Re: Two great trips: PBR & ARHS EE (Vic. Aus.)

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

G'day,

Roderick Smith wrote:

> From Melbourne Spencer St, the train ran over the flyover to North
> Melbourne, backed up on the goods lines, then ran forward to the canal zone
> of Melbourne Yard, then backed onto the Appleton Dock line.

acc. couldn't do a runaround coz the Patricks (or Tolls?) train was there.

> From there it
> ran out via the canal zone, with a photostop adjacent to National Rail's
> recently returned-to-service C505, and via the goods lines to Sunshine,

with an unscheduled photostop at Totty Yard, acc. running ahead of time

> then to Boral siding at Deer Park West.

running along the north line, spotting a fire near the junction and summoning
the fire brigade, noted in attendance shortly afterwards.

> Before the special left, a train
> with two A-class locos arrived to load ballast.

Can you do a "cross" on a siding (coz that's what we did)?  Loco's were
A79+71.  The cows are obviously used to rail traffic, and stayed well away from
the line.

> The train ran via Sunshine

back in along the south line, stopping for more photo's near the silo's, acc a
WLC was anticipated at Brooklyn.

> and the freight link to Newport, waiting at Brooklyn for a westbound
> Patrick Stevedoring freight to precede.

Led by Great Northern's (GM) 22+CLP(?)12+CLF(?)8.  We ran down the dual-guage
(east) line.

> The train ran into Newport
> Workshops, with time to inspect the preservation groups' depot there (in
> the historic brick part of the workshops).  707O's Y class loco helped
> shunt the train.

On arrival in the workshops the F detached and ran to a sdg for servicing, the
Y pulled the train into the garden platform (which has no runaround), the F
returned to the other end to resume running.

> From there, the train ran back via Brooklyn

on the BG (west) line.  I thought passes weren't allowed on this line......

> (crossing
> another westbound mainline freight)

Prior to the cross we were 'run through' by NR light loco's ex-Spotswood, which
crossed the down goods 9823 (NR+NR) at Totty Loop.

> to Melbourne yard to reverse

Where the 2 A's ex-Boral and their ballast train were stabled.

Returned from Maribyrnong River to Spencer Street on the pass lines.

To complete the day, the F relived days past by shunting the pass yard (the
shunter was old enough to recall shunting with these locos....), it placed
BRS225 and BK714 in the yard, and hauled BK711 and BK700 to Newport empty cars.

And in the course of the day all vehicles were turned (so we'll have to turn
'em all back again when we get time at Warrnambool).  Never mind, if 225 gets a
run as buffet then the catering staff will finally see the scenery on the
*other* side of the line!

I think the loco crew may have used more film than most of the passengers
combined :)  Good luck to them, they did a great job.

Cheers,
CH.
--
Craig Haber
albatross@harnessnet.com.au
http://www.harnessnet.com.au/ch/
Proofread carefully to see if you any words out