1 November  2003

General News

With the introduction of new legislation allowing the Department of Infrastructure to make Codes of Practices under the Transport Act, the first Code has now been introduced. This Code regulates the field of health standards and the Code of Practice for Health Assessment and Certification for Rail Safety Workers is to come into operation for heritage railways and tramways in Victoria on 1 March 2004.

A number of discussions and seminars have been held and an educational phase was necessary for the regulators as they had no conception that the operation of Heritage rail was different to that of Commercial Rail. This has resulted in a special section being written for heritage to allow us to continue operating as the proposal was set up for commercial rail with one man operation of very fast trains.

With the adoption of these standards by Victoria, the National Road Transport Commission has determined to make these standards Australia wide. A conference was held in Melbourne on 3 October 2003 to introduce the proposed new Australian Standards to the other interstate Heritage  Rail Associations. A lot of work still has to be dome before these proposals are implemented on a National basis.

News from Members

Alexandra Timber Tramway and Museum

The railway is has been badly hit by the increase in costs caused by having to meet higher Public Liability insurance premiums. For the last financial year the railway made a loss which equalled the amount spent on the new workshop. Insurance charges took all admission charges and donations received  during the year. This meant that the small amount of capital works carried out had to be met from reserves.

A small festival will be held in the Museum on Saturday 8 November to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Malcolm Moore 1000 class 4wPM locomotives. A visiting engine from the Puffing Billy Museum will attend with other guest engines.

The last of the old 20lb/yd points in the loco shed has now been replace with 30lb/yd rail. 

A 3'6" gauge Malcolm Moore engine has arrived on a twenty year lease from the Mornington Peninsula Railway. The engine is believed to be the sole survivor of its class and will operate on the same track as  the Day's 3'41/2" tractor. It was built for the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission.

The railway had a visit from the "Postcards" team which should generate some interest in the railway.

Ballarat Tramway Museum

The new health standards which come into operation next year have created real problems for the tramway. All motormen will be subject to the same standards as those operating in Melbourne. However, the fact that the trams operate more slowly, have two persons on board, and are not in heavy traffic was downplayed by the authorities.

The old route telephones,  which are located at selected poles over the route, are now being removed as they have been superseded by mobile telephones.

In the workshop the overhaul of tram No 27 continues and the tram made its first test run in September. The overhaul showed up anomalies that that had obviously been with the tram since SEC days. Air leaks were found and an electrical problem discovered. As well as work on No 27, work has gone on scrubber car No 8 and the car is being stripped down and sanded. Work is concentrated near the water tank.

Bellarine Tourist Railway

Ex Queensland Railways carriage BUV 1299 has had vacuum brake apparatus fitted and is now dual braked. Stocks of vacuum equipment is now more difficult and had previously been obtained from scrapped equipment. Now brake conversion components have to be fabricated from scratch. Work has now started on dual braking the BU carriage. Arrangements have been made to obtain rubber brake components from India.

Locomotive No 6 is 100 years old and celebrations took place to commemorate this event.

Trackwork is continuing with repairs made in the vicinity of the former trestle bridge and the mainline turnout at Mannerim station. 400 sleepers have been obtained and will be put in the track over the next few months.

A book entitled "Trains, Troops, and Tourists" is being prepared and will be released to coincide with the 150th celebration of railways in Victoria.

Mornington Railway Preservation Society

T334 is steadily being restored to its former glory. Panels are being replaced or re-welded and the drivers side radiator vanes and covering mesh has been removed sandblasted, and repainted Railway Blue.  Paintwork on the sides and roof has been stripped and the cab roof has been removed and replaced with a new piece of steel plate. New number plates will be fitted

Agreement has been reached with the ARHS to allow the restoration of Walker railmotor 85RM to operating condition.

The loop at Mornington has been opened to traffic and sleeper replacement has taken place at various places. With the loop in operation the railway has been able to place a guards van at each end of the train and this had made the running of trains easier.

Puffing Billy

Work continues on G42 and the boiler has been steam tested and placed back in the frame for the first time. Work is going on at a rapid rate and the engine should see service early in 2004. Work on overhauling 8A has been deferred until G42 is operational.

The Puffing Billy Museum has made its Malcolm Moore tractor available to the Alexander Timber tramway and Museum for the celebration of 60 years of Malcolm Moore engines.

A major effort is being made to upgrade the track between Emerald and Lakeside and work is approaching Lakeside Station.

As an experiment, a Mt Lyall carriage was placed at the platform in Belgrave and used as a Cafe Car.

A second rail road vehicle is being fitted out and will be able to be available for the next fire season.

Steamrail

Unfortunately the Depot at Newport was struck by vandalism when carriage 30BE was destroyed by fire. A withdrawn silver suburban train was stored along side it and where ever these are stored, the vandals appear.

Repairs to carriages have been underway with 61 BW being completed  60 BW has been shopped for a quick repaint as it is one of the most heavily used cars in the fleet. Several sheets of the metal pan ceiling have been replaced.

Tramway Museum Society of Victoria

The vehicle storage shed  is being repaired and is more secure and resilient to the local climate. The work on connecting the vehicle maintenance shed to the track is virtually complete. The track  on the crossover and new siding (future double track) has been lifted, ballasted and packed and several trams have used this section for various purposes. Work has started to clad and seal the building frame. this see the fitting of spouting , downpipes, skylights and the fitting of a side entrance door.

