9170 Ballarat - Melbourne Yard Goods

Number 9170 Ballarat - Melbourne Yard Goods departed Ballarat each night at 2000 hours.  Tonight teacup B69 is in charge, and backs onto the train in Ballarat yard at 1945. 

B69 reverses onto 9170 Ballarat - Melbourne Yard Goods in Ballarat Yard

Yard pilot W243 has been assembling the train over the last hour, combining wagons that have arrived at the yard during the day on the pilots that service the industries around Ballarat.

W243 shunts VFNX and VOBX out of the Ballarat Goods Shed with the Freight Centre loading. In the dock are flat wagons that arrived earlier with the Redan pilot.

Behind the loco are 2 louvre vans which are full of palletized bagged kaolin or white clay which has originated from the siding at Pittong on the Skipton line. These wagons had arrived at Ballarat that afternoon on the 292 Skipton- Ballarat Goods. 

W243 shunts the lourve vans with kaolin from Pittong past T359 and into the no.4 Road at Ballarat station. B81 is awaiting departure time with the 8150 Ballarat - Melbourne pass. T359 has recently arrived from Geelong with a block empty grain working.

Behind the Pittong Kaolin loading is a VFLX with shipping containers from Whites Flour Mill at Wendouree which were picked up by the afternoon Redan pilot. 

Next are a AQBY and 2 x KMQs with shipping containers loaded at Bendix Mintex factory on the Redan / Ballarat Cattleyards Branchline. Bendix Mintex makes braking components for vehicles which are shipped to car manufacturers in Victoria and South Australia.

W243 couples to the AQBY and 2 x KMQ with shipping containers loaded with vehicle brake parts from Bendix Mintex plant at Redan.

At the rear of the train is a VOBX and VFNX with freight centre loading from the Ballarat Goods Shed and an empty VOAA which had brought briquettes from Morwell to Doveton Street sidings. 

W243 struggles to pull the assembled train into the Arrival/Departure sidings.

The load with test B69 as it tackles the 1 in 52 grade up Warrenheip Bank. 

B69 departs Ballarat with 9170 Ballarat - Melbourne Yard Goods. in the adjoining arrival and departure sidings are an empty block grain working and a late running Y170 on 383 Ballarat - Ararat Roadside Goods.

The goods will have a slow trip to Melbourne via the straight. It will meet 9147 Melbourne - Adelaide Express Goods at Warrenheip, cross 8145 Ballarat pass at Bungaree, and cross 9151 Melbourne - Adelaide Express Goods, 8141 Overland, 8143 Vinelander at Gordon. It will arrive Ballan 3 hours and 18 minutes after leaving Ballarat. It will wait in the loop for over half and hour for a cross with 9149 Melbourne - Adelaide Express Goods.

B69 begins the climb up Warrenheip bank as it passes Ballarat East locomotive Depot.

9170 is about to pass beneath the Queen Street Bridge.

B69 will have two more crosses on the straight, meeting 9155 Melbourne - Mildura Fast Goods at Parwan and 9101 Melbourne - Ballarat Fast Goods at Melton. Its scheduled to finally reach Melbourne yard at 2:15am, taking 6 hours 15 minutes for the 120 km run from Ballarat.