Gunzelgram December 1997

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

G'day

December 1997 Gunzelgram

Mon 1/12/97
06:54 spark ex-Rosanna cancelled (acc. compressor failure on set at
Hurstbridge).  Travel to
GEX on 8207.
Home on 17:40 up ex GEX N loco - ACZ-BS-BS-BCZ-BCZ, noted GEX loco X47,
T379+T388+T409+H5
G512 on up goods at NOG 'A' box.

Tues 2/12/97 - per 11:55 SOG, run 8217/46 with
S311,BZ267,BS201,BRS221,ACZ255,PCP294 on the down and
S300,PCP294,ACZ255,BRS221,BS201,BS207 on the up.
No Met trains this day, acc. industrial action.
On the 11:55 SOG, noted the 4D in the Spencer St pass yard (are CMD
maintaining this
set?).
Stop at WRB 12:22 (usually express), 1 x 3 car and 1 x 6 car Comeng
set's stabled in plat 1,
acc industrial action
GEX loco G523, G514+G513, T400, X45, G516, T379
No Met trains meant 8217 had a great run ex-MSS, it made GEX in 47 mins,
so I had to wait
7 mins to depart on time, crossed 8232 at WIA (B76), then slow running
to Birregurra (acc.
trackwork), dep XCO 13 late, and arr WMB 10 late.  A81 at WMB.
8246 ran to time throughout, cross 8237 at WIA (B76), 6 mins at GEX
(wait time), noted
NR90+BL30 on a down SG train at Lara (20:15-16), then 3 G's on the down
SCT near WRB
at 20:26.  Arr MSS 21:03.

Wed 3/12/97
6:54 ex-Rosanna cancelled (again), so travel to GEX on 8207, noted GEX
loco S301,
S302+B61

17:40 up - N loco - S/Z cars.    Noted GEX loco B61, G514, P20+X47. 
G513 on up goods at
NOG 'A' box.
Some of the 'dummy' AFC barriers at Spencer St had been replaced by
'real' barriers.  More
were installed through the week.

Thurs 4/12/97, per 11:55 SOG, run 8217/46 with
B61,BS201,BRS221,BS207,ACZ255,PCP294.
On the 11:55, noted GEX loco G523, G512, G534, G515, A78, G527, G514,
G528, X45, H4
8217 dep GEX 3 late, cross 8232 at WIA (S302), arr WMB 2 late.  A77 and
S311 at WMB.
8246 ran to time, cross 8237 at WIA (S302), 5 mins wait time at GEX, arr
MSS 3 early.

Mon 8/12/97, run 8207 MSS-GEX with
S300,BRS224,BZ270,BRS225,BS205,ACZ252,PCP292
Big load of passengers this morning (more like a Sunday night!), dep MSS
08:49, arr GEX
09:41
Home on the 16:25 ex GEX (N loco - FLH set), noting GEX loco G526,
T388+T409
Noted A85 (freight roster)-PH-FLH32 dn pass at Franklin St at 17:25.

Tues 9/12/97, per 11:55 SOG, run 8217/46 with
B61,BZ270,BRS225,BS205,ACZ252,PCP292
On the 11:55, noted NR97+DL48 setting back containers towards Dynon on
the SG flyover at
11:59 (i.e, they had not run around their train).
12:50 x NR90+DL38 up steel at North Shore
Noted new floodlights had been installed at NOG yard - this time steel
bracing is used!
Existing poles from frst attempt are retained.
GEX loco T388+T409, G534, G514, G513, P20, X47, G511, G515, S310 on
turntable.
8217 dep GEX 4 late, cross 8232 at WIA (S302), arr WMB 5 late.  A73 and
B76 at WMB.
8246 ran to time, cross 8237 at WIA (S300), wait 8 mins GEX, arr MSS on
time at 21:04.

Wed 10/12/97, per 11:55 SOG, run 8217/46 with
S300,BS207,BRS229,BZ267,ACZ255,PCP294
On the 11:55, noted
12:13 x CLP17+CLF7 up Patricks at NPT
GEX loco T379+T388+T409, G523, H4, X44, A78, G528, G512
8217 ran to time, cross 8232 at WIA (B76?), arr WMB on-time.
8246 ran to time, cross 8237 at WIA (B76 for sure), wait 7 mins at GEX,
a problem surfaced
at Nth Shore requiring inspection under the cars at Corio (20:09-20:12)
and Lara (20:17-
20:22), arr MSS 6 late at 21:10.  A minor fault had caused the HEP to be
lost in the BZ at Nth
Shore - no harm done, best to get the crew to check though.