SW6 887 has been returned to operation and Ballarat No 36 has been inspected, serviced, and is available for restricted traffic use.

 The Bendigo Trust

Tram No 33

SW2 No 275 returned to traffic on Monday 29^th October 2003, after receiving a minor overhaul and repaint, becoming Tram 33 in the Tour Tram fleet. Bendigo Community Telco has sponsored the tram in a three-year deal, with 33 now sporting a livery of white with burgundy trim – BCT’s colours.

Tram No 19

Most of the sign writing has now been completed on No 19.  It is now on stands in the workshop with its truck removed, having it’s faulty motor repaired and replaced.

VR No 41

 Work has continued on No 41, with the timber framing being replaced where necessary, and new side panels installed.  New internal plywood advertising racks, replacing the wood-grained sheet metal originals have also been installed.  The compressor, governor, check valve, reservoir, and most of the drop centre piping has also been installed.  The motors have been fitted to the 77E trucks, and the trucks painted and completed ready for installation under 41.  Around two-thirds of the internal beadings have been scraped back and revarnished, ready for installation.  Work is now continuing on the rebuilding of both drivers cabins.

Birney No 30

After it’s stay in Sydney, No 30 is currently receiving an upgrade to its low-voltage system, including a new sound system, new control boxes for indicators and doors, and the installation of a battery charger, to bring it into line with the other operating trams in the fleet.  The doors are also being refurbished, with some being replaced with spares left over when new doors were fitted to Nos 11 and 15.  No 30 has been chosen by Myer to be this year’s Santa Tram, and should be on the road again in mid-November, before being decorated during the first week of December.

21E Trucks

Work has commenced on the repair and reassembly of two 21E trucks for the AETM at St Kilda.  These trucks formed part of the exchange arrangement for H class No 355, which came to Bendigo in January 2002.  Two side frames have been lengthened to 9’ wheelbase, and four motors are currently being overhauled.  Springs for the trucks have also been ordered.

Z Class Trams

While not part of our fleet, we have assisted recently with the acquisition of Z2 112, which now resides on a property at Lockwood, near Bendigo.  In return for some worn rail, and assistance with unloading, we were able to secure some parts not needed by the new owner, including the pantograph, one drivers console, and many underfloor fittings.  The new owner intends turning No 112 into a B&B retreat.

 Darren Hutchesson and Dea Allen attended an auction of Z cars at Preston Workshops on Thursday 30^th October, with Darren walking away the ‘proud’ owner of No 54 (what is left of it will be further cannibalised for parts), with Dea purchasing No 46 for use as a storage room.

 R class No 1808 Tour

Bendigo Tramways was invited by Sydney Tramway Museum to operate a tour using R class No 1808, as part of the 60^th Anniversary of the AETA Convention.  The tour, held on Sunday 12^th October 2003, covered route 86 into the City, traversed the Docklands extension, then headed to Hawthorn Depot for lunch.  The afternoon was spent traversing lines in the south and south-east of Melbourne, before returning to Preston Workshops.  A planned trip to East Coburg had to be foregone when a problem with 1808 resulted in a run-in to Southbank Depot for adjustment.  Apart from this one incident, the tour was a great success, with passengers enjoying their first trip on the Melbourne system in a Sydney R Class. 

The tour was the first to be operated and organised by a group other than the two tram companies, and was only possible after submitting 23 pages of documentation, and the compliance of a number of requirements, such as a series speed restriction, and a requirement not to enter a safety zone when another tram was present in the zone.

The Central Highlands Tourist Railway

The railway has been able to carry out some contract work for the South Gippsland Tourist Railway including the rebuilding, installation, and commissioning of the gearbox and generator of their DERM 55RM. Work is continuing on the overhaul of an engine for Steamrail's DERM 56RM

The present sleeper replacement cycle (over 400 sleepers placed in the track)  has been completed and the two track machines on loan from the Victorian Goldfields railway have been returned. In exchange the railway's ballast plough wagon N2 is on loan to the VGR and is working between Muckleford and Castlemaine.

91 RM has been running the most of the services while RM 63 has a repaint. Well that was the programme! On starting work on No 63 it was apparent that the roof needed major repairs and just not patching as hoped. New timber has been cut to shape and replaced and other work repaired as necessary. The engine front end was found to need attention as the radiator had been leaking water and it had affected the metal and caused rust to build up. New rubber grommets were obtained and fitted to the radiator. With this work under way attention was turned to the car's interior and the ceiling panels have been removed and paint stripped. All this work will ensure that 63 is out of service until 2004.

A Hy-rail truck has been obtained form South Australia. In addition a front end loader/backhoe has been purchased and is to be fitted with Hy-rail wheels.          

Walhalla Goldfields Railway

Planning has started on the possible return of the railway to Erica. it is expected that it will take at least two years to prepare the plans to reopen to this town.

The Walhalla Station is to be relocated and fitted out with a grant of $80,000 from the State Government.

Work is continuing on the construction of a large diesel engine and the first power bogie has been completed The cabin is being fitted out  and it is hoped that this engine it will be operational by Christmas 2003. The Henschell steam engine has had two performance test runs in August.