Passenger train consists - 6th January 1983



At 5.19pm H4 hauls 8131 Down Bacchus Marsh pass with a consist of BPL-BPL-BPL-BPL-BCPL through West Footscray. The PL cars were restricted to short commuter runs to Bacchus Marsh, Werribee and Sunbury. Note the bend in the underframe of the 4th car. Many of the PL cars had a hunched appearance late in there lives.

On a hot summers day on the 6th January 1983, the evening procession of passenger trains through West Footscray were photographed. These provide a snapshot of the rapidly changing consists of passenger trains on Victorian Railways at the time.



At 5.24pm T396 on Down Kyneton pass, runs through West Footscray. Consist is 56BE(S)-50BE(a/c)-6AS-3BCE. These same cars would have formed the midday 8115/8142 Ballarat pass. T396 had a different application than other T's of the yellow on the short hood where it met the headlight.



Not long out of the workshops, H5 hauls the Down Sunbury pass through West Footscray at 5.29pm. This might have been the last H repainted blue and gold. Consist was BW-BPL-BCPL. Not the guard in the doorway and staff on the station platform.



At 5.42pm B67 heads the 8135 Down Ballarat pass through West Footscray. Consist is a N set (BN-BN-ACN). There were still many N sets operating with a consist of BN-BN-ACN. These were generally used on  routes where catering wasn't provided or held as a spare set. Ballarat trains rarely had a parcels van attached. Roster N12 which commenced on the 20th December 1982 introduced N sets on all trains west of Ballarat. Most Ballarat trains were also formed by N sets except for the midday 8115 (Down) / 8142 (Up) pass and the Friday evening 8145 (Down) pass. Occasionally a spare set of wooden cars would be substituted if the rostered N set was unavailable.



At 6:05pm X53-X52 run through West Footscray on the 8133 Down Dimboola pass with consist on BN-BRN-ACN. N sets had only been introduced to Dimboola services a few weeks earlier on the 17th December 1982. There was the odd occasion when wooden cars were used when the rostered set was unavailable. Two days earlier on the 4th January, S307  was on Down Dimboola pass with a consist of 70ZLP-14AS-Murray-1BG-55BES-40BW.



A VLPY and VBPY are on the rear of the train. It was quite common for Dimboola passenger trains to have 2 vans, and one of each type could often be seen during the conversion program of VBBY's to VBPY's during 1982-84. The Dimboola pass was often hauled by 2 locomotives during the 1982/83 summer although two 3rd X's was less common with X45, 46, 47, 51 and 54 on the standard gauge at that time.  The morning Up Dimboola service had been hauled by S311 and S313. 




At 6.07pm 58RM on 8137 Down Bacchus Marsh pass. runs through West Footscray. The DERM is hauling 44BW. Heavyweight passenger cars were commonly used as trailers after the dedicated DERM trailers were withdrawn in 1982.

At 6.10pm, 56RM and 33MT on Up Bacchus Marsh service. 33MT was one of three VFW cars converted for use as ailmotor trailers.




At 6.15pm B66 on 8146 Up Horsham pass runs through West Footscray, 6th January 1983



VLPY brings up the rear of the Up Horsham pass. Note original and replacement door on the VLPY.

Not photographed that evening was the Up Daylight Overland which was hauled by X49. That morning the combined Down Daylight Overland/Horsham pass had been hauled by B66 and X48.

I'll post other observations from this period once I have time to scan the photographs.