940

C503 and 940 power an Adelaide bound Jet through Ballarat.

Australian National's 930's began operating as second unit to third series X's on the Overland from November 1983. Early in 1984 the 930's were approved for through working on interstate express goods.  Initially all of the single ended 930's (930 to 935), and 937, 938 and 940 were approved to work into Victoria. A number of other 930's made their way across to Victoria as trailing units during 1984 prior to the radio-fitted pool being established. 

I was recently given a Lima 44 class with a broken mechanism and decided to convert this into a unpowered 930 class to run in multi unit lash-up on interstate goods. I choose to model 940 as it one of the few units not to receive ANR in yellow boxes. 

Modifications included filling in the staff exchanger boxes, fitting exhaust silencers, new horns, mirrors, pilots and steps. The locomotive was painted with Revell and Humbrol paints, waether with powders and sealed with dullcoat.

It still requires destination boards and flush glaze windows to be fitted. For a few hours work I'm reasonably pleased with the finished model, so much so that I'm thinking of doing a AN green version and one of the single-enders.

A clean X48 leads 940 on an Melbourne - Adelaide Express Goods through the junction of the Serviceton and Maryborough Lines.

Initially X/930 Jet workings occurred three days a week, when only 2 x C class worked through to South Australia instead of the previously agreed 3 x C class. On certain days, 3 x 930's were allocated to Victorian through workings. One of the services that regularly saw X-930's was the 9130 Adelaide - Melbourne Express Goods. At Ballarat, if you made an early start, it was possible on some mornings to see X-930 combinations on 9130 and the Overland. My earliest observation of 940 was with it as second unit to X48 on Up Jet at Ballarat East on the 25th May 1984. 

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