March 2005#380
March 2005
#380
Please note: These pages are provided by me, Bill Russell as a service to the Puffing Billy Railway & the E.T.R.B.
If you find a problem with them please contact me first. No other person has the ability to alter these pages.
If you want to be notified when Monthly News changes send me an e-mail. My e-mail address is bill.russell@optusnet.com.au .
All active volunteers and their immediate family are invited to the Annual Barbeque which is on Saturday 19 th March 2005. It is proposed to have the function at Gembrook station from 6.45 pm. A Special train will be departing from Belgrave at about 4.00 pm (to be confirmed with your tickets), and volunteers will be collected at Emerald (especially those that have worked at Thomas or those who do not want to get home too late) to arrive at Gembrook at about 6.05 pm. Options are to take an electric train or a car to Belgrave then take our train, drive to Emerald and take our train, or drive direct to Gembrook. The return train will depart Gembrook at about 9.00 pm and is expected to arrive back at Belgrave at 10.40 pm.
Those who would like to attend should fill out the Booking Form which is included as an insert in this issue of Monthly News. Management are organising the function and serving the food and drinks.
Thanks to the many volunteers who have given thoughtful submissions on the draft paper 'Toward a Revised Volunteer Strategy'. As at 11 th February I have received 27 submissions. After the close for comment (18 th February), I propose to acknowledge each submission and read and absorb each submission, then develop principles for the final strategy, which will be costed and submitted to the Board Meeting of 16 th March.
The Strategy will then be the primary item on the agenda for an Information Night to be held on Wednesday 16 th March 2005 when the key changes proposed (from the Draft) will be discussed. Please put this date in your diary. A Final Strategy and an Action Plan (with responsible officers and due dates) will then be released in late April.
We are in desperate need of additional volunteers in Refresh at Belgrave and particularly Lakeside for March. If you can help, even from 11 am to 3 pm, please ring June. No experience is necessary.
Management have been made aware of frustration from some volunteers about the issue of uniform. Due to the workload of our uniform co-ordinator Jeff Goodwin, Jeff has had to relinquish the role. Peter Walker (supported by Jean Clowes) is now the Uniform Co-ordinator. We will attempt to resolve the outstanding orders as soon as possible.
Congratulations to John Shaw and his team who have been successful in obtaining funding for a CJP scheme commencing in March 2005. The main projects to be worked on are a shed at Emerald to house souvenirs and booking at Thomas shows and storage for Belgrave Refreshment services. These projects will provide great facilities for volunteers working.
Mr John Hoy was elected to the position of Deputy Chairman of the Emerald Tourist Railway Board at the first official meeting of the new Board. Mrs Janice Gasking, the previous Deputy Chair declined to stand for re-election as she was scheduled to travel extensively during the next year. Mr Graeme Breydon was re-elected Chairman unopposed. Henry Brohier and Peter Hiscock were active participants at their first meeting.
| Graeme Breydon ETRB Chairman chairman@pbr.org.au |
John Thompson PBPS President editor@pbr.org.au |
Ray Leivers, CEO ray.leivers@pbr.org.au |
In June the PBPS will celebrate its 50 th Anniversary. However before then we have a couple of special events to celebrate:
Late 1954 - After the running of a number of "Farewell to Puffing Billy" specials between Upper Ferntree Gully and Belgrave a "Citizen's Committee" (Messrs Hewitt, Wilton, Bull, Metcalfe and Williams) was formed to raise interest in saving the train.
2 nd March 1955 - The "Citizen's Committee" set out to raise œ1,750 ($3,500) as a guarantee for the Victorian Railways to operate Puffing Billy between Upper Ferntree Gully and Belgrave for a period of three months. (They eventually raised about œ1,250 ($2,500) which was the equivalent of about $300,000 in today's terms).
9 th April 1955 - Puffing Billy commenced running at weekends between Upper Ferntree Gully and Belgrave under the sponsorship of the "Citizen's Committee".
8 th June 1955 - The Puffing Billy Preservation Society was formed at the Independent Church Hall (now Scots Church Hall) with Harold L. Hewitt as its first president and took over responsibility from the "Citizen's Committee".
12A has been 'outshopped' in the colours our locos wore in 1955 and some of our carriages are having a yellow strip applied along their sides as they were painted back then.
