Western Victorian Railfan Guide

• The line reopened this morning, with the expected steady parade of trains in each direction thorughout the day. - Fri.4.4

• At around 19 30 on the evening of Sun.30.3 the west-bound QRN / P&O service, MA6, hauled by EL58-RL302-EL51 derailed around 24 wagons in the vIcinity of the Emu Creek bridge at Pura Pura damaging 800 metres of track.

  1MP9 (SCT) was run around at Gheringhap and retuned to Laverton before eventually heading off in the other direction to run via New South Wales in order to get to Perth. Many other services were cancelled, delayed or held at various crossing loops along the line

  The official word on the ARTC website is that the line should reopen late on Wednesday night, but considering the adverse weather conditions this would appear a optimistic with an opening on Thursday or even Friday looking more likely. - Wed..2.4

• Reports today suggest that the Horsham goods, 9791 / 9792, has gained a reprieve until the end of April, after which it will cease to operate if an appropriate arrangement is not negotiated. - Thurs.27.3

• The return of the first El Zorro grain service to Adelaide paused briefly at Dimboola on the evening of Good Firday to collect locomotive 44204 and one grain wagon, fomrnig the quintette of VL356-EL54-EL52-GM36-44204 upon its eastward departure at around 18 55. - Sat.23.2

• El Zorro's first grain service from New South Wales to South Australia, via Victoria, thundered through western Victoria in the early hours of Thurs.20.3 fronted by VL356-EL54-EL52-GM36.

  Rumours suggest that this task is somewhere between 300,000 and 600,000 tonnes of sorghum, but either way it will involved a significant number of return train trips. This was also the first appearance of the EL class on this operators services on this route. - Thurs.20.3

• 44204 remains stabled in the Turn Table road at Dimboola after having a pinion replaced two weeks ago. - Thurs.20.3

• Boom gates were installed at the Queen Street level crossing at Nhill on Sat.23.2 - the crossing was previously protected by flashing lights. - Sat.23.2

• The latest motive power combination to haul El Zorro's standard gauge grain train is 44204, GM36 and VL236 with a consist of 12 CQGY, 17 CQFY and 14 AHGX hoppers. This train was reported stabled in the AWB siding at Dimboola on the evening of Sat.23.2 after having unloaded at Appleton Dock the previous day. - Sat.23.2

• Portland railyards given the shunt - Portland Observer - 13 February 2008

• The first of EL Zorro's grain services hauled by the combination of CFCLA's VL356 and SRHC's GM36 operated to the Geelong Grain Loop on the morning of Sat.9.2 - through Gheringhap on the up at 09 00 and after unloading, retruning west at 12 13.

  The second service, hauled by the same locomotives, operated out of Dimboola on the morning of Tues.12.2, and after unloading at Geelong, the locos ran around the train at Gheringhap before it departed east again bound for Melbourne. - Wed.13.2

• Seventeen of CFCLA's CQFY grain container hoppers were shunted off a west-bound GWA empty grain service along with GM36 on the afternoon of Sun.3.2, heralding another series of El Zorro grain services in the next week. - Sun.3.2

• El Zorro's broad gauge trainset has been kept busy with trains loading at the AWB GrainFlow Centres at both Sea Lake and Birchip and unloading at Geelong and Melbourne over the last few weeks. - Fri.1.2

• El Zorro loaded their first broad gauge grain service on Fri.18.1 at AWB GrainFlow’s Sea Lake terminal, which was made up of a rake of 38 AHGX grain hoppers hauled by locomotives S302-S211-T376-T413-T357. - Fri.18.1

• Amongst the articles in the local press recently discussing the potential implications of Pacific National's impending withdrawal of Victorian intrastate services, an article appeared in the Wimmera Mail-Times (Horsham) on Fri.4.1 outlining rail's part in moving the record 1968-69 grain harvest, particularly on the Carpolac line. The article also includes a picture of a T hauling six grain wagons on the last train on this line in 1986. - Sat.5.1

  When grain went by train - By Keith Lockwood - Wimmera Mail-Times - Fri.4.1

  2007

• Asciano, the parent company of Pacific National, announced on Wed.12.12 that they would be closing their Victorian rail freight business for commercial reasons.

