July 2006#396
July 2006
#396
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 .
On Monday 12 th June the Puffing Billy Preservation Society Executive Committee elected Lachlan A'Vard as its nominee to the Emerald Tourist Railway Board to fill the vacancy created when Henry Brohier resigned recently. Although the formal process of appointment by the Government will take a little time to complete, Lachie attended and participated in his first Board meeting on the 14 th June.
The next information evening for interested volunteers members and staff will be on Wednesday 25 th July at 7.45 p.m. in the Belgrave Masonic Hall. Topics covered will include the Strategic Plan, impacts of the new Rail Safety legislation commencing 31st July, our recent business results, progress on developing a vision for Belgrave Station and follow up actions from the last meeting.
We are pleased to advise that Ms Shirley Westerberg has joined the Puffing Billy team at Belgrave, with responsibility for product development and management and marketing activities. Shirley will be with us until December this year, and over the next three months she will work with Andrew Stephens and David Eaton to develop an optimal structure and roles for Business Development into the future. The agreed structure and associated staff positions will be advertised widely in September 2006 to enable a smooth transition at the end of the year.
The position has been funded from part of the savings achieved by not replacing the former Divisional Manager Civil Engineering role, allowing us to transfer resources into the vital areas of business development, business management and marketing and market research.
Shirley's career highlights include:
Shirley is no stranger to the Dandenongs and Puffing Billy, having lived at The Patch for many years. We are sure you will make her very welcome during her stay at Puffing Billy.
A new Rail Safety Act is due to commence on 31st July 2006 that provides for sharing of responsibility for rail safety between operators, rail safety workers and others involved in the provision and maintenance of infrastructure and rolling stock. Whilst many requirements relating to individuals are largely unchanged (e.g. not being impaired by alcohol or drugs) it does clarify that the management of safety risks is the responsibility of the person best able to control that risk. That includes alerting management to issues that may impact your health and fitness and recognising when fatigue may affect your performance as well a following defined procedures, reporting incidents internally and not taking short cuts that may result in risk to yourself or others. For the Railway there will be additional documentation requirements and some upgrading of our training and competency assessment processes over a three year transitionary period.
The invitation to comment on the Draft Strategic Plan created a huge amount of interest and valuable feedback, which was considered at the most recent meeting of the Railway's Strategic Planning Committee. The Strategic Plan is being refined in the light of the Committee's review of the feedback and will be discussed at the Information Night in July. This will be your last opportunity for input, so please participate if you can! It is proposed that a final version of the Plan will then be provided to the Board for adoption at its August meeting.
On the recommendation of the Railway's Heritage Advisory Committee and following wide consultation, the Board has adopted Sections 5 (Stations), 6 (Station Yards), 7 (Civil Engineering & Permanent Way) and 8 (Signals & Telegraphs) as official policy. Draft sections 9 to 12 of the Manual, covering locomotives, rolling stock and signage, are now under review by the Heritage Committee and management. Controlled copies of the Heritage Standards Manual are held by all Managers, PBPS Committee members and board members and are now also issued to our new Head Station Masters, so please contact any of these people if you wish to consult the Manual.
| Andrew Stephens CEO | Graeme Breydon ETRB Chairman | John Thompson PBPS President |
Would all volunteers intending to respond to this survey please have it sent to Kevin Findlay by Friday July 7 th.
Many thanks to all of you who have participated and shared your invaluable comments. We have received over 300 responses to date and already significant trends are being identified. Hopefully we will have a report to the Board, Managers, Society and your selves by the end of July.
The father of our CEO passed away late on the afternoon of Friday 16th June after a long illness. Our condolences go to Andrew, his partner Margot and his mother at this difficult and stressful time.
Graeme Breydon, Chairman
Over recent months, two of our volunteers have been trying out the food at Epworth Hospital whilst keeping the hospital's Neurosurgeons busy. Warren Mauseth had a back fusion operation just before last Christmas and he has been recuperating at his home in Ballarat. He is going so well that he hopes to resume footplate duties in the next month or so.
Tom Murray (Ed: Much older), was attended to by his 'Vet' in mid-March and after two weeks or so at Epworth, the first of which he was quite away with the birdies on Morphine, found the food much better at St Georges in Kew for three weeks rehab. He is now home using the phone incessantly to catch up on the gossip.
We wish them both well.
