Livestock Sales

 

Y170 departs Ballarat on xxxx the Redan pilot 

On the days that livestock sales are held at Ballarat Cattleyards, the No.67 pilot can be kept busy for hours shunting in sidings near the Gillies Street gates. Today Y170 is on the Xxx pilot and departs Ballarat yard bound for the Cattleyards at 5:38am. The pilot has a consist of both M cattle wagons and cattle containers on KMQ and KQ 4 wheeled flat wagons. Y170 will be used to the position each of the wagons for unloading at the cattle ramps, usually this task is performed by the resident Rail Tractor. 

Y170 runs past Ballarat C Box on the 67 Ballarat - Redan pilot on its way out to the Ballarat Cattleyards.

Y170 arrives at Ballarat cattleyards, uncouples from the wagons and pulls forward to the Gillies Street gates.

The locomotive then uses the loop to run around the wagons.

The guards van is uncoupled from the cattle wagons, Y170 couples upto the van and then reverses along the line towards Ballarat to clear the points.

The guards van is placed on the line to Redan and will be reattach once loading is completed

Y170 retrieves the cattle wagons from the loop and pushes these into the siding with the cattle ramps.

Each wagon in the rake is moved adjacent to the ramp so that they can be loaded with cattle.

The rake of wagons includes one of the M wagons modified with a raised roof for use on the circus train.

Once loaded with cattle, the wagons are placed in the adjacent siding.

Loading continues until all the wagons are loaded with livestock.

With all the loaded livestock wagons placed in the loop, Y170 retrieves the guards van from the Redan line.

Y170 pushes the van to the Gillies Street gates, then runs around the livestock wagons using the loop. 

Y170 pushes the wagons and couples upto the ZL guards van.

Safeworking complete Y170 departs for Ballarat on the no.72 pilot at 11:56am. 

Y170 on the 72 pilot artives back at Ballarat Yard. T359 sits in the adjacent siding having recently arrived from Skipton on a wheatie, while W243 shunts in the yard.