Thurs 11/12/97, same again with B76,BZ270,BRS225,BS205,ACZ252,PCP292,
swapping
BZ270 for BS206 on the up.
On the 11:55, noted
12:25 x G+G up SCT near WRB Racecourse
G513 up goods ex-Waurn Ponds, arr NOT yd 12:48
GEX loco T388, G511, X47, Z81, A79, P22, S(310?)
8217 dep GEX on time, delayed at WIA waiting for 8232 (B61), departed
no. 2 road 15 late,
arr WMB 11 late.  S300, A73 at WMB
8246 ran to time, cross 8237 at WIA (B61), then delayed outside SOG
19:51-57 acc. local
pass shunting.  I believe this pass had been delayed on the down at GEX
acc. ill passenger.
8246 arr GEX 20:00, dep 20:03 (3 late), arr MSS 21:02 (2 early).

Fri 12/12/97, same again with B61, BS207,BRS229,BZ267,ACZ255,PCP294.
On the 11:55, noted:
12:39 x NR86+BL30+BL31 up steel at Lara
GEX loco T379, A78, X44, X45, H4, G528, G523, G534
8217 dep GEX on time, lose 5 mins waiting for 8232 at WIA (S300), arr
WMB 4 late. B76 and
A77 at WMB.
8246 close to time throughout, arr MSS 2 late.

Sat 13/12/97, run 8207 MSS-GEX with B61 and cars as above
Dep MSS 1 late (late passengers), slow running and a stop before WRB
(acc. sparks), arr
GEX 9:39.  Noted GEX loco S311, A79, G513, P22, X47, A73, H5, T408, T388

Sun 14/12/97, assist loading of coaches to replace 8237 MSS-GEX acc.
total occupation at
WRB for upgrading of Cherry St level crossing.  8246 terminated at GEX
(busses to MSS),
and it's loco was turned and ran 8237 ex-GEX.

Mon 15/12/97, per 11:55, run 8217/46 with
B61,BS207,BRS229,BZ267,ACZ255,PCP294,
adding BZ269 and BS201 to the west end for the up.
On the 11:55, noted GEX loco A79+X50+S300, T379+T409, G521+P22, T388, H5
8217 dep GEX 4 late (acc. delay obtaining train order), cross 8232 at
WIA (B76),  arr WMB 3
late.  A73 and S302 at WMB.
8246 dep on-time, B61 and crew did a top job with the heavy load, dep
TEG 2 mins late, ditto
CDN, ditto XCO, ditto WIA, cross 8237 (B76), only 25 mins for the
section WIA-GEX, wait 5
mins at GEX, then a slow departure acc. waiting for stick (acc. the
Waurn Ponds was in the
way, with quad T's), and arr MSS on time.

Tues 16/12/97, assist 8207 MSS-GEX, acc. loading a large group at
Footscray (special
stop).  Load B61 with 7 cars, with another large group travelling
CDN-WMB.
Return on 15:40 up (N loco - N or FN set), noted GEX loco H4, X45, G526,
G534, T379, X44,
T408, T409

Wed 17/12/97, per 11:55 SOG, run 8217/46 with
B61,BS207,BRS223,BZ267,ACZ255,PCP294, adding S302 to the front, and
BRS221, BS205
to the rear for 8246.
On the 11:55, noted A60, A62 and A70 at MSS
12:27 NR+NR up NRC SF in Manor Loop no. 2 road
12:35 CLF+CLP up Patricks near Lara (running through the NRC train at
Manor?)
GEX loco T409+T379, G513+A79, T408+S301, X47, G534
8217 dep GEX 13:33, cross 8232 at WIA (S311), arr WMB 1 late.  A73, S302
at WMB.
2 'horses' with 6 cars plus van was easy going on the up, cross 8237 at
WIA (S311), arr GEX
19:50, remove S302 (to BXT), dep GEX on-time, arr MSS on time.

