December  2003

General News

The Victorian State Government has gazetted the date of the commencement of the Code of Practice for Medical Standards. This came into operation on the 17 December 2003 for accredited rail providers and operators except for Not for Profit organisations. These regulations commence for Not for Profit organizations on 1 March 2004.

As well as the commencement of these regulations in Victoria, the National Road Transport Commission has issued four volumes of a National draft on this subject based on the Victorian Regulations. The draft has been issued for comment by all accredited rail organisations within Australia by Friday 13 February 2004.

Rail Network Safeworking Project

The Victorian Government Department of Infrastructure has commenced a revision of the present safeworking Rules within Victoria. The people undertaking the study have been shocked to find out that Heritage rail operates under its own rule book and uses Staff and Ticket and with relatively few signals.  They had thought that they would be able to introduce such new  operating rules for all railway operations in Victoria quite easily and they may even spread nationally. They have come down to earth with a thud and realise that the project is much larger than they thought. They expected, for example, that Heritage Rail would have colour light signals  and that all heritage operating staff basically worked for the commercial operators. They did not realise that this is no longer so and have had to go back to re-examining  the entire criteria  of the project if they wish to have the new rule book  covering heritage as well as the commercial network. Unfortunately this is just another example of people not understanding the needs of Heritage Rail.

Fatigue Management

The National Road Transport Commission is working on fatigue management guidelines. The Australasian Railway Association  (ARA) (which has shifted to Canberra under new management) wishes to manage the new guidelines for the industry. This raises the interesting question of how such an organisation which is made up basically of commercial operators can be responsible for the operation of heritage rail or making informed comment in such matters?

National Code of Practice

A National Code of Practice is being drawn up by the ARA which has set up the Code Management Company to consult with and manage the code with the industry.

News from Members

Coal Creek Bush Tramway

The tramway has able to hold its fares down and has seen its patronage improving. The line issues a day ticket for as many rides as patrons may use. The main engine has been the Hudson Hunslet Diesel locomotive and the steam engine has been restricted in use as it needed frequent adjustment to its brake shoes. The material from which the brake shoes was cast was too soft and new shoes have now been cast from harder material.

Work is continuing on the restoration of the Ruston Hornsby engine  and spare parts are being sought from the UK. A turning triangle has been built at Sunbeam Station and the diesel engine and carriages have all been turned  to even up wear on the flanges. The third carriage is being repaired and is almost complete with a new roof.

Two new projects are being considered, one to make a new station at the lower village gate and the other to construct a new line from the present Ruddville Station up to the Coal Creek Museum Station. To do this a zig zag will need to be built to get up to the higher level.

Geelong Steam Preservation Society 

The Bellarine Tourist Railway has been the recipient of a Work for the Dole scheme called Railway Station Builders. It is proposed to construct a passenger platform at Lakers Siding Station As well as this a number of road crossing signs and station outbuildings have been painted as well as the Queenscliff Stationmasters office. The new platform at Lakers Siding will be built to Tasmanian height rather than VR style.

Engine No 6 is 100 years old and a special event was held  on Sunday 26 October 2003 to celebrate the engines birthday. No 4, the 1916 Vulcan engine, is in service after resting for 18 years.

The railway took part in the 2003 Queenscliff music festival with 16 Blues trains run to Lakers Siding.

A charter was run for a visiting British group using Klondyke. The music Festival continues to win awards for regional tourism events.

At Drysdale Station the City Council has provided modern children's play equipment and has given bluestone which will be used for garden improvements.

Level crossing lights have been commissioned at the Queenscliff Portarlington Road.

Puffing Billy

As part of the continuing upgrade of the railways facilities, a contract has been let to build the workshop extensions. 

As modern travellers now seek better seating than the Spartan seats that Puffing Billy has  traditionally  provided in the NBH carriage fleet, a carriage has been upgraded with upholstered seats. Once it receives agreement to the style etc, of the upgrade, the rest of the NBH carriage fleet will follow.

A new resident has taken up space outside the Puffing Billy Museum in the form of a J class engine. J541 is to be restored on site for its owners. Puffing Billy will not be regauged to run the engine when restored. 

A long time resident  of the Museum at Menzies Creek, Abt Engine No 5 has been purchased by the Tasmanian Government and has  returned to Hobart where it will be restored into working order for the West Coast Wilderness Railway.

