Triple Flat-tops

 

T321-T335-T333 arrive at Ballarat on an Up Dunolly Goods, 18th September 1984.

On the 18th September 1984, triple flat-top T's were rostered on Up Dunolly Goods, when T321-T335-T333 with a load of 16 VHGY's trailed by a ZLP arrived at Ballarat at 10.32am. 

With nine of the 27 flat-tops already withdrawn for rebuilding into P class for use on interurban  passenger services, having 3 flat tops T's rostered together on the same service is getting less common. The first four P class P11 - P14 have already entered service. 

T321-T335-T333 depart Ballarat on an Up Dunolly Goods, 18th September 1984.

Today's train includes one of the initial batch (T320 to T325) which have been excluded from rebuilding program due to their fabricated bogies. The train pauses in Ballarat yard for a crew change before tackling the climb to Warrenheip.

The flat roofline made for a very cramped cab on the Flat-top T's however they were the best riding of all of the T class due, to their lower centre of gravity and longer wheelbase. Local crews prefer the Flat tops over all the T's on heavy wheaties as they were the least likely to wheelslip when lugging along at low speeds on the long steep climbs like Warrenheip bank.

T321-T335-T333 begin the climb up Warrenheip Bank on an Up Dunolly block grain working. 

At the summit T335-T333 were detached, returning light engine to Ballarat. T321 was left to continue solo on the mostly downhill run to the Port of Geelong. 

T333 and T335 return light engine from Warrenheip.