  This will have significant implications for the transport of grain from the west of the state in both bulk and containers to the ports of Melbourne, Geelong and Melbourne. Other current rail traffic to be affected includes logs from Gippsland and the North East and container traffic from Mildura, the Goulburn Valley and Warrnambool. - Sat.15.12

• The 'Portland T's', T379 and T392, appeared in Dimboola on Tues.11.12 and have been stabled there since, apart from a trip west to an unknown location for an unknown reason on Fri.14.12. They remained stabled in the yard as of the afternoon of Fri.21.12. - Fri.21.12

• El Zorro ran their first standard gauge grain train on Tues.11.12 when GM36 and T386 with a rake of 31 grain hoppers unloaded at the Geelong grain loop.- Sat.15.12

• XR559 has become the second of its class to be converted to standard gauge, and has since become a regular on the Horsham/Dimboola goods (9791/9792). - Sat.15.12

• Over the first couple of days of November the rake of grain wagons (SE1) were tranferred from Dimboola to Portland courtesy of the Portland T's, T379 and T392. These locos arrived at Dimboola light engine on the evening of Wed.31.10 and departed early the next morning with around 26 wagons destined for Maroona, before returning light engine that evening. The next day, Fri.2.11, the T's took the remaining wagons to Maroona where they combined both lots for the trip down to Portland. - Sat.3.11

• After being closed to the public for around twelve months, the repaired footbridge at the Dimboola station was re-opened on Fri.26.10. - Sat.27.10

• A ballast program operated from Glenorchy from late September to mid October before it moved to the North East line. Motive power was GM's 36 and 45 and T386 until GM45 failed and was replaced by CLP8. - Sat.27.10

• AWB GrainFlow has entered into a rail freight agreement with El Zorro, a specialist rail freight operator based in Williamstown, Victoria.............

  For the full AWB GrainFlow media release click here. - Mon.27.8

• The remaining XGAY grain hoppers departed Dimboola on the morning of Fri.24.8 behind G522, destined for Cootamundra in New South Wales where they will presumably remain in storage. - Sat.25.8

• On the evening of Sun.8.7, vandals placed sleepers on the railway line at Horsham, delaying a train that had to be inspected after striking them. Unfortunately, more sleepers were placed over the line after this train departed, delaying another train later that night. Neither train was derailed or badly damaged, but the potential of this senseless vandal attack is obvious. - Mon.9.7

  • ABC Online Article
    

  • Wimmera Mail Times Article

• On Thurs.21.6, G519 ran light engine to Antwerp (on the Yaapeet branch) to collect the stored VHBF hoppers, but despite shunting the wagons in the siding, the locomotive departed light engine to return to Dimboola. - Thurs.21.6

• The Merredin (Western Australia) to Appleton Dock grain train departed Dimboola (bound for Appleton Dock) late in the evening of Sun.29.4 after having been stabled there since the early hours of Sat.28.4. After unloading it is scheduled to head north to Cootamundra - Mon.30.4

• The first grain train reported on the Yaapeet branch for 2007 appeared on the morning of Tues.13.3 in the form of G522 hauling 24 empty grain hoppers to Rainbow for loading. - Tues.13.3

• CFCLA's EL63, new locomotive VL351and a single flat wagon formed train number 9759 Melbourne to Adelaide goods on the morning of Sun.18.2. This was the first member of the new VL class to run through western Victoria, on its way to Darwin for ore train duties. - Sun.18.2

• Heavy rain throughout the North of South Australia on Fri.19.1 and Sat.20.1 has led to a number of washaways and derailments resulting in more disruption and possibly more diversions for rail traffic between the east and the west of the country. - Sat.20.1

