Bye-Bye Benalla

["Rod" <comtrain@mpx.com.au>]

Tomorrow at about 1600 hours Benalla will lose its last Signal Box.
All fixed signals are now being removed.
No2 road is spiked. Non trailable point machines will be locked with ST21
miniture Master Keys.

New signs are being located all over the place.
A 5P-SW key switch is located at the up end of the platform to allow the
driver to operate the booms when he departs, another in the yard for the
goods services.
A sign on the Yarrawonga Line warns drivers not to enter the yard without
The T.C's permission.
Train Orders from Yarrawonga will allow train to enter yard, after talking
with TC, and a new train Order is to be issued for onward travel. In most
cases the loaded wheat train will be added to the rear of 9358 ex Wodonga.
This should make some intersting long trains out of here, as a new log
contract will see up to 10 Prairie wagons attached to this train at Wodonga,
and in season, we cart at least 22 Super hoppers.
Benalla is no longer a crossing station, and is unattended.
9357 Goods will arrive each week night, at about midnight, and if Yarrawonga
loading is attached it will be on the front.
Crew will operate the non trailable points to enter the yard, the loco on
the front will be removed. The second loco will,when a new order is
obtaioned, set off to Yarrawonga with the wheat hoppers off the front of the
train.
The wodonga crew will then place the Freight Containers into the Goods shed,
which will be a difficult shunt, recouple to the remainder of the train, and
proceed on to Wangaratta.
All point levers will have to be reset to the main line, to allow the Pass
access to the platform.
as some of our trains have been reaching 75 bogies long, this is going to
make life a little difficult. There again it might make things a little
dangerous as crews take short cuts to make life a little easier. After all
most men up here are in their 50's and no one wants to suffer injuries so
close to retirement.
As a matter of interest the Frame and all electricals in the box have been
sold and will be transported to Canberra to be fully refurbished and put to
good use again!
Rod