Sale Day

 

On Wednesdays the 67 Redan pilot conveys livestock wagons to the Ballarat Cattleyards. Scheduled to depart Ballarat at 5:30am the pilot arrives at the cattleyards at 5:50am. Today, Y150 is on the pilot with a long train of four wheeled wagons, 7 × M (including one of the elephant M vans), a KMQ (with an MC cattle container), an MB and 2 x KQ (with an MC cattle containers). 

After arriving into the loop at the cattleyards, Y150 uncouples from the wagons and runs forward to the Gillies Street gates.  Once the point lever is thrown the Y reverses down the loop stopping after clearing the points at the Ballarat end of the cattle siding. The points for Redan are thrown and the Y then runs out along the Redan line to Elliot Magill Maltsters Mill to pick up a a rake of empty GY's. 

On sale days the resident Rail Tractor at Redan is run from the Elliot Magill Maltsters Mill to Cattle yards and is used to position the livestock wagons at the ramps for loading throughout the day.  Once loaded, RT21 shunts the wagons in the adjacent loop. These wagons will be picked up in the afternoon after the sales.

At 3.10pm, T367 runs BONA out to the Cattleyards with a ZF. 

Upon arrival at the cattleyards, the T class runs around the wagons placed in loop by the RT and shunts the guards van to the rear of the train. Once safety working procedures are completed, T367 departs for Ballarat.

At 4:16pm, T367 runs under the Armstrong Street through the station and into the arrival and departure sidings in Ballarat yard. The train will be held here until after the departure of the 8146 pass which it will follow to Melbourne.

T367 waits in the departure sidings with the stock special, while W250 on yard pilot makes up the evening 9170 Ballarat - Melbourne Yard Goods. B72 on 8146 pass can be seen in the background at Ballarat station.

At 5:03pm T367 departs Ballarat running past Ballarat East Box and across Humffray Street. It will then begin the climb up the 1 in 52 grade of Warrenheip Bank on its run to Melbourne abaitoirs. It will take a number of hours to reach Melbourne, having to cross a number of opposing commuter trains and interstate express goods on 'the Straight'.

At 4:45pm B72 departs Ballarat on the 8146 pass. T367 will follow 8146 once it clears the section Ballarat East - Warrenheip.

At 5:03pm T367 departs on the stock special. W250 continues shunting in Ballarat yard.

T367 which had been out of action on the workbench has recently been reactivated with a replacement Athearn mechanism. The Northern Models body is appropriately 30 years old.