• Train number 6JA2, Junee to Adelaide via Melbourne empty grain, passed through the Wimmera on the morning of Sat.20.1, hauled by the all orange conbination of GM42-GM44-2212-CLP8. - Sat.20.1

• GL108, along with 8177, were reported on the down Dimboola goods, 9791, this morning - the first appearance of a GL on this service? - Wed.17.1

• Due to a number of disruptions over the last few days, including a number of derailments and a grain silo fire at Cootamundra, considerable traffic between Adelaide and Sydney is currently being diverted via Melbourne - including the Indian-Pacific passenger train, an empty GWA grain train from Junee to Adelaide and a number of regular steel and intermodal services. - Tues.16.1

• Extra Grain Trains - PacNat currently have a train heading for AWB Crystal Brook for loading and assumed return to Victoria, while GWA have a train in Melbourne to unload at Appleton Dock that originated north of Adelaide. PacNat also have underway a cycle of trains from AWB Dimboola to Portland. - Tues.16.1

• The third in this series of GWA grain trains to operate from Bowmans in South Australia to Appleton Dock in Melburne is due to grace the rails of western Victoria overnight on Mon.15.1-Tues.16.1. - Thurs.11.1

• The first unusual grain movement for the new year is a grain train operated by GWA from Bowmans SA to Appleton Dock in Melbourne. The return movement is due through western Victoria late in the afternoon of Fri.5.1. The train consists of CLP17, CLF5 and CLP14, a crew van and a rake of CFCLA grain hoppers. - Fri.5.1

• The Pacific National trains conveying grain from South Australia to Victoria and New South Wales are continuing - a Bowmans to Appleton Dock service is due through western Victoria overnight on Tuesday/Wednesday and a Murtoa-Port Adelaide-Bowmans-Murtoa trip will depart Murtoa on the evening of Tues.19.12 and return on Thurs.21.12. - Tues.19.12

• The first of a number of trains conveying barley from Bowmans in South Australia to Marmalake (near Murtoa) operated between Sat.9.12 and Tues.12.12. The trains are loading at Marmalake with grain destined for Port Adelaide and after unloading there are continuing on to Bowmans to re-lead with a different grain before returning and refuelling at Dimboola on the way back. Motive power was G522-8169-9-8171.

  A second train is scheduled to depart Murtoa on the eveining of Wed.13.12 and return to Victoria on the morning of Fri.15.12. - Tues.12.12

• After a month in Victoria, spent mostly in the west of the state but also in the Melbourne and the north east, the ballast train hauled by T385-44s1-B76 is scheduled to return to South Australia on the morning of Wed.22.11. - Wed.22.11

• As of this week, the ballast train appears to have re-located to the North East line for some work up there. - Mon.6.11

• Ballast trains are expected out of Dimboola early in the mornings of both Sun.29.10 and Mon.30.10 to locations further west. - Sat.28.10

• The current pattern of operations is for the loaded ballast train to stable overnight at Dimboola, venture west early the next morning to discharge ballast, before returning to Glenorchy to re-lead and making its way back to Dimboola for the night.

  Trains operated west of Dimboola each day between Mon.22.10 and Thurs.27.10, to locations between Salisbury and Diapur.

  The motive power remains the same as last week - B7, 644s1 and T385. - Sat.28.10

• The 'AK Cars' test train is due through western Victoria on Thurs.26.10. - Wed.25.10

• The Dimboola goods (9791/9792) boasted some unusual motive power on Wed.25.10, with V544-8160 hauling the down train, and XR555-8160 in charge of the return trip that evening - this has recently been a G or 81 roster. - Wed.25.10

• A ballast train with T385-44s1-B76 providing the motive power was dropping ballast between Wolseley and Lillimur on the morning of Tues.17.10, and after a cross with the westbound Overland, continued to spread ballast on the up side of Kaniva Loop, before travelling to Glenorchy to be re-loaded. - Tues.17.10