The last Santa trains organised by the Get G42 Going Committee has run. The committee has been responsible for running these events for the last 20 years, a tremendous effort over such a long time.  In 2004 a new committee will be set up to run the Santa trains.

G42 is nearing completion and 2004 will see the engine running on the Puffing Billy railway under its own steam for the first time.

Photo Bob Wilson

Mornington Railway Preservation Society

The railways Steam engine K163 has failed and services have had to be run using the lines diesel engine T 411. It is hoped to have the steam engine back in service by the end of December 2003.

The railway has formed a sub-committee  to advance the objective of returning the line back to Baxter. Adult fares are to increase to $10 from the 1st February 2004.

The work needed to restore K163 has been major. The engine is being re-tubed, the smoke box is being rebuilt the funnel replaced and replacement steam delivery pipes installed among other extensive works. Work on diesel T 334 is continuing with body work being restored to a very high standard.

A new venture has been the setting up of a car boot market in the Moorooduc car park on the 2nd Sunday of the month.

As usual, track maintenance has continued with sleeper replacement, tree removal after storm damage and spraying of Moorooduc yard.  Other works has been the replacement of the canvas corridor connectors of 45BE and 57BE. Van 20ZB has been painted Passenger Burgundy.

The Central Highlands Tourist Railway 

The Daylesford station building has received a major upgrade inside with a grant of $5,000 from Arts Victoria for the Museum area. The white ant damaged floor has been replaced in the Museum room and bathroom and the opportunity was taken to upgrade the volunteer amenities in the bathroom and kitchen.

The mechanical track equipment has taken a quantum leap forward with a new Hi rail truck, a backhoe and a tie bed scarifier. Trolleys have not been forgotten with the red thumper trolley being painted and the rest of the trolley fleet's paintwork touched up where necessary.

91RM has been providing the scheduled passenger service while 63RM is under repair. New structural timber has been made and placed in the flat roof area of the engine end front. The rest of the roof has received attention with some new timber inserted. At the engine end front, the steel work of the chassis was repaired as necessary.

Steamrail

D³ 639 has celebrated its centenary and ran a 100th anniversary tour to Seymour. The organisation has suffered from a downturn in its operations and these have taken the form of increased costs, volunteer burnout and the continuing effect of the Benalla accident. Coupled to this are problems in obtaining crews and the need for an accredited operator to run trains on the main line. All these difficulties are being tackled and with time will be overcome.

Work on the repairing of carriages continues and 600 BK has been repainted. Compartment tables have been made for 3 ABE.  When A² 986 was obtained  from Warragul and replaced with J550, part of the conditions of the exchange was that Steamrail was to repaint the engine every five years up to 2006. The next repaint is now due and Steamrail is seeking volunteers for this work.

Tramway Museum Society of Victoria

Most work in recent months has concentrated on upgrading and enhancing the exhibits. Work has commenced on Ballarat No 17 to return it to the 1950's appearance. Work has also started on 7W to make it more presentable to the public. Z class No 5 has had all the security grills and doors  removed and the conductor's consols will be fitted to the car to return it to the condition when built.

Work has also continued on the buses and the Mk VI bus No 759 has been repaired and prepared for repainting.

Yarra Valley Tourist Railway

Work is going ahead on the restoration of the DERM, 62 RM in the new shed. A large amount of trackwork has been done in the Healesville station yard and the new shed has been connected to the yard.

Lineside clearance has gone ahead with weed spraying of 70 % of the line sprayed in September. Healesville Station has received attention and three rooms have had their floors replaced. Passenger numbers have been steady and over 5,000 persons were carried on the trolleys. The trolley fleet has received upgraded cushions to make the ride more enjoyable.

New Zealand

Our colleagues in New Zealand have been busy over the last 12 months. They held their conference in June 2003 and  among the matters discussed was Insurance. Fortunately Public Liability Insurance can still be obtained in New Zealand but the cost is increasing there as well as in Australia. 

In addition, they are having problems with the NZ regulator who is tending to move away from self managed safety procedures, subject to external audit, to control by edict "from the centre" by the Regulator. This has resulted in the laying down of edicts which are global and do not take into account the needs and operation of Heritage Rail.