During 1983 the Dimboola pass was almost exclusive hauled by S class and third series X class. It was common practice for the same locomotive to rostered on this train on consecutive days.
Roster N12 which commenced on the 20th December 1982 introduced N sets on all trains west of Ballarat. During 1983 there was only the odd occasion when other steel cars and wooden cars were used on these trains.
The normal consist of this train was an N set with either one or two VBPY or VLPY vans. Below are observations of the Up service during January 1983 and 1984.
Observations of Up Dimboola pass January 1983
Observations of Up Dimboola pass. January 1984
The major variation between January 1983 and 1984 is that the majority of services (20) in 1983 were double headed. Due to the severe drought and its impact on the grain harvest, there would have been a surplus of locomotives. Rostering of 2 mainline locomotives would have assisted with timekeeping on the busy western line.
In January 1984 not a single service was double headed. This probably reflects the locomotive shortage that the V/Line was experiencing during the summer of 83/84 with the bumper wheat harvest. During January 1984, S312 was rostered on the Dimboola passenger on 11 occasions, with S310 and S308 both on 3 occasions. In terms of modelling, using the same consist and locomotive on a model railway is prototypical.
Roster N12 which commenced on the 20th December 1982 introduced N sets on all trains west of Ballarat. During 1983 there was only the odd occasion when other steel cars and wooden cars were used on these trains.
 |
| 10th January 1984 and S312 rolls down grade through Ballarat East on the Dimboola pass. |
The normal consist of this train was an N set with either one or two VBPY or VLPY vans. Below are observations of the Up service during January 1983 and 1984.
Observations of Up Dimboola pass January 1983
Date
|
Loco(s)
|
Consist
|
Sat 1/1
|
S309, S308
|
N set and van
|
Mon 3/1
|
X50, S310
|
N set and 2 vans
|
Tues 4/1
|
S307
|
70ZLP, 14AS,
Murray, 1BG, 55BES, 40BW
|
Wed 5/1
|
S311, B65
|
31 CE, VLPY and N
set
|
Thurs 6/1
|
S311, S313
|
N set and van
|
Fri 7/1
|
S311, S313
|
N set and 2 vans
|
Sat 8/1
|
S311
|
N set
|
Mon 10/1
|
S308
|
N set and van
|
Tues 11/1
|
S313, S311
|
N set and 2 vans
|
Wed 12/1
|
S313, S311
|
N set and 2 vans
|
Thurs 13/1
|
S313, S311
|
N set and 2 vans
|
Fri 14/1
|
S313, S311
|
N set and 2 vans
|
Sat 15/1
|
S313, S311
|
N set and van
|
Mon 17/1
|
X49
|
N set and van
|
Tues 18/1
|
S310
|
N set and 2 vans
|
Wed 19/1
|
X52, X50
|
N set and 2 vans
|
Fri 21/1
|
X52, X49
|
N set and 2 vans
|
Sat 22/1
|
X52, X49
|
No van attached
|
Mon 24/1
|
S304
|
N set and van
|
Tues 25/1
|
S309
|
N set and 2 vans
|
Wed 26/1
|
S309
|
N set and 2 vans
|
Thurs 27/1
|
S303, S309
|
N set and van
|
S303, S309
|
N set and 2 vans
|
|
Sat 29/1
|
S303, S309
|
N set and 2 vans
|
Mon 31/1
|
S304
|
N set only (no
van attached)
|
Tues 31/1
|
S308
|
N set and van
|
Observations of Up Dimboola pass. January 1984
Date
|
Loco
|
Set
|
Comments
|
Mon 2/1
|
S306
|
N3
|
|
Tues 3/1
|
S312
|
N4
|
|
Wed 4/1
|
S312
|
N1
|
|
Thurs 5/1
|
S312
|
N11
|
|
Fri 6/1
|
S312
|
?
|
|
Sat 7/1
|
S300
|
N15
|
No van attached
|
Mon 9/1
|
S312
|
N6
|
|
Tues 10/1
|
S312
|
N17
|
|
Wed 11/1
|
S312
|
N4
|
|
Thurs 12/1
|
S312
|
N16
|
|
Fri 13/1
|
S312
|
N6
|
|
Sat 14/1
|
S303
|
N12
|
No van attached
|
Mon 16/1
|
S308
|
N11
|
|
Tues 17/1
|
X50
|
N13
|
|
Wed 18/1
|
X45
|
?
|
|
Thurs 19/1
|
?
|
||
Fri 20/1
|
?
|
||
Sat 21/1
|
S300
|
N17
|
No van attached
|
Mon 23/1
|
S310
|
N10
|
|
Tues 24/1
|
S310
|
N6
|
|
Wed 25/1
|
S310
|
N4
|
|
Thurs 26/1
|
X45
|
N15
|
|
Fri 27/1
|
S312
|
N12
|
|
Sat 28/1
|
S312
|
N5
|
No van attached
|
Mon 30/1
|
S308
|
N13
|
No van attached
|
Tues 31/1
|
S308
|
N13
|
The major variation between January 1983 and 1984 is that the majority of services (20) in 1983 were double headed. Due to the severe drought and its impact on the grain harvest, there would have been a surplus of locomotives. Rostering of 2 mainline locomotives would have assisted with timekeeping on the busy western line.
In January 1984 not a single service was double headed. This probably reflects the locomotive shortage that the V/Line was experiencing during the summer of 83/84 with the bumper wheat harvest. During January 1984, S312 was rostered on the Dimboola passenger on 11 occasions, with S310 and S308 both on 3 occasions. In terms of modelling, using the same consist and locomotive on a model railway is prototypical.
 |
| It's the 11th January 1984 and S312 is again at the head of Dimboola pass. passing under the Queen St Bridge at Ballarat East. |
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