October 2007#411
October 2007
#411
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 .
Congratulations to Gordon Ross who was selected as Safe working Course achiever for 2006 (that's right 2006 - we are in catch up mode).
The award, which is in memory of safe working instructor Alan Bridge, is awarded at the conclusion of each safe working course to the course participant who is deemed by the safe working training committee to have been a constant high achiever.
Whilst on the subject of congratulations, our long serving Di Moss has left us to marry Steve Klimisch. Puff wishes you and Steve all the best for the future. Di will be back but only on a very part time basis.
In Di's place we welcome Suzanne Ladiges to our Puffing Billy family. We hope your stay with us will be a long and enjoyable one.
Doris Bevan has not been in particularly good health of recent time. Hope you are well on the road to recovery and back here with us all shortly.
If you are interested in applying, drop a line to John Hoy. Closing date for applications is October 12th.
A limited number of vacancies for the next series of classes are available. Again applications to John Hoy. Closing date is October 12th.
John Shaw [AKA 'Melba'] is looking to ease back and retire from his previous retirement project management activities [this is the third time retiring].
As a result we are now seeking the services of a Manager External Projects. John would be content to assist but would like to pass on the leadership component to someone else. A position description, salary and other details can be obtained from John.
Applications in writing to john.shaw@pbr.org.au John will form part of a selection panel to review all applications.
Applications close October 12th.
We are pleased to report that settlement of the estate of the late Peter Priestly has resulted in the Society receiving a final distribution of almost $30,000 under the terms of his Will. This brings the total received by the Society to approximately $280,000.
This is a magnificent gesture on Peter's part and a welcome boost to our Endowment Fund for restoration projects. Our thanks are due to John Robinson who, as Executor of Peter's estate, has persevered in overcoming legal difficulties and delays to achieve an outcome that respects Peter's wishes and greatly benefits Puffing Billy.
A long-time PBPS member has offered to donate his lifetime collection of Australian and world rail-interest books to our Archives. In return, we have given an assurance that the collection will be preserved intact and will form a substantial library for the interest and benefit of Puffing Billy people and others. The Archives group is currently working on one day every week and is making good progress with management of our growing collection. A 'user requirement' brief is being prepared for additional space at Kings Road.
| Peter Hiscock Chairman ETRB | John Hoy Acting CEO | John Thompson President PBPS |
.......we have suffered from several thefts of cash from the Belgrave shop in recent weeks. The first two thefts were not recorded, but there was another subsequent to surveillance cameras being installed. The actions of the thief were absolutely brazen. The perpetrator, not we hasten to say a Puffing Billy person, is well known to police, and has been observed undertaking similar thefts in retail shops in Belgrave and elsewhere. The same person is responsible for all three robberies from our premises. The Belgrave police have the matter in hand.
While there has been some objection to the installation of the cameras, they have certainly proven their worth, as much for the protection provided for shop staff and volunteers as for the detection of theft or damage by outsiders. We would much rather not have to protect ourselves in this fashion, but retail theft is endemic, and the fact we are a not-for-profit organisation, staffed largely by volunteers, does not lessen the risk. An unscrupulous thief might have seen us as an easy target, however we all need to be vigilant and not simply accept unusual behaviour by visitors to our premises.
John Andrea
On Saturday 10th November we will be conducting a trolley driver training day. Anyone with safe working who wishes to become a trolley driver, please contact Daniel O'Connor for the full details. To avoid disappointment get in early as we usually end up with the maximum number of participants.
A new car park has been laid out at the rear of the US Buses depot in Belgrave. This is for the use of PB patrons and is intended to provide overflow parking.
There exists a position for a suitably qualified tradesperson for carriage building at Emerald Carriage Workshops for the manufacturing of doors and windows for Railway carriages.
Tasks would also involve the general woodworking of Rolling Stock.
It would be expected the successful applicant would have had experience in woodworking, be keen, reliable and able to work with minimal supervision, as part of the Emerald Carshops team.
