Re: Safeworking!

[Barry Campbell <barryC@qimr.edu.au>]

David Langley wrote:
> 
> Grahame Ferguson wrote:
> 
> > Electric Staff was discontunued in 1953 on the TAR.  It was also used
> > between Parkes and Broken Hill.
> 
> TAR yes, Goobang Jcn to BHill I think not, fairly sure it was always OTS. The
> colour light signalling between Parkeston and West Kalgoorlie has been
> abolished very recently in favour of TOs.
> 

Thanks for jogging my memory re ES on the TAR. (Also thanks to Eddie for
his e-mail) The ES instruments used on the TAR were different to the
battery operated setups used in other places. IIRC it was necessary to
wind a handle of the type used on a manual phone to operate the
instruments. 

As far as Goobang - BH goes, my old Western Division Local Appendix is
unfortunately still packed (I will never move again) but ISTR that ES
went to Ivanhoe for certain but I am not sure whether it went right
through. ES was quite common on many branch lines when the number of
trains was greater.

According to some of the "old timers" I worked with on the BH line in
the seventies, the ES instruments were earth return type instruments
which were earthed by plates stuck in the ground. Instructions were
issued to gangers that fettling staff were to water them regularly in
this dry region. As all fettling staff were male in those days they were
conveniently issued with the appropriate equipment.


Barry Campbell