Editor's Note: Privacy legislation prevents us from publishing news (both good and bad) of events that happen to our volunteers unless the volunteer concerned tells us, or gives their permission to you to tell us. We are permitted to repeat information in the daily press.
There will be two Level 2 First Aid courses in July. One will be on Tuesday 18 th & Wednesday 19 th July. The other is on Saturdays 15 th& 22 nd July.
If you would like to take part, please call Deb Lyons on 9757 0704 or email deb.lyons@pbr.org.au.(after the 10th July please).
Dear Bill (if I may be so bold),
A friend sent me the link to your Monthly News.....what a surprise!!!
It was a great pleasure to see my letter published in the Herald Sun and all you wonderful Puffing Billy volunteers being acknowledged & applauded - you all so thoroughly deserve it!!
I have actually been on PB again since then when a party of us met at Belgrave & chugged on up the mountain aboard PB for a birthday lunch at Emerald, then back to Belgrave on PB to collect our cars. It was a cold, wet miserable winter day and there again were the PB volunteers keeping on keeping on!
Again, may I say "Well done to every one of you marvellous, dedicated PB lovers"
With my very best regards to all,
Margaret Harris
For all those interested in jumpers, I now have jumpers to try ranging from size 16 to 24. Please let me know and we can arrange a time if you are interested in trying on the jumpers.
Jean Clowes
If you are able to spare some time to work in Refreshments at any of our stations anytime this month, it would be much appreciated. We have many gaps to fill.
Could you please call June or April during business hours.
Puffing Billy Blackberry Jam on sale for only $4.00
Puffing Billy Steaming into the 21st Century -DVD -Was $35.00, Now $29.99.
April Williams
As a major tourist attraction it is our policy to have the Aussie flag flying during daylight hours. During the week the girls in reception put the flag up each day and bring it down at the end of the day. On weekends and public holidays it is the Station Masters responsibility to ensure the flag is flying. Just a reminder to all our SMs if you could please ensure the flag is put up and brought in at the end of the day. The flag is left at the window in the reception area upstairs.
Jean Clowes
Congratulations to long time volunteer Emile Badawy who on May 9th, successfully passed his theory and practical Driver's examinations with Bob Evans.
How Safely Are You Shunting?
Congratulations to Peter Homan who was recently passed for firing duties by Bob Evans.
Drivers are reminded that when there are delays in running trains an IDR is required detailing the reasons.
There has been a major change to what was published in the June "Monthly News" with regards to my replacement for the next two and a half months. As you may know, Fleur is now sharing her time between two work locations: Train Operations and Infrastructure. She will only spend Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Train Operations.
Paul Pavlinovich has kindly offered to step in and act as the Guard and Signalman Roster Clerk until my return in early September.
It is very important to those wanting to discuss roster matters that you deal directly with the Roster Clerk, which in this case is Paul, and of course myself when I return. Some people still telephone Fleur or give her a message if they see her on the platform. There have been times when Guard availabilities have been passed on to her and because other matters are on her mind at the time, the information has not been forwarded to the Roster Clerk immediately. Whatever the case may be, she still has to pass the information on to the Roster Clerk, which is basically double handling. Therefore it is important you deal directly with the Roster Clerk in the first instance.
Another matter concerns lamps:- Now that winter is with us it is important for Guards on Nos.11/40 and 33/44 (Yellow Timetable) and Nos.33/42 and 42-46 (Purple Timetable) to remember to take a pair of tail lamps and a tri-coloured hand lamp when departing Belgrave. With regards to the Purple Timetable the Guard taking out Train No.9 should place a set of lamps in the "Down" end van, this is because this carriage set is out all day, returning as No.42-46 from Gembrook and Lakeside.
Kevin Stanes, Roster Clerk - Guards & Signalmen (Rail Touring).
| MAY | 2006 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|
| Train kilometres for the month | 2 963 | 3 188 |
| Loco kilometres steam | 3 030 | 3 190 |
| Loco kilometres diesel | 61 | 209 |
| NA locomotive days for month | 61 | 75 |
| G 42 days for month | 17 | 1 |
| Carriage kilometres | 27 408 | 25 932 |
| Carriage Days for month | 795 | 765 |
| Highest kms operated - loco | 1 118 | 1 212 |
| Highest kms operated - pass vehicle | 1 178 | 1 535 |
| Highest kms operated - wagon | 16 | 92 |
| On-time running (OT - 5") | 65% | 76% |
| Scheduled trips run (one way) | 180 | 171 |
| Revenue trips (one way) | 198 | 183 |
| Non-revenue trips (one way) | 6 | 8 |
| Locos docked on trains by due time | 85% | 90% |
| Carriage sets docked by due time | 89% | 98% |
Scheduled weekday train running beyond Lakeside to Gembrook ceased for 'winter' from Monday 8th May. The operation of two trains between Lakeside and Gembrook at weekends is continuing.