• Light engines B76 and T385 passed through western Victoria on the morning of Fri.13.10 heading west. They are rumoured to be collecting a rake of ballast wagons to operate works trains out of the Glenorchy siding over the next few weeks. - Fri.13.10

• Four Dimboola to Port Adelaide grain services were operated by PacNat during the first half of October. The first one departed Dimboola late in the evening of Tues.3.10 behind 8166-8160-8165. The following trips operated ex-Dimboola on Thurs.5.10, Sun.8.10 and Tues.10.10. - Fri.13.10.

• A ballast program is anticipated during October following the stockpiling at Glenorchy and a notice in the Wimmera Mail-Times on Mon.25.9 placed by Works Infrastructure informing local residents of the intention to store ballast and load trains at the Glenorchy siding between the hours of 7.00 am and 6.00 pm for approximately one month beginning Tuesday 26th of September.- Mon.9.10.

• The main Melbourne to Adelaide line was blocked for much of the day on Thurs.31.8, after a wagon failed on a Melbourne bound service just east of Kaniva at around 01 00. A number of trains were held in crossing loops either side of the incident resulting in a flurry of activity once the line reopened at around 16 00. - Thurs.31.8

  Dimboola - Port Adelaide Barley Trains

• The train set departed Dimboola in an easterly direction just after 10 00 after the locomotives (G542 and 8166) had been refuelled. - Thurs.31.8

• The fourth empty train from Port Adeladie should arrive back in Dimboola in the early hours of Thursday Morning. After the locomotives are refuelled, the train will depart for Melburne where it will immediately head north to resume duties in New South Wales. It is unknown when the remainder of the barley will be railed to South Australia. - Wed.30.8

• The fourth train load of barley was loaded this afternoon, and the train has stabled in 3 and 4 roads opposite the station in Dimboola, awaiting an anticipated departure just after mid-night tonight. Motive power remains G542 and 8166. - Tues.29.8

• The same locomtives fronted the second trip to Port Adelaide, although after the third run departed west, 8149 and a lone wagon were noted in the yard at Dimboola, suggesting that the train departed with only G542 and 8166. - Mon.28.8

• The motive power on the empty PN grain train, upon arrival at Dimboola this morning, was G542-8149-8166 and the wagons were a mix of NGPF and NGKF hoppers. - Wed.23.8

• Pacific National will be operating a cycle of four trains conveying barley from the Dimboola GrainFlow Centre to Port Adelaide, with the first one to load on Wed.23.8 and depart in the early hours of the following morning.

  The following three west-bound departures are anticipated to be late Friday night and early Monday and Wednesday mornings.

  A total of around 40,000 tonnes is to be moved, so it is anticipated that a further ten or so trips will be required to fulfil the contract. - Up-dated - Wed.23.8

  ---

• The second of the PN Barley trains to Port Adelaide is scheduled to load at the Dimboola Grain Centre on Wednesday afternoon (Wed.5.7) before heading west late in the evening of the same day. - Tues.4.7

• PacificNational are operating at least one and possibly two grain trains conveying barley from the Dimboola Grain Centre to Port Adelaide this week. The first train loaded on Monday afternoon for a late night westerly departure. Motive power is 8171-8177. - Mon.3.7

• During June a number of grain services conveyed wheat from Rainbow, on the Yaapeet branch, to GrainCorp's Marmalake terminal near Murtoa. A single G or 81 class locomotive has constituted the motive power on the branch, with up to 20 grain hoppers. Departure after loading has been at around 16 00 for the trip South. - Fri.23.6

• The ATN Access train ventured west again on Sat.3.6 with 8166-8177-T379-T409 providing the motive power, in PacNat, Freightcorp, PacNat and Freight Australia colours respectively. - Sat.3.6

• Following the line closure due to the collision at Lismore last week, the line reopened to through traffic overnight on Tues.30.5/Wed.31.5. - Wed.31.5

• On the morning of Thurs..25.5 a truck collided with the side of a train, AM3, near Lismore in western Victoria, derailing two locomotives and around 40 container wagons and burying the truck. It is anticipated that the line could be closed for four or more days, with some services between Melbourne and Adelaide diverted via New South Wales.