In addition, the successful applicant would need to be prepared to work at any other nominated location along the Belgrave/Gembrook rail corridor.
The successful applicant would be offered a full time permanent position following an agreed trial period of not more than 3 months.
Applications in writing to be forwarded to Fleur Barrell, PO Box 451, Belgrave VIC 3160 or fleur.barrell@pbr.org.au
The closing date for applications is Monday 15th of October, 2007.
It's not long to go until the Wizards & Witches Express arrives in Emerald and bookings are increasing every day. We have had a number of people volunteer their time for this new event however we still need a few more! To refresh your memory, details of the event are as follows:
Tuesday 2nd, Wednesday 3 rd and Thursday 4 th October 2007
We're aiming to run three shows each day at 10.00am, 11.45am and 1.30pm.
We have sufficient drivers and firemen, however we still need:
| * Guards * Booking Officers * Shop crew * Sausage sizzle crew * Popcorn sellers |
* Signalmen Station Masters * Sound person * Fairy floss makers | * Conductors Refreshment crew Ground / set-up crew * Qualified food handlers |
Remember, you don't have to act ....however we are keen for volunteers to tap into their inner child and dress as witches and wizards! If you would like to become involved and ensure that the kids (and yourselves) have a memorable time, please contact me nadine.hutchins@pbr.org.au as soon as possible.
The Kids Fun Run With Thomas event keeps growing each year, and this year we anticipate 800 children will run against Thomas. Volunteers are sought for this day including:`
| * An Accredited 'Road Traffic Controller' * Signalmen |
Crew * Guard | * Conductors * Refreshment Staff |
Please contact me on nadine.hutchins@pbr.org.au to be involved. This event is organised by the Rotary Club of Emerald and District Inc. and the Puffing Billy Railway is a Major Sponsor.
All proceeds raised on the day will be given to charity. Further information is located at www.kidsfunrunwiththomas.com.
The spring season of A Day Out With Thomas activities will take place in Emerald on:
Saturday 13th, 20th & 27th October and Sunday 14th, 21st & 28th October 2007
Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th November 2007
Dan O'Connor would welcome any volunteer support for these days and I ask that you contact Dan email at danann3@bigpond.net.au.
Nadine Hutchins
Special Events Manager
If you are able to spare some time to work at Thomas, it would be much appreciated. Could you please call June . Thank you.
There is an opportunity for a temporary casual staff position working in the Refreshment Services area. Work will predominantly be at weekends, however weekday work will also be involved and could be at any of our Refreshment areas between Belgrave and Lakeside. (It is envisaged that the position will be in addition to any voluntary hours the appointee might already do on the Railway.) Applicants should hold a food handling certificate. Please email for a position description. No telephone enquiries please.
All applicants, please respond to April Williams via email only to april.williams@pbr.org.au. Applications close at 5.00pm on Friday 12th October.
April Williams
The two recently released Steam Media DVDs have been selling very well and we have re-stocked for October.
'2006 The Victorian Year In Steam ' runs for 2 hour, 15 minute DVD - although the cover does show 2 hours, so viewers get a bonus. It includes both Tourist and mainline action. Puffing Billy features well with G42 on that rather quick run up Fielder bank on the March Members' special, the return to service of 8A - triple heading with 6 and 14 and solo on a mixed to Gembrook, 861's 125th birthday special, the two funeral trains, G41 on the 'Fielder Flyer', the Channel 9 news footage of Fun Run With Thomas and Santa Special and 861 on a Footplate Experience train. Other action includes double headed K class to Ballarat via Ingliston Bank, R761's first run on the new single line beyond Kyneton bound for Echuca, J515 at the VGR, BPR Easter specials, Glen Waverley and Hurstbridge line shuttles mainline crew training specials and a close up look inside R707's boiler and firebox. Sixteen different locos feature on over 40 operations.