Bob Wilson
A full time position is available for a fully qualified fitter at Belgrave. The ability to draw Auto CAD would be and advantage
Applications to be forwarded to Adam Black by Monday the 10 th of July.
The work on 8A continues. Please come along, all are very welcome and we will train you in any skills required.
Adam Black.
Selby Station - Selby - Aura Road.
All fishplates in this section which required replacing with 'modified' versions have now been completed. There remains only one day's resleepering to do, which will happen very soon. After this we can then start on improving the drainage.
Then it is the tampers turn to do its job of levelling and packing the track. Reballasting, Lining and further lifting will then be required. This work is running to schedule.
Located in the track patrol vehicle there is a new form to fill out if you find any faults during your inspection. The purpose of this form is for you to use on the spot to help remind you when you have finished your patrol what and where the fault was. This information should be transferred onto your track patrollers form which should end up with the Road Foreman. The new form stays in the vehicle.
Remember if the fault is urgent the Road Foreman or Way & Works Manager should be contacted immediately.
Work has been continuing on the Clematis station upgrade project. The station building has been cleaned and repainted, with minor repairs being carried out in a few locations. The platform coping support posts have been installed, the next task is to erect the coping timbers and finish the platform surface. This scheme comes to a finish in about two months.
Stanley Street Belgrave.
Renovation work has been happening on the old house which is now being used by the Infrastructure Division, with two offices being completed.
Excavation work for the new shed site has started at the rear of the house. There is a lot of 'sloppy' material to be removed and replaced with suitable crushed rock before the site will be ready for building on. The shed is to replace the existing one on the plateau at Belgrave and will house vehicles and tools for the W&W branch.
The June work day was very successful with cross boring of joint sleepers and approximately 50 old sleepers being relaced, between pole 39 and Selby - Aura Rd.
The July work day is scheduled for the 15 th. Work will concentrate in the same location between Selby and Selby Aura Rd.
From all the staff of Way and Works we would like to pass on our deepest sympathies to Andrew Stephens on the death of his father.
On Sunday 17 th September we will be having a party to celebrate the 120th birthday of 861. Brochures regarding the special event will be sent out with the August Monthly News. Just remember to keep the day free. After all, how often do you get invited to a 120th birthday?
This locomotive was built in Couillet, Belgium in 1886 and brought to Australia to work at the West Melbourne Gasworks. 861, along with its sister engine, 986 or Carbon, hauled Maitland coal from the wharf to the gasworks. A Peckett locomotive in the mid-1920s joined them in their work. These days, 861 hauls special trains for the Social Committee and also works the Footplate Experience train to raise money for the restoration of the Climax locomotive.
The Climax Committee is the beneficiary of some pre-apprenticeship training. MEGT, a training provider, trains and places people for apprenticeships and traineeships. Some of their pre-apprentices have been constructing cubby houses as part of their course. We were lucky enough to have one of these very well built cubbies donated to us. The cubby will be painted by the Young Workshop Group, possibly in heritage colours and then raffled or sold to raise funds. Those who need a great gift for the kids for Christmas or a unique model train room, watch this space to learn how pick up very special building. Or just make me an offer that I can't refuse. We will win twice from this - we raise some money and our young workers gain some useful skills. Thanks to Steve Holmes for the contact, and a big THANKS to Vanessa Hoppe and the people at MEGT.
There was a very good response to the kitboxes and toolboxes. They should be arriving before the end of the month. I will ring to arrange pickup times with those who have ordered. The Footplate Experience trains are going well. We have had some good, fun trips. There are still plenty days available. Think about getting Dad a special Fathers' Day treat or get in early for Christmas.
John Conway, jfgconway@yahoo.com
Our June Saturday was very busy. Eccentric straps and slide bars for 8A were painted. A headlamp for 986 was cleaned and polished. The next workday will be on Saturday 1st July. Come along and help get 8A out of the workshop so that we can do more work on the Climax.
John Conway