Billboards are being designed for display around the Railway to celebrate the event.
A meeting and film night is being organized for Wednesday 8 th June at Scots Church Hall to celebrate our 50 th Anniversary. (See Social Committee information below.)
A Gala Day is being planned for Saturday 11th June to celebrate our progress to date.
John Shaw
Keith Lierse, one of our regular Guard volunteers received a 'Menzies Award' on Australia Day for his community service over the past 35 years in the areas of Jaycees, bushwalking, skiing and search & rescue. The Menzies Award is an annual award to citizens in the Menzies Federal Electorate to those people who have made a significant contribution to the community. Congratulations Keith.
Chilled water is now available at all our stations in the crew rooms. We have also placed large 3 litre water containers in the fridges to enable you to fill your own water bottles.
We now have cool water fountains at both Lakeside and Belgrave Crew rooms on the station platform, the drivers & fireman crew room and also in the Belgrave Workshops so you can refill you own water bottle with cool water.
We need clean rags, old sheets and towels are ideal, so if you clean out that linen press and have any items you are throwing out, please bring them in. They can be left at Belgrave in the crew room on the platform.
While on the subject of cleaning out the cupboards, if you have any coffee mugs, we would appreciate them in the crew room on the platform at Belgrave. Thanks.
Sue Ham
Please call Deb Woodward or email me at deborah@bellrealestate.com.au to discuss a job on Sunday 1 st May 2005. I will call all the regular gang but there is always room for new chums to join in on this great fundraising event.
There are different jobs available on this day over and above your normal duties; such as traffic management of cars arriving at the Lake to collect runners or loading of the truck at Belgrave. I look forward to your call.
Deb Woodward,
GTR Manpower Co-ordinator
This trip has been brought forward. We plan to travel by train from Spencer St. to Ararat and then by bus to the Great Western Winery. Look for further details and booking form with this copy of Monthly News.
To coincide with the Society's 50th Birthday celebrations, the Social Committee is organising a special film evening. The event will be held in the Scots Church Hall in Russell Street, Melbourne, the same location as the inaugural meeting of the Puffing Billy Preservation Society. It is intended to show film and slide from around the time of the Society's founding. Further details will be announced nearer the time, but the venue has plenty of seating so make a note in your diary now to attend!
Following our visit to the "Bellarine Peninsula Railway" last year, we are looking to visit them again, this time on a Saturday evening (date to be confirmed) to travel on their enormously popular 'Blues Train'. So come along and join us for an evening of fine food, live music and fun! Watch for further details soon - this will be a great event.
Further details nearer the date.
Jeff Goodwin
A reminder that in my absence (until 7 th March), Jean Clowes will be looking after Rostering issues whilst Ross Peterken will be coordinating the Conductor Training.
Could those Head Conductors and Senior Conductors who are involved with Conductor Training please ensure that the Trainee's Record is completed for those elements covered during the training shift. The Records are now kept in the Booking Office and the appropriate section(s) are to be signed and dated by the Conductor and Trainee concerned prior to the folder being returned to the Booking Office.
In this way, the Trainee's progress can be monitored and where sections have not been signed off will assist for the following training session(s).
Ron Kelly
A plea to all those who use the signal box at Menzies Creek. A considerable effort is going into restoring the equipment and your efforts in maintaining our high standards would be appreciated.
The signal levers are being progressively cleaned and we would ask that all persons USE THE CLOTH PROVIDED when operating the levers. Several cloths have been removed recently and your assistance is sought to ensure that they remain in place and are used as at ALL times.
The track indication diagram has been commissioned at Menzies Creek (A03/2005). This is another step in the provision of the full signalling arrangements.
Andrew Wheatland.
Thanks to Andrew Rayment for donating a 1982 copy of Train Ops procedures. This is not only a procedure document but a record of the people who were involved in those days.
Thanks also to Keith Atkinson (via Rob Emmerson) for his continued supply of ticket examples for our archives.
Hugh Markwick
Huge reductions - Picnic baskets and picnic hampers - some baskets have been reduced from $400.00 to $50.00. Be quick, first in first served.
Damaged Thomas stock will be available at cost price plus GST, so it will be first in best dressed.
To stay open we need your help, even for a few hours a day.