Mon 22/12/97, per 9:55 SOG (2 x Sprinter), then run 8217/46 with
S311,BS207,BRS223,BZ267,ACZ255,PCP294.
On the 9:55, noted G523 in NOG yard, and at GEX loco were X45,
T408+T409+T379, A81
8217 dep GEX on time (having made MSS-GEX in 48 mins), lost time at WIA
waiting for
8232 (B76), hence XCO dep 6 late, and arr WMB 1 late.
8246 on time all the way home, cross 8237 (B76) at WIA, wait 8 mins GEX,
arr MSS 4 early.

Tues 23/12/97, per 10:55 SOG, then run 8217/46 with
S302,BS206,BRS224,BZ269,ACZ252,PCP292, returning with S311.  This
morning saw a
triple header on 8220 ex-GEX (hence I was at MSS early to take the
photo's!) of
S302+S300+B61,PCP292,BZ269,BRS224,BS206,ACZ252.  S300 was wearing the
Christmas/New Year headboard.  S's were coupled back-to-back, ACZ252 was
marshalled at
the west end acc. wheelsets replaced the previous day at WMB.  Set
remashalled prior to
forming 8217.
GEX loco T408+T409, G534+A81, X47, G515, H5, G516
8217 dep GEX 4 late, cross 8232 at WIA (B76), arr WMB 1 late.  A73 at
WMB.
8246 on time to WRB, cross 8237 at WIA (S300 - with headboard), wait
time 6 mins at GEX,
then wait outside WRB 20:31-32, then stopped at Sth Kensington, to arr
MSS 3 late.

Sat 27/12/97, run 8207 MSS-GEX with
B61,BS205,BS206,BRS221,BZ269,ACZ252,PCP292.
Very big load this morning - due to the pilgrimage of New Year's
revellers on their way down
the coast.  Hence dep MSS 1 late (late passengers), and arr GEX 9:38. 
Noted S310, A71
and S301 at GEX loco.

Sun 28/12/97, run 8237 MSS-GEX with
S311,BZ270,BS201,BRS223,BZ267,ACZ255,PCP294.  Another big load on, dep
MSS on
time 18:55, arr GEX 1 early at 19:48.

Mon 29/12/98, assist Conductor R. Evans on 8207 MSS-GEX,
B61,BS207,BRS224,BS206,BRS221,BZ269,ACZ252,PCP292.  Huge load again -
beyond
the capacity of one Conductor to get through all those tickets!  We had
it under control by
Lara, so was able to note GEX loco H5+X46+G543+G511+G516, T390, S310,
S301, A79
Return home on 16:25 pass ex GEX (N loco - H set), note GEX loco T379,
G534, G543,
G516, G515, and noted A70+A73, PH, FLH set on a down pass at Franklin St
at 17:30.

Tues 30/12/98, assist Conductor R. Evans MSS-GEX with
S302,BS205,BS207,BZ270,BS201,BRS225,BZ267,ACZ255,PCP294.  HUGE load -
over 500
passengers on board.  S302 did a super job this morning - with 7 cars
full of passengers we
made MSS-GEX in 50 mins flat (8:49-9:39), and it made WMB on time at
11:56!  She
sounded beautiful accelerating away from Newport, while I was getting
through the tickets in
the first carriage.  Later in the day, assist Conductor J. Oliver on
train 8217 GEX-WIA with
S311,BRS221,BS206,BRS224,BZ269,ACZ252,PCP292, cross over at WIA and
assist
Conductor L. Slack on 8232 WIA-MSS with a
B,PCP294,ACZ255,BZ267,BRS223,BS201,BZ270,BS207, which departed GEX 8
late, but a
terrible run behind sparks saw arrival at MSS 12 late at 15:42.

Wed 31/12/98, assist Conductor R. Evans MSS-GEX with S300 (with
headboard),
BS207,BRS225,BRS221,BS206,BRS224,BZ269,ACZ252,PCP292.  Lighter load of
passengers this morning (the Lorne concert had begun the day before,
hence the huge
load!), but it didn't help as we were held for passengers off the late
running XPT, dep MSS
8:58, losing our path behind the 8:55 V/Line pass to GEX, and slow
running to WRB (where
we overtook the 8:55) causing arrival at GEX 17 late at 9:58.  Not a
particularly good end to
the year - the day got worse for my colleagues, a big grass fire at
Corio delayed train 8237,
so 8246 continued and their cross was effected at GEX.  I returned home
on the 11:30 up
Sprinters (x 2), ran parallel with NR79+NR on an up steel North Shore -
Elders, where the
steely stopped.

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/