Spring Sunday's

B69 and B65 roll down grade under the Queen St Bridge and into Ballarat with the 8105 Horsham pass. Unlike weekday services, Sunday Horsham passenger trains were usually double-headed by two B class.
 

Spring Sunday's in 1983 were the quiet with only 12 trains scheduled through Ballarat. There were
only 2 interstate express goods (9135 and 9132) and no scheduled good services on the Mildura line or local pilots to industrial sidings around Ballarat. Carriage Roster N18 had been in place since August. Run 3 with an N set of ACN-BRN-BN formed the majority of Ballarat - Melbourne passenger services (8122 forms 8115, which forms 8132 and finally 8135). Run 15 again with an N set forms the only other Ballarat service (8125). On Sundays the Horsham pass was regularly rostered for two B class (there were no passenger services to Dimboola).

ime	Train No.	Train	Loco	Consist
07:05-07:25	835	Overland	X-X, S-S, X-S or X-930	Motorail-VBPY-PCO-sleepers-club-sleepers-AJ-BJ-RBJ-BJ-CO
09:00	8122	Ballarat - Melb pass	B	ACN-BN-BN
09:02	9132	Adelaide – Melb Express Goods	C, S-S or X-S	Bogie stock only
11:28	8105	Horsham pass	B-B	ACN-BRN-BN-VBPY
15:05	8115	Melb-Ballarat pass	B	ACN-BN-BN
16:55	9135	Melb-Adelaide Express Goods	C	Bogie stock only
16:45	8132	Ballarat – Melb pass	B	ACN-BN-BN
18:15	8125	Melb-Ballarat pass	B	ACN-BN-BN
18:45	8146	Horsham – Melb pass	B-B	ACN-BRN-BN-VBPY
21:10	8135	Melb-Ballarat pass	B	ACN-BN-BN
22:46		Geelong – Dunolly Grain	T-T	VHGY’s, GH’s or GY’s
22:57	8141	Overland	X-X, S-S or X-S	PCO-AJ-RBJ-BJ-BJ-Sleepers-CO-Motorail
23:27	8143	Vinelander	B-T or X-T	CE-AZ-MRS-BZ-BS-Sleepers-VMAP

Sunday operating sessions can be run in just over an hour so are good for weeknights when time is limited.  Below is a brief description of typical operating session.

It's 7:05am and S305-937 coast downgrade through North Ballarat on 835 Overland. Through running of 930's as second unit on the Overland has only recently commenced. Usually led by a third series X class, today a S has been rostered. There is no motorail or VBPY wagon today so no shunting will be required at Ballarat.
 

At 08:55am C501 crosses Doveton Street level crossing on 9132 Adelaide -Melbourne Express Goods.

C501 on 9132 rests in the no.3 road awaiting the departure of B72 in the no.1 road on 8122 Ballarat - Melbourne pass.
 

At 9:02am B72 climbs the grade out of Ballarat East with 8122 Ballarat - Melbourne pass. Consist is an N set (BN-BN-ACN) which will form 8115 and return to Ballarat in the afternoon. After 8122 clears the section Ballarat East - Warrenheip, C501 will depart continuing its journey to Melbourne. 



At 11:28am, B69 and B65 roll down grade under the Queen St Bridge and into Ballarat with the 8105 Horsham pass. Unlike weekday services, Sunday Horsham passenger trains were usually double-headed by two B class.

At 3:03pm, B72 returns on 8115 Melbourne - Ballarat pass. This is the same set that formed the morning service to Melbourne (8122). When B72 was repainted in 1981, the cowling below the anticlimber was painted yellow, the only one of its class to receive this treatment.

After arriving at Ballarat, B72 has run around the N set and waits at platform 1 to form 8132 Ballarat - Melbourne pass, scheduled to depart later that afternoon. 

With the whine of dynamic brakes, C507 runs under the Queen Street bridge at 4:32pm with an early running 9135 Melbourne - Adelaide Express Goods.

At 4:45pm, B72 departs with 8132 pass to Melbourne.
 

At 6:12pm X31 arrives at Ballarat on the 8125 pass.
 

Having run around the shunted the N set to the carriage shed, X31 is stabled in one of the turntable roads at Ballarat East Locomotive Depot.

B65 and B69 cross the junction for the Maryborough line on 8146 Horsham - Melbourne pass.

 

At 6:45pm, 8146 pass pauses at Ballarat station. Y152 is shutdown in the goods yard.

At 9:10pm B72 returns to Ballarat on the 8135 Melbourne - Ballarat pass.

 

After arriving at Ballarat, B72 runs around the cars and then shunts them to the carriage shed for stabling overnight.

B72 then runs to Ballarat East Locomotive Depot and is shut down in one of the turntable roads.

At 10:46pm T359 hauls a Geelong - Dunolly block grain of VHGY's over the MacArthur Street crossing. Extra grain workings are operating to clear the country silo's ahead of a predicted bumper wheat harvest.

At 10:57pm X48-957 rolls down grade into Ballarat on 8141 Overland.
 

At 11:31pm, B60 on 8143 Vinelander crosses MacArthur Street.