8130 Dimboola pass

On Tuesday 24th January 1984 S310 hauls the Up Dimboola pass through the junction at Ballarat C Box.

On Tuesday 3rd January 1984, S312 rolls down grade under the Queen St bridge on the Down Dimboola pass

During January 1984 the 8130 Up Dimboola pass was almost exclusive hauled by S class withand third series X class only rostered on the service on 3 occasions. The normal consist of this train was an N set with either one or two VBPY or VLPY vans.  It was common practice for the same locomotive to be rostered on this train on consecutive days.

On Tuesday 17th January 1984, X50 arrives at Ballarat on the 8130 Dimboola pass. 

Observations of Up Dimboola pass. January 1984

Date	Loco	Set	Comments
Mon 2/1	S306	N3
Tues 3/1	S312	N4
Wed 4/1	S312	N1
Thurs 5/1	S312	N11
Fri 6/1	S312	?
Sat 7/1	S300	N15	No van attached
Mon 9/1	S312	N6
Tues 10/1	S312	N17
Wed 11/1	S312	N4
Thurs 12/1	S312	N16
Fri 13/1	S312	N6
Sat 14/1	S303	N12	No van attached
Mon 16/1	S308	N11
Tues 17/1	X50	N13
Wed 18/1	X45	?
Thurs 19/1	?
Fri 20/1	?
Sat 21/1	S300	N17	No van attached
Mon 23/1	S310	N10
Tues 24/1	S310	N6
Wed 25/1	S310	N4
Thurs 26/1	X45	N15
Fri 27/1	S312	N12
Sat 28/1	S312	N5	No van attached
Mon 30/1	S308	N13	No van attached
Tues 31/1	S308	N13

In January 1984 not a single service was double headed. This probably reflects the locomotive shortage that the V/Line was experiencing during the summer of 1983/84 with a bumper wheat harvest. 

On Friday 27th January 1984, S312 runs past the Doveton St sidings on the Down Dimboola pass.

During January 1984, S312 was rostered on the Dimboola passenger on 11 occasions, with S310 and S308 both on 3 occasions. In terms of modelling, using the same consist and locomotive on a model railway is prototypical.

S310 waits departure time at Ballarat Station on the 8130 Dimboola pass. Wednesday 25th January 1984