Overland Journey

A journey on the Overland on the 12th August 1983 was recorded in the Oct 1983 issue of Newsrail. The article provides a snapshot of the make-up of the Overland and motive power employed on the western line trains 35 years ago.

The consist leaving Adelaide was:
930-931, motorail wagon,VBPYx2, 4PCO, 4x sleepers, No.1 club car, 2x sleepers, 1AJ, 7BJ, 1RBJ, 4BJ, SCD2.

At Serviceton the 930's were exchanged for S312-S304.

The westbound Overland hauled by S309-S315 was crossed at Diapur (crossing loop to west of Nhill).

At Ballarat Y151 was used to shunt the motorail wagon and one of the VBPY wagons to the rear of the train.

Other trains crossed during the night included:

Train	Locomotives/consist	Location	Time
South Australia
847 (9146 in Vic).	962 - C505	Monteith
Up goods	950 – 953 with 53 wagons	Tailem Bend	2231(CST)
48 (9121 in Vic).	C509	Coomandrook
82 Up express goods	C510	Bordertown	0041
Up Mount Gambier Mixed	951 with 10 wagons and CD,AD,CD	Worsley	0053
Victoria
Overland (westbound)	S309 - S315	Diapur	0148 (EST)
9147	C50?	Salisbury Loop
9149	C50? – T401	Murtoa	0441
9103	X - T	Trawalla
9130	C501 with 26 wagons	Middle Footscray

The journey provides lots of information useful for modelling. Double S class were employed on both the east and westbound Overland, the most common combination in 1983, although this would shortly change with the transfer of all the standard gauge X class to broad gauge in October and then the introduction of through-running of 930's as second unit to X's in November 1983. The consist of 13 cars was about average for this period although it built up with more sitting cars and sleepers at busy times. Also interesting is the use of Australian National SCD van substituting for joint stock CO van. The transfer of only one VBPY van to the rear of the train at Ballarat produces another consist variation that could be modelled.

During the night six of the C class were passed on interstate goods (3 in SA and 3 in Victoria). On four of these goods the C class were running solo (standard arrangement until the introduction of CTC and commissioning of longer crossing loops in Victoria). The 930 leading the C between Tailem Bend and Adelaide was preferred arrangement to avoid issues with C loading up the 930 when in M.U.