Anyone wishing to volunteer to work at Menzies Creek, please call April Williams. It would be the same type of work as at Belgrave and Lakeside and would only involve selling to the public. No Baking or Meal Preparation involved.
If anyone would like to volunteer for the new season of Thomas starting mid February please call April asap please.
If you would like to apply for the position of Rostering Officer for Refreshment services, please contact June Ilett as soon as possible.
April Williams.
Safeworking Course No.26 started on the 5th of February with 13 eager participants being handed their Rules, Regulations, Working Time Table along with the endless paperwork that goes with Safeworking on the Railway. They started learning the correct way to give hand signals and had a preliminary look around Belgrave Station yard.
Over the next six months expect to see these trainees undertake supervised one to one training with our 'On the Job' trainers at the back of trains and around yards and Safeworking installations.
Our trainers also attended a training session on the 12 th of February to update their skills so our new Safeworking trainees will have the best of training.
Ray Williams
Safeworking Supervisor
The desperate shortage of guards continues - the plague of injury, illness and unavailability is the worst in my time as roster officer. Get well fellas, we need you!
The March roster is full of vacancies - Easter is particularly bad. So if you do have some spare days please contact me with the good news.
The top yard at Belgrave is now fully fenced. As a result of this it is now required that the last guard of the day makes sure not only that the main yard gates are closed and locked but also the small gate at the top of the steps opposite the Stationmaster's office.
All guards are reminded that when showing a green flag to depart trains from Belgrave they should stand in the open daylight forward of the station building. It is extremely difficult, and in some light conditions almost impossible, for loco drivers to see a green (or red!) flag in the shadow of the station building.
The points at the head shunt of Nos. 1 & 2 Roads at Belgrave require extreme caution. Please make sure that these points are set correctly before moving anything forward out of the head shunt. Use a point clip when required.
The May roster will be the last one prepared by me. Three years is long enough and it's time to give somebody else a turn. Greg Hanslow tells me that he hasn't exactly been inundated with volunteers for the job, so if you're even remotely considering it, give Greg a ring and ask him a few questions. Main prerequisites are plenty of spare time - particularly in the evenings, enjoying contact with your fellow guards, and a bit of organizational skill. Talk to Greg!
I will be away the second week of March (Mother's 90 th) so I'll be ringing around during the first week of March re the April roster.
Bob Cochrane
A.02/2005 - Provision of Security Fencing around Nos. 3, 4 & 5 Roads. Issued on 15th Feb 2005
A.03/2005 - Provision of Track Indication Diagram at Menzies Creek. Issued on 14th Feb 2005
Rob Emmerson
Could all Engine Cleaners please wear name badges when working around the Loco Running Shed, as it helps other people on the Railway recognise you more easily (sometimes it's difficult if you're all covered in grease)!
If you do not have a name badge, please contact Fleur Barrell, Sue Ham or Wilma Ratcliffe in the Belgrave office so that we can organise one for you.
If your contact details (such as home or business phone number, postal address or e-mail) have changed and you don't think we have the new details, could you please contact Fleur (fleur.barrell@pbr.org.au) so that we can update our records, and thus contact you in a timely manner if need be.
On Sunday 23 rd Jan, an extra train was scheduled between Belgrave & Lakeside because of heavy passenger loadings from the general public. No.15 was timed ex Belgrave at 11.30am but got away late due to the number of passengers offering for it and previous services. Driver Mauseth worked his engine (No.7A) to the best advantage and eight excursion cars were well loaded. The SM Belgrave and the Signalman/Booking Clerk (Ed: a good bloke with some previous railway experience) agreed to make up time at 'Ming River' where possible. With a suitable announcement, No.15 Down arrived there at 12.14 and left at 12.15 - in actual fact 68 seconds. Ah, yes, we are only volunteers but it's nice to know that although often seeing how the 'professionals' in the 'big' railway do things nowadays, some railwaymen can still run a railway.
(Ed: The above 'para' was provided, anonymously mind, by a bloke who likes the number 412. Now I wonder who that could be?)
