Royal Train - 15th April 1983

On the 15th April it was the 40th anniversary of the Royal train which ran between Spencer Street and Ballarat for the Prince and Princess of Wales.The train was hauled by S300-S315 back to back, hauling 8AZ-Norman-State Car No.4. I recently included the Royal train in an operating session on the layout

S300 and S315 glide down Warrenheip bank through Ballarat East with the Royal Train for the Prince and Princess of Wales.

S300 and S315 rest beneath the signal gantry at Ballarat Station with the Royal Train. Pilot loco S311 which operated ahead of the Royal Train sits in no.2 road.

The May 1983 issue of VicRail News included a cover photo of the train and a feature article. It was also covered in Newsrail (see articles below).

One thing that is apparent from the photograph's is how weathered and dirty Ballarat station and surrounds were. The locomotives and carriages might have had gleaming paintwork, but station canopy and buildings had faded paint with dirt and rust stains. It looks like I will need to use weathering powders to significantly weather the building to reflect it's appearance at the time.

Mark Bau's website includes a photograph of the loco's (and crowds of spectators) at Lydiard St gates and Ballarat B Signal Box.

http://www.victorianrailways.net/photogallery/westsou/ballarat/ballarat.html

Replicating a Mark Bau photograph, S300 and S315 run across Lydiard Street while pilot S311 rests in the adjacent road.

The train was hauled by S300-S315 back to back. The carriages were marshalled from the Ballarat end as 8AZ-Norman-State Car No.4 with the round end of Norman facing the State Car.

Pilot locomotive was S311 (which ran in some distance in front of the royal train). X31 was positioned at Bacchus Marsh as a standby locomotive in case of a failure.

All 3 S class are Lima models repainted and fitted with flush glaze windows and other details. The Royal headboard was produced on the computer. The coaches are Powerline and kitbashed models.