After enjoying a hearty Christmas lunch I went for a stroll down to Ballarat East Locomotive Depot.
Present at loco on Sunday 25th December 1983 were:
T324, T337, T364, T370, T407
W243
Y152, Y154, Y155
For the public holiday a reduced Sunday timetable was in operation. B69 was present at the loco earlier in the day, before being rostered on 8122 Melbourne pass (which subsequently forms 8115, then 8132 and 8135 services).
With the grain harvest in full swing, a large proportion of the locomotive fleet would be engaged in the movement of grain to the sub-terminals at Dunolly or Murtoa or the ports of Portland and Geelong. With a number of B and 1st series T class withdrawn for rebuilding V/Line was experiencing a severe locomotive shortage. To help overcome the shortage, V/Line hired locomotives from Australian National (GM 23, 24, 27 and 28) and Westrail (L252, 253 and 257) for the standard gauge releasing 5 3rd series X class back onto the broad gauge. In addition a number of passenger services had there schedules slowed and had T class rostered instead of the usual mainline locomotives.
Regular Ballarat pilot's Y150 and Y153 had been send up country and were rostered on yard pilot duties at Dunolly and Donald respectively. T370 which had recently been repainted in V/Line orange and grey was stabled at the fuel point. Recreation of Christmas observations recorded in Newsrail from 1983.
Present at loco on Sunday 25th December 1983 were:
T324, T337, T364, T370, T407
W243
Y152, Y154, Y155
Regular Ballarat pilot's Y150 and Y153 had been send up country and were rostered on yard pilot duties at Dunolly and Donald respectively. T370 which had recently been repainted in V/Line orange and grey was stabled at the fuel point. Recreation of Christmas observations recorded in Newsrail from 1983.
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