uneventful, on-time throughout, arriving at GEX 5 early
at 19:52, and MSS 3
early at 21:01

Tuesday 26/8/97, Head Office
OL had CLP17
x up SF with NR (80?)+BL (NR colours) at Lara 8:37
GEX loco X41, H5, T379, T388

17:00 up had N468-FN1.  Departed 4 late due to a problem with the loco.
GEX loco T378, G532, T392, 3 x S
Overtook an up NR train with NR81+BL31 (AN colours) - steel (including
rails) - containers -
more steel.  We arrived at Spencer St 5 late at 18:07

Wednesday 27/8/97, 8217/46, with B61,BRS223,BZ270,ACZ252,PCP294.
x up SG steel train near Laverton 11:17
x up light engine, either a G or N class, near Hoppers Crossing at 11:22
x to West line at down end of Werribee, crossing the Tamper in the East
line adjacent to
Manor Loop.
x back to East line at up end of Little River.
GEX loco X44+T388, G543, T378

8217 dep GEX 7 late acc tracwork, we made up time throughout, arriving 3
late at WMB.
X42 and B76 at WMB.
8246 was it's usual uneventful self, arriving GEX 4 early at 19:53, and
MSS 3 early at 21:01.
While waiting time at GEX, H5+N453 powered through heading for Waurn
Ponds at 19:55

Friday 29/8/97, 8217/46
Noted PCJ 492 in traffic - hence PCJ491 must have been involved in the
pass yard collision.
x to run through Werribee platform 2 (the centre of the 3 roads)
x back to East line at up end of Little River
GEX loco G514+512, A81+T392, G511, H5

At GEX we witnessed one of the great things about rail that doesn't
change.  Driver Bill
Kovacs retired on this day, his last run being on 8217 MSS-GEX, with B76
suitably attired
with a special headboard to mark the occasion.  As 8217 approached GEX,
many, many
"audible warning devices" were exploded between A Box and the platform
in a traditional
railway farewell.  The headboard read "Farewell Bill Kovacs. Retiring
29/8/97.  45 Years
Service.  States No. 1 Driver".

8217 departed GEX 10 late acc trackwork, and made up most of the
defecit, arriving at WMB
at 15:53.  8246 had a good run to Sth Geelong, where we were checked due
to a local being
stabled at 19:54, arriving at Geelong at 19:56 (still 1 early).  Reached
MSS 1 early at 21:03.

Sunday 31/8/97, run 8237 MSS-GEX, with
B61,BZ267,BRS224,BRS225,BZ269,ACZ255,PCP292.  It's always nice to have 2
BZ's on
these trains - the extra capacity is always handy.  Uneventful run.
Returned home on the 20:30 - as always, 7022!

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/