  Here are some links to theage.com.au web site which contains informative cverage of the incident.... - Fri.26.5

  • Rail crossing crash 'preventable' - The Age.com.au - Thurs.25.5
    
  • Freeing crash victim could take days - The Age.com.au - Fri.26.5
    - (Includes an aerial photograph of the accident site.)
    
   
  

• XRB562 arrived at Dimboola on Thurs.18.5 for crew training purposes, and another rare visitor in DL46 was also sighted stabled in the yard onthe same day. - Thurs.18.5

• The Ballarat to Ararat broad gauge line remained closed for one week following the fatal collision between a V'locity train and a road truck east of Trawalla on the afternoon of Fri.28.4. - Sun.7.5

• The first appearance of a cabless XRB unit west of Melbourne occurred on Wed.3.5 when XRB560 was sandwiched between NR74 (Ghan colours) and DL49 on MP5. This would have also been the first revenue service by a member of this new class. - Wed.3.5

• The first of May heralded the beginning of another run of ATN Access grain trains between Dimboola and Melbourne, and the welcome appearance of C501 for the first time on these trains west of Melbourne (although it has previously appeared as a banker on interstate services.)

  The second journey saw G543 replace 8166 from the first trip, but before departure from Dimboola, the G was swapped onto an SCT train for defective units G539-G528, making it a T-T-C-G-G combination upon departure. At Glenorchy, 8177 was added to the front forming a six unit lash-up. - Wed.3.5

  Date	Locomotives
  Mon.1.5	C501-T371-T379-8166
  Tues.2.5
  down journey	G543-C501-T371-T379
  up from Dimboola	T379-T371-C501-G539-G528
  up from Glenorchy	8177-T379-T371-C501-G539-G528

  
  

• The ATN grain train returned to the Dimboola GrainFlow Centre in April.

  Fri.21.4 saw the unusual, but most welcome, sight of a T class leading the down ATN grain service to Dimboola. T371-T379-8166 (both T's long end leading) hauled the empty train, with 8177 joining them for the return trip, after coming west on 9791 that morning.

  Date	Locomotives
  Sat.8.4	8166-8177
  Mon.10.4	8166-8177
  Tues.11.4	8166-8177-T371-T379
  Thurs.13.4	8177-T371-T379-8166
  Sat.15.4	8177-T371-T379-8166
  Mon.17.4	8177-T371-T379-8166		8177-T371-T379-8166 on a down ATN Access grain train on the morning of Thurs.13.4.
  Wed.19.4	8177-T371-T379-8166
  Fri.21.4	T371-T379-8166

  8166 and both of the T's are in PacificNational colours whilst 8177 remains in the old FreightCorp colours. - Fri.21.4

• GrainCorp, the owner and operator of the former GEB / Vicgrains network of grain receival sites, has announced that it will be closing 100 of its less profitable sites in Victoria, NSW and Qld. The sites affected on the western standard gauge railway network include...
  
  • Antwerp on the Yaapeet branch
  • Batchica, Lah and Minyip on the Hopetoun line
  • Dimboola, Gerang Gerung, Glenorchy and Miram on the main line.
  Affected sites on closed branch lines in this area include...
  
  • Nertherby and Yanac on the old Yanac branch
  • Noradjuha on the old Balmoral line
  - Fri.21.4

• Over the Easter weekend, the platform road/main line at Dimboola was ripped up and re-laid with new condrete sleepers and ballast. During the works, all traffic was routed via number two road. This should see the removal of the temporary speed limit through the yard- Wed.19.4

• GM36 made its first visit to western Victoria when it combined with G519 to haul the down Horsham goods, 9791, on Tuesday the 11th of April.

