On Thursday 20th October 1983 the 1755 Down Dimboola pass was hauled by S312-X53-X33 hauling set N15 (10BN-43BRN-45ACN) with 2 VBPY vans. The S and X were back to back with the both X's facing the same way.
The 1755 Down Dimboola pass was usually assigned to single ended locomotives, S and third series X class. It was also regularly hauled by 2 locos mostly S-S or an S with a third series X, back to back. Three locos on this train was rare. By October 1983 there were 7 third series X's on broad gauge, X45, X47 and X49 (all in V/Line colours), X48, X50, X52 and X53 in blue and gold. X46, X51, X53 and X54 were on the standard guage but would soon be converted broad gauge for the coming bumper grain harvest with the arrival of hired Austrailan National GM's and Western Australia L class.
By late December 1983 and January 1984 when the harvest was in full swing and locomotives were in short supply, the Dimboola pass was only hauled by one locomotive.
I travelled on the evening Dimboola pass on a couple of occasions, usually loading my bike with panniers full of camping gear into the D van or guards section of the ACN or ACZ. I would usually camp overnight on the banks of the Wimmera River and then ride north, south or east for a couple of days before catching a train back to Melbourne from a station on the Mildura, Swan Hill or Warrnambool lines. On one trip the staff was dropped at the automatic staff exchanger at Buangor and the train had to reverse back to station to retrieve it.
Set N15 had already had it's Vicrail Tea-cup logos removed and replaced with V/Line logos. The train is seen below passing the Doveton Street sidings at 20:02 as it continues it journey to Dimboola.
The 1755 Down Dimboola pass was usually assigned to single ended locomotives, S and third series X class. It was also regularly hauled by 2 locos mostly S-S or an S with a third series X, back to back. Three locos on this train was rare. By October 1983 there were 7 third series X's on broad gauge, X45, X47 and X49 (all in V/Line colours), X48, X50, X52 and X53 in blue and gold. X46, X51, X53 and X54 were on the standard guage but would soon be converted broad gauge for the coming bumper grain harvest with the arrival of hired Austrailan National GM's and Western Australia L class.
By late December 1983 and January 1984 when the harvest was in full swing and locomotives were in short supply, the Dimboola pass was only hauled by one locomotive.
I travelled on the evening Dimboola pass on a couple of occasions, usually loading my bike with panniers full of camping gear into the D van or guards section of the ACN or ACZ. I would usually camp overnight on the banks of the Wimmera River and then ride north, south or east for a couple of days before catching a train back to Melbourne from a station on the Mildura, Swan Hill or Warrnambool lines. On one trip the staff was dropped at the automatic staff exchanger at Buangor and the train had to reverse back to station to retrieve it.
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| X53-X52 back to back lead the 1755 Dimboola pass through West Footscray on the 6th January 1983. |
Set N15 had already had it's Vicrail Tea-cup logos removed and replaced with V/Line logos. The train is seen below passing the Doveton Street sidings at 20:02 as it continues it journey to Dimboola.
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