The Climax boiler has gone off for grit blasting. This will clean it up for the major work that has to be done on it. This will bring Stage 1 of the restoration project to an end. Thanks to Darren Baker for the kind donation of a digital camera. This camera will be used to record the work done on the locomotive. The photos will be used to keep people up to date with progress and also as a record of the work involved. Work has been underway on a Business Plan and a Capital Expenditure request for some time. These will soon be finished and will be submitted to the Executive. If approved, the next stage in the restoration process will start.
The first Saturday workday saw five willing workers at Belgrave for various parts of the day. We were mainly working on rearranging some of the workshop. This will make it easier for Climax work in the future. The next Climax workday will be Saturday 5 th March. Come along if you can.
Every stage needs money to go with the Volunteer labour component. The more money there is, the faster the work can proceed. We need both labour and money to keep the project going and bring it to fruition within the next few years. If you can spare either please let us know.
John Conway
jfgconway@yahoo.com
It will continue in 2005 on the first Saturday in the month.
Hugh Markwick
| JANUARY | 2005 | 2004 |
|---|---|---|
| Train kilometres for the month | 4,933 | 5,055 |
| Loco kilometres steam | 4,931 | 4,830 |
| Loco kilometres diesel | 169 | 449 |
| NA locomotive days for month | 84 | 99 |
| G42 days for month | 25 | n/a |
| Carriage kilometres | 46,050 | 45,769 |
| Carriage Days for month | 1,135 | 1,065 |
| Highest kms operated loco | 1,460 | 1,488 |
| Highest kms operated pass vehicle | 1,693 | 1,736 |
| Highest kms operated wagon | 19* | 8 |
| On-time running (OT - 5") | 62% | 39% |
| Scheduled trips run (one way) | 313 | 308 |
| Revenue trips (one way) | 316 | 312 |
| Non-revenue trips (one way) | 6 | 16 |
| Locos docked on trains by due time | 70%** | 73% |
| Carriage sets docked by due time | 65%** | n/a |
*excludes NQR 142 which ran 827kms configured as a passenger vehicle.
**only around half of all trips were measured due to use of older style Train Running Sheets on 6 train days.
Tuesday 11 th January was the only total fire ban day for the month. (1 day in Jan 2004).
On Tuesday 25th January, a diesel hauled undergear inspection train ran to Menzies Creek. That in itself was not unusual. Neither was the addition of extra cars and the other diesel loco to train No.11 as far as Menzies Creek. However the two diesels (now repainted in blue and yellow livery) and carriages were combined for the return to Belgrave making a total of 21 vehicles for 176 tons. If anyone photographed the train, I am sure John Thompson would appreciate a photo for Narrow Gauge. Is this the longest train run on 2' 6" in Victoria?
On Friday 28 th January, G42 ran an evening spark arrestor trial to Lakeside and back, hauling 16 vehicles.
Bob Wilson
The next workday will be Tuesday 12th April. Wear old clothing suitable for the weather conditions. (Proposed dates for the rest of the year are Tuesday 5 th July, Tuesday 27 th September and Tuesday 20 th December.)
We are considering the startup of a Saturday workday for Young Volunteers in the 14 to 20 year old range. This group would work on a substantial project that would let them learn and practise new skills. More details about this next month.
Do not forget to ring or email me prior to the day.
John Conway
jfgconway@yahoo.com
Recent rain has meant that we have run very few fire patrols during February. However, with the possibility of a late summer, fire patrols will continue to be vital to our running. There are still a number of vacancies for Fire Patrol drivers and assistants and if you can spare some time please call Terry on e-mail at tblee@bigpond.com
Trolley EBR 26 has had its body fitted and is undergoing testing. Our two road-rail vehicles have both had mechanical problems which are subject to technical investigations.
In early February, after a record amount of rain, we had a number of mud-slips in cuttings where the ground softened and slipped onto the track. We also had a significant number of trees across the line. Whilst we were able to get services to Lakeside with minimal delay, Gembrook services were cancelled for that day. Cleaning up has taken at least two weeks to date.
A compound has been constructed around Nos. 3, 4 & 5 Roads at Belgrave to provide improved security for our carriages.
Our next Volunteer Work Day will be on Saturday 19th March. Work will once again be in the forest on the Down side of Menzies Creek and will involve replacing sleepers and repairing a number of minor track faults. The usual sumptuous BBQ lunch will be provided. Please let Roster Officer Terry know if you can attend