  GM36 is on hire to PacNat from the Seymour Rail Heritage centre and is resplendent in the old Commonwealth Railway's maroon and silver colours. - Tues.11.4

• 81 class locomotives 8171 and 8173 have become regulars on the Dimboola/Horsham goods, 9791 & 9792, over that last couple of weeks, after their recent stint on the Portland grain services. - Sun.2.4

• Light engine 8173 was sighted west of Horsham on the morning of Wed.29.3 conducting tests of the new flashing lights on the Geodetic Road level crossing for ARTC. - Wed.29.3

• The two 81's working the Portland grian services were both sighted returning to Melbourne on the morning of Tues.21.3 in charge of 9792. They were reported later that day on trains on the north east line. - Tues.21.3

• 8171 and 8173 have become regulars on grain traffic in western Victoria over the last two months, with single 81 being regularly reportd on both branches, and double 81's quite common on Portland bound trains. - Sat.18.3

• The first 81 class locomotive recorded on the Yaapeet branch was on Fri.3.3 when 8173 hauled a train all the way to the terminus. - Fri.3.3

• ARG operated two grain trains between the Dimboola GrainFlow Centre and Appleton Dock in Melbourne early in March. Locomotives CLF4-GM42-CLF2 hauled both trains consisting of CFCLA CGAY hoppers and one crew car. Loading occurred on Wed.1.3 and Thurs.2.3.

  The train returned to South Australia, from whence it came, presumably empty on Fri.3.3. - Fri.3.3

• Dimboola's rail tractor, most recently RT28, was withdrawn some time between late January and the end of February, leaving this location without a resident pilot.

  With the increased tonnages of grain loaded at the AWB GrainFlow Center west of the town there has been reduced need for a rail tractor to shunt grain wagons at Dimboola itselt.

  RT28 was sighted at Newcastle in New South Wales in late February.- Wed.1.3

• 8173 became the first member of its class on the Hopetoun branch during February when it was a regular on grain services between the Wimmera and Portland. - Thurs.23.2

• The intra-state goods services on this line are currently running five days per week - Sun, Tue-Fri (9791) and Mon-Fri (9792) - up from once per week for much of last year.

  Motive power has become quite interesting, with XR555 being a regular, but others have included the first 81 class locomotive on the service (8173 leading both the down and up trips on one occasion early in February), and a selection of G and T units. - Thurs.23.2

  9791 / 9792 Locomotive Combinations
  Date
  Thurs.23.2	9791	XR555-8171
  Sun.5.2	9791	8173-XR555
  Fri.3.2	9791 & 9792	8173
  Sun.29.1	9791	XR555-T392-T408
  Fri.27.1	9792	G536-T408-T392
  Tues.13.12	9791	V544
  Wed.14.12	9792	G-V544
  Sun.18.12	9791	G519-XR555-T392
  Tues.20.12	9791	G-G-T
  Wed.21.12	9791	XR555-T390-T392

• A cycle of ATN Access grain trains operated between the AWB GrainFlow Centre at Dimboola and Appleton Dock in Melbourne utilizing a number of former New South Wales locomotives during early February.

