Gunzelgram April 99

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

Gunzelgram April 99

As I was on leave throughout March, there was no March gunzelgram.  I
returned from leave on April 5 (Easter Monday)

Easter Monday 5/4/99 - to GEX on 1155 pass (N loco - FSH set), then run
8217/46 with S300, BZ269, BRS222, BZ270, ACZ255, PCP292.  On the 1155,
noted 8171 at CRT Sdg, and GEX loco G525, T374, X39, X36, G515, Y169,
A79, H5, T371, X44.  8217 dep GEX on time, cross 8232 at WIA (B76),
arrive WMB 1 early.  Quick turnaround, S300 off, B61 on, dep WMB 2" late
acc. late pax, arrive MSS 2" early.

Wed 7/4/99 - to GEX on 1155 pass (N loco - FN set acc. defective
Sprinters, dep MSS 19" late, and terminated at GEX), then run 8217/46
with B61, BZ267, BZ269, BRS222, BZ270, ACZ252, PCP292, (all three WCR
BZ’s on one train - the first instance I can recall of this happening)
detaching BZ267 at WMB.  On the 1155, noted A79+A81+X34 on the Nth Melb
flyover, GEX loco Y121, H4, H5, G527, X53, X37.  8217 dep GEX 1 late,
cross 8232 at WIA (B76), arrive WMB 6 late.  8246 dep WMB on time, cross
8237 at WIA (B76), arrive MSS 2 late.

Thurs 8/4/99 - home on 1700 up pass (N loco - FN set), GEX loco H4, H5,
Y115, T379, Y121, X34, G513.

Mon 12/4/99 - Geelong Operations Office.  Waurn Ponds G526

Tues 13/4/99 - Geelong Operations Office - an interesting place to be!
Keep in mind a ballast train ex-WMB was steadily making its way towards
Geelong, behind X50+Txxx.  Early in the morning, the 0654 down pass
(8203) failed and hence was unable to form the 0830 up.  As a result,
8220 (0635 ex WMB) was routed in Geelong platform 3 and took on very
many passengers (departing at 0854), as 8203 arrived in Platform 1
around 0850, and the 0746 down (8205) arriving into platform 2 just
moments later.  8205 continued to Sth Geelong as timetabled, 8203 ran
around and departed Geelong at approx 0920.  The down Waurn Ponds passed
Geelong at 1059 with G514.  It failed on the down side of Sth Geelong.
At 1220, T409+H4+H5 went through light engines to rescue, returning with
G514 still on the west end of the train, arriving in GEX no. 4 road at
1254.  In the meantime, the aforementioned ballast arrived at Winchelsea
at 1240, and was placed in no. 3 road.  At GEX, defective G514 limped to
the loco (via no. 2 road), the relief loco’s ran around (via no. 3
road), then waited while passes 8217 and 8232 cleared (running on time),
then the Waurn Ponds finally departed at 1440, with the loco’s returning
light engines at 1600.  And the ballast?  It remained at Winchelsea all
day with loco’s idling, 8237/8246 ran through that evening (so 2
triple-crosses at WIA in one day!), and was finally collected by the
following morning’s 9220 up goods.  V/Line didn’t have a good day - 9137
was still sitting at Nth Geelong ‘C’ box at 1730 (X+X+B61), and the pass
pilot loco Y161 was derailed near the carwash later that night, due to a
rock jamming in points.

Wed 14/4/99 - to GEX on 1155 Sprinters, then run 8217/46 with A81,
CP291, BS206, BRS221, BS207, ACZ257, PCP294, detaching the CP at WMB.
While waiting for the 1155, at 1136 BL34+BL29+BL30 made a fine sight on
the down Long Island.  On the 1155, cross CLF4+CLP14-up goods stationary
in Manor Loop No. 1 road, later at Lara overtook NR89+NR11-down empty
steel.  GEX loco G516, X50, Y169, X53, X37, T409, H5, H4.  G525 ran
through GEX on the up Waurn Ponds at 1303.  8217 dep GEX 1 late, cross
8232 at WIA (B76), arrive WMB 1 early.  On time running on the up, cross
8237 at WIA (B76), wait time 7 mins GEX, arrive MSS 2 early.
T396+A71-down Maryvale ran through MSS at 2113.

Thurs 15/4/99 - Geelong Operations Office.  Waurn Ponds G523.  Up
ballast train from WMB run by A85+Txxx.

Sun 18/4/99 - to GEX on 1730 pass (N loco - FLH set), run 8246 to MSS
with B61, CP291, ACZ252, BRS224, BRS225, BS205, BRS223.  8246 dep GEX 2
late, at WRB used platform 2, then crossed to east line, slowed past
works on the Skeleton Creek bridge (re-decking of west line bridge),
cross to up line at Newport Sth, arrive MSS 5 late.

Mon 19/4/99 - to GEX on 1155 Sprinters, run 8217/46 with B61, CP291,
BS212, BRS229, BZ269, ACZ255, PCP292, detaching the CP at WMB.  On the
1155, noted 8175 at CRT Sdg, crossed NR88+NR15-up steel at Nth Shore
1248, GEX loco G524, G525, H5, H4, G515, X52, X53, X36, T371.  8217 dep
GEX 1 late, cross 8232 at WIA (S302), arrive WMB 7 late.  A77, B76, T369
at WMB.  8246 ran to time, cross 8237 at WIA (S302), wait time 7 mins
GEX, arrive MSS on time.

Tues 20/4/99 - to GEX on 1155 Sprinters, run 8217/46 with S300, BRS224,
BS206, BRS221, BZ267, ACZ257, PCP294.  On the 1155, noted 8178 at CRT
Sdg, cross A81-up wheatie at Aircraft 1217, cross NR97+NR28-up steel at
WRB 1222, cross X50+X39-up Waurn Ponds Nth Geelong 1244.  GEX loco G512,
X34, X53, H4, H5, G524.  8217 dep GEX 3 late, cross 8232 at WIA (B76),
cross 9212 up ballast at CDN (X52+P20), arrive WMB on time.  B61, T369,
A79 at WMB.  8246 dep WMB on time, 6 min stop at CDN (new train order),
cross 8237 at WIA (B76), stop to set down group at Sth Geelong
(1957-58), arrive MSS 3 late.

Cheers,
Craig.
--
Craig Haber
albatross@harnessnet.com.au
http://www.harnessnet.com.au
The early bird catches the worm - but the second mouse gets the cheese!