Re: R711 trip to St. Arnaud on 4th July

[Allan Leslie Capuano <saintel@ruralnet.net.au>]

Roderick Smith wrote:

> R711 performed well, but the tour ran late for a variety of reasons:
> * late start after one carriage had to be replaced.
> * overtime watering (various places).
> * significant delays waiting for manual train orders at several stations,
> as section-authority working was not working.
> * turning at St Arnaud before watering, so the imbalanced turntable jammed
> (a predictable problem - it has happened there before, and at Mildura).

### A number of R class Loco's have been turned on the St.Arnaud turntable
since its re-commissioning on 19 November 1994.   All of these turns were made
with a balanced loco, all turn OK.  The turning of the R class on Monday 26
April 1999 was done with an unbalanced Loco, the turntable dug into the ground
approx two thirds of the way of the turn. The turntable was turned the opposite
way and functioned OK.  Since that turn, the ground were it founded has been
removed so if an unbalanced loco is turned it will not flounder [this was
proven when R711 was turned on Sunday 4th. July].
Sunday 4th. July R711 was not balanced before going onto the Turntable , hence
problems. When the turntable was turned in the opposite direction, the turn was
completed OK.
The St.Arnaud Turntable Preservation Society is struggling against huge odds to
preserve and retimber the Turntable, we have a buy a sleeper campaign going to
off set the cost to re-timber it and keep it as close to original as possible.
Anyone who wishes to contribute to this worthy cause may do so as follows -

St.Arnaud Turntable Preservation Society
P.O. Box 228
Saint Arnaud 3478

Sleepers : are any value above $10 ie.  10, 20 25 50 100

Regards to all,

Allan Capuano
Secretary

>
>
> Time was saved by deleting the one photostop when the sun was shining, and
> eliminating the stop at Creswick to allow those who had boarded there to
> alight (they went home by taxi from Ballarat).  Water was not taken at
> Ballarat on the up journey, in a fruitless attempt to get to North Geelong
> before the down Overland; the special was held at Gheringhap.  For the
> first time in many years, the train got back so late that it missed the
> last suburban trains.  Despite the governments promise of a common weekend
> timetable, this has not been done.  Last trains on Sunday leave at 23.30
> (0.00 Mon.-Sat.).
>
> aus.rail poster Craig Haber was the conductor on the tour.  He invited all
> posters to make themselves known, and I was able to to this (briefly -
> Craig was rushed busy for most of the day).
>
> I looked for the Sosmobile during the ascent of Ingliston bank, but did not
> see it.
>
> --
> Regards
> Roderick Smith
> Rail News Victoria Editor