  On the morning of Fri.10.2 the down ATN train was hauled by 8177-8171, and after loading it departed Dimboola as 8171-8177 at 10 45. It paused at Glenorchy at around midday to collect a stricken 8173, and it then took around eleven hours to get from there to Gheringhap where G538 was noted on the point. It is unclear what caused the long delay but the G was sighted light engine on the down through Gheringhap at 20 20. - Fri.10.2

  ATN Access Grain Train Locomotive Combinations
  Date
  Fri.10.2 - up	G538-8171-8177-8173
  Fri.10.2 - down	8177-8171
  Wed.8.2	L270-8171
  Mon.6.2	L270-48156-8177
  Thurs.2.2	8171-48156-8177

  - Even Newer OVERLAND Timetable

• GSR have corrected the new timetables for the rescheduled Overland passenger service between Melbourne and Adelaide, showing a thrice weekly daylight service in each direction. - More Information.... - Wed.8.5

• The first report of a PacificNational coloured locomotive on the branch north of Dimboola was made on Fri.27.1 when G540 was sighted at Antwerp at around 18 45 hauling an unusually late 9782 up loaded grain service - unfortunately our correspondent did not have a camera handy!. - Mon.30.1

• The ballast train returned to Melborne on the evening of Wed.25.1. - Wed.25.1

• A ballast program is currently underway from Glenorchy, with T383-KL82-4483 leadig a ballast train consisting of one NDPF van, 20 loaded NDFF hoppers and one NZBF plough operating west of Dimboola on Mon.23.1. - Mon.23.1

  2005

• A number of trains were delayed in the Glenorchy area on the morning of Christmas Eve (Sat.24.12) due to storm damage. - Tues.27.12

• On Mon.19.12 CFCLA's GL108 (in corporate colours) and 44s1 (still in the faded AN Explorer colours) hauled a train load of concrete sleepers from Adelaide to Inverleigh (can anyone confirm that is was the destination?) where the sleepers were unloaded. A rake of ballast hoppers were added before the empty train returned west the next day. - Tues.27.12

• Track inspection vehicle EM100 made a tour of the Wimmera in mid December, covering the Hopetoun line on sat.10.12, Murtoa to Wolseley on Sat.10.12 and Sun.11.12 and the Yaapeet line on Mon.12.12. - Mon.12.12

• The Horsham/Dimboola goods service, 9791 / 9792, appears to have begun operating on more that one day per week, with an XR-X combination reported through Gheringhap on both Tuesday and Thursday this week on these trains. There has been suggestions that this service will be increased to five days per week to cater for the additional harvest traffic. - Thurs.1.12

• The ninth train in this cycle of ATN Access trains to AWB's Dimboola GrainFlow Centre departed Melbourne on the morning of Sat.5.11. Of note on this occasion was that the train not only featured the usual L class, but also three G's, although one G was shunted off at Murtoa leaving a L-G-G combination upon arrival at Dimboola. - Sun.6.11

  ATN Access Locomotive Combinations
  Date	Down	Up
  Fri.21.10	L254-833-G519	G519-833-L254
  Sun.23.10	L254-G519	XR555-G519-L254
  Tues.25.10	L254-G519-XR555	XR555-G535-L254
  Wed.26.10	L270-833-L254	L254-833-L270
  Fri.28.10	L270-833-L254	L254-833-L270
  Sun.30.10	G535-833-L254	L254-833-G535
  Mon.31.10	L254-833	G520-833-L254
  Wed.2.11	L254-833-G520	G520-833-L254
  Sat.5.11	L254-G535-G543-G520	G543-G535-L254

  Thank-you to the Gheringhap Loop web site for confirmation of the above locomotive combinations.

• As of Fri.4.11 the ballast train is still opreating out of Glenorchy, utilising locomotives 4471 in CFCLA corporate colours and T383 in RTS colours. It operated to locations between Gheringhap and Newport on Sat.29.10, Horsham and Dimboola on Sun.3.10, Cressy area on Mon.31.10, the Leeor and Nhill areas on Tues.1.11 and the up side of Horsham on Wed.2.11. - Fri.4.11

• ARTC's test train (the AK Cars) passed through Western Victoria on Wed.26.10 and Thurs.27.10 with as overnight stop at Ararat. On this occasion the train was hauled by ARG's GM42 - Thurs.27.10

• Due to a derailment on the Broken Hill line, the Sydney-bound Indian Pacific was re-routed via Melbourne on Tues.18.10, and the return train travelled through Western Victoria on Thurs.20.10 - Thurs.20.10

