Early morning at Doveton St

Mornings through Ballarat North included an interesting  mix of trains, from the Vinelander and Overland to the local pilots serving thr industrial sidings around Ballarat.

At 5:42am on the 9th January 1984, W250 waddles up the grade past the Doveton Street sidings with the 67 Redan pilot. The train includes empty lourve vans and flat wagons with shipping containers that will be loaded with car parts at Bendix Mintex factory at Redan.

On time at 5:45am, tea-cup B81 brings a colourful Vinelander into Ballarat. The Vinelander is currently transitioning from blue to orange, with the addition of refurbished Z and S cars.  Consist today is CD(red)-AZ(blue)-BRS(orange)-BZ(blue)-BS(orange)-Sleepersx2(blue)-Motorail.

At 6.12am, T331-T388-T401 grind up the grade with a empty block grain of GH's destined for overflow silos on the Mildura line. The harvest is in full swing with block trains servicing Central Receival Points and 70 overflow silos. In order to move this record crop, the Grain Elevators Board of Victoria reorganised the grain receival system, establishing 14 Central Receival Points (CRP's) and 70 overflow stations to be serviced by daily trains.  The balance of the silos in Victoria (almost 200) would receive no trains until after the harvest period. 

At 6:35am Y152 leads a short 391 Ballarat - Pittong Goods. The train consists of open wagons with 20ft shipping containers which will be loaded at the Kaolin plant at Pittong.

At 6:45am Y170 rumbles over Doveton St on a short 232 Maryborough - Ballarat Roadside Goods. The train includes a couple of GY's behind the loco being work to Ballarat for repairs at the railway workshops. 

At 6:50am W250 returns from Redan on the 72 pilot. The train consists of a single lourve van and a VFDA and AQBY with shipping containers loaded with car parts from Bendix Mintex at Redan.

Unsually early, X48-934 lead the Overland into Ballarat at 6:58am. With no Motorail or lourve van in the consist shunting won't be required at Ballarat this morning. Through running of X/930's on thr Overland commenced in November usually with the locos running back to back.