Christmas Day 1983

 

Early Christmas morning 1983, W243, Y152, Y154 and Y155 rest around the turntable at Ballarat East locomotive depot. In the background are T407, B69, T324, T364 and T370. 

For the Christmas Day public holiday in 1983 a reduced Sunday timetable was in operation. Present at loco on Sunday 25th December 1983 were:

B69, T324, T337, T364, T370, T407, W243, Y152, Y154, Y155

Below is a brief description of the passenger trains through Ballarat on Christmas Day.

At 0705 X48 and 934 slowly cross Lydiard Street with the Up Overland.

After a 20 minute stop, X48 and 934 depart Ballarat at 0725 for Melbourne. The N set in the carriage shed will form Ballarat passenger trains for the day. A number of wooden cars are stored in the shed awaiting a decision on their future. 

At 0900, B69 departs Ballarat on 8122 pass. B69 will return to Ballarat in the afternoon on 8115 pass.

At 0705 X48 and 934 slowly cross Lydiard Street with Up Overland. After a 20 minute scheduled stop, the Overland will depart Ballarat for Melbourne.

At 0900 B69 departed on the 8122 Melbourne pass (which subsequently forms 8115, then 8132 and 8135 Ballarat services). As is usual for a Sunday, the Horsham pass was doubled headed with two B class, B72 and B61 in charge of the 8105 Down and 8146 Up pass. At 1815, X32 freshly repainted in V/Line colours arrived at Ballarat with 8125 Melbourne - Ballarat pass. The X shunted the cars to the carriage shed and then ran to the Ballarat East Locomotive depot for stabling at the fuel point. At 1845 B61 and B72 arrive back at Ballarat with the down Horsham pass. After a 5 minute stop the B's will tackle the 1 in 52 grade up Warrenheip bank. At 2110, B69 arrives back at Ballarat on the 8135 pass. The B shunts the cars o the carriage shed before running to Ballarat East loco. A Sunday timetable will be used tomorrow for the Boxing Day public holiday, with X32 rostered on the Ballarat - Melbourne passenger services 

At 1132, B72 and B61 depart Ballarat on the 8105 Horsham pass. 

The VBPY on the rear of the 8105 Horsham pass is about to pass under the Armstrong Street bridge.

At 1500 B69 glides down Warrenheip bank on the 8115 Melbourne - Ballarat pass. B69 while run around the cars at Ballarat station to form 8132 pass scheduled to depart for Melbourne at 1645. B69 will return to Ballarat at 2110 on the 8135 pass). A family play the traditional christmas afternoon family cricket match beside the railway line.  Backyard cricket rules apply, shots into the railway cutting or onto Dyte Parade are six and out.

At 1815, X32 freshly repainted in V/Line colours arrives at Ballarat with 8125 Melbourne - Ballarat pass. 

The X shunts the cars to the carriage shed and then runs to the fuel point at Ballarat East Locomotive depot.

At 1845 B61 and B72 arrive back at Ballarat with the down Horsham pass. After a 5 minute stop the B's with tackle the 1 in 52 grade up Warrenheip bank.

With the grain harvest in full swing, a large proportion of the locomotive fleet is engaged in the movement of grain to the sub-terminals and to the ports of Portland and Geelong. Regular Ballarat pilot's Y150 and Y153 had been send up country and were rostered on yard pilot duties at Dunolly and Donald respectively. With a number of B and 1st series T class withdrawn for rebuilding V/Line was experiencing a severe locomotive shortage. 

Based on 1983 Christmas observations recorded in Newsrail February 1984 issue.

X32 and B69 rest at the fuel point at Ballarat East Locomotive depot. With a Sunday timetable being used tomorrow for the Boxing Day public holiday, X32 will be used on the Ballarat - Melbourne passenger services (8122 which the forms 8115, which forms 8132 and finally 8135).