• CFCLA operated another light engine movement on Tues.18.10 to Murtoa to collect the remaining ballast hoppers that had been stored at that location for a number of months. Solo locomotive 4471, freshly painted in CFCLA's corporate colours, arrived at around 13 15, and departed half an hour later with nine ballast hoppers in tow, B end leading. - Tues.18.10

• During the middle of September South Spur Rail's K205-D49-K206 operated a number of works trains out of the ballast siding at Callington, between Adelaide and Murray Bridge in South Australia. On Fri.23.9, they almost made it into Victoria when they unloaded ballast between Wolseley and Serviceton. - Fri.23.9

• ATN Access made a total of nine visits to Dimboola in their latest cycle, up from the usual four, and the G class also made their first appearance on these services. L270-G519-L254 headed for Dimboola on Sun.4.9, L270-G535-L254 were sighted on Tues.6.9 and again on Thurs.8.9, whilst the last six runs (on Fri.9.9, Sun.11.9, Mon.12.9, Wed.14.9, Thurs.15.9 and Fri.16.9), were hauled by L270-833-G535. - Fri.23.9

• Another noteworthy locomotive combination - NR20(?)-C501-XR555 on 5MA5 on Thurs.8.9 - Thurs.8.9

• Locomotive 4483 in SSR yellow and black colours made a light engine run to Murtoa from Melbourne on the morning of Sat.3.9 to collect a rake of ballast hoppers and returned with them for use on the north-east line.- Sat.3.9

• Locomotive GL105 was shunted off *SP2 on the evening of Mon.22.8 and stabled at the turntable at Dimboola - it is assumed that it was there for crew training - it was collected by train MA3 on Fri.2.8 and taken on to Adelaide. - Sat.3.9.

• There was a fatal level crossing accident at the Edith Street crossing in Horsham today involving a car and light engine G535 travelling in the down direction. This level crossing is just past the up end of the crossing loop, and the derailed G came to rest blocking both the main and the loop. - Thurs.11.8

  Front Page Artcile in Wimmera Mail Times on Friday 12th August.

• XR555 returned to 9791 and 9792 on Wed.3.8 after a break of a couple of months.- Thurs.4.8

• C501, in original VR colours, has become a semi-regular banker on PacNat trains between Melbourne and Adelaide.- Thurs.4.8

• Due to locomotive problems on Wed.13.7, the up P & O train and then following day's return service ran very late. MA6 through Dimboola at 11 05, around 12 hours late.- Thurs.14.7

• The second ATN grain train for the week to Dimboola had L270-8164-L254 up front, and loaded at the Dimboola Grain Centre on Thurs.19.5. The first train was hauled by L270-8164-GL107 - Fri.20.5.5

• A rare visit by a Y class locomotive occurred on Wed.18.5 when Y115 arrived on 9791 (along with XR555 and G537) and was turned at Dimboola before heading down to Portland to take up pilot duties. - Thurs.19.5

• Cs2 departed Dimboola on the morning of Wed.11.5, bound for New South Wales via Melbourne - Wed.11.05.

• ARG loaded a grain train at the Dimboola Grain Centre on the morning of Tues.10.5. - the train departed at around 11 40 bound for Adelaide - Tues.10.05.

• Silverton locomotive Cs1 was sighted stabled near the turntable at Dimboola on the morning of Fri.8.4 - it is spectulated that it was there for either crew training of as a banker for trains between that location and Adelaide - Fri.8.4

• The unusual combination of XR555 and T409 made up the motive power for the up and down Dimboola goods today - Fri.4.3

• Silverton unit Cs2 passed through Western Victoria on Fri.25.2 on *PW4, sandwiched between NR40 and NR56 - Fri.25.2

• XR555 (now with elephant ears....) has returned to the Dimboola goods - Fri.25.2