'2000 - The Victorian Year in Steam' is a 2 hour DVD release of the popular VHS title. It is incredible to see how much has changed in a mere 7 years! For the Puffing Billy fan there is footage of our line's Centenary celebrations, and see the Climax in action and the Peckett minus Thomas cladding. Other features include double R class paralleling double 38 class, Y112 to Wakool, BPR Easter Extravaganza, NSW 38 class in Victoria, Super R711 on regular and special trains, cab rides on PB15 454 and K160, D3 639 and K190 to Robinvale via Bacchus Marsh, Dunolly, Inglewood and Castlemaine - when the Bendigo line was still a double track railway, interlocked gates at Kyneton, inside signal boxes at Frankston and Kyneton and much more ...
You can be assured that any Steam Media title is an excellent production. They retail for $49.95 each.
US Bus Lines have extended their services and now have buses between Belgrave and Gembrook on weekends. There are copies of the new timetables in the Belgrave Booking Office and I will get additional copies for the out stations and the Belgrave Station Masters Office.
Congratulations to all staff that received their Certificates of Competency, well done everyone! Thank you to all who helped on the day and before the day. Special thanks to Fleur Barrell for her helping prepare guest lists and Di Gadsden for preparing the Certificates.
Jean Clowes
Thanks to those who responded to our previous call for expressions of interest in doing the Safeworking Course next year. We are now calling for formal applications to do the course. Those that have expressed interest already will have the forms sent to them. If there is anyone else that is interested in doing the course please contact Rob Emmerson for the application form to be sent to you.
Please forward completed applications to Rob Emmerson at Belgrave by Friday, 30th November.
Well I'm back as most of you know after my trip on the Ghan and Indian Pacific, it was an enjoyable experience and I would recommend the trip to you all. On one occasion I visited the Pichi Richi Railway in Quorn and after introducing myself was made very welcome, even to the point where the museum was opened especially for me on that day. Unfortunately Hotham Valley is still not operating between Pinjarra and Dwellingup and it looks as though it will be at least another 12 months, probably June next year. The Government is trying to kill off the Bunbury Line, the old railcars are continually breaking down and buses are operating more often than trains. In Alice Springs I visited the Old Ghan Museum which was very interesting. In Perth I had a very pleasant day at the ARHA Museum at Bassenden, so if you heading west I'd recommend a visit as it is very well presented.
Next year I am hoping to head across to Perth again to visit the newest interurban line in the country which will run from a new station under the existing Perth Station to Mandurah a distance of 75 kilometres. It is expected that the line will open during November but a recent report suggest early January 2008.
Anyway, as you know, in my absence Tom Murray stood in as the Guards Roster Clerk and did a fantastic job. Most of you know that Tom was a former Guards Roster Clerk with the Victorian Railways so what he did while I was away was not strange to him. I kept in touch with him as I was still receiving emails from some of you, but this worked well as he kept me up to date with what was going on. Tom's humour is something special - a few days before I was to return to Melbourne, I telephoned him to confirm the meeting date to take over. Apparently he had a rough weekend coming up, as he told me he had nearly every shift to cover on the Saturday. Then his humor took over as he said, "Anyway I've got to cover Croydon 2, so I'll cancel Mordialloc 6 and put him on the Croydon shift, and Frankston 5 can stop all stations, that'll fix those blighters up down there, they'll get home 15 minutes later". I said, "Yes, good move Tom, I'd do the same thing myself" "Rubbish" he said, "You Trammies would take a Malvern - Burke Road off and make us poor pensioners wait half an hour in the pouring rain".
So once again Tom, thank you ever so much for the great job you did, and I'd say that comes from all of us!
Kevin Stanes
Work now focussing on the Climax restoration.
Hugh Markwick
There exists a position for a suitably qualified tradesperson for carriage building at Emerald Carriage Workshops for the manufacturing of doors and windows for Railway carriages.
Tasks would also involve the general woodworking of Rolling Stock.
It would be expected the successful applicant would have had experience in woodworking, be keen, reliable and able to work with minimal supervision, as part of the Emerald Carshops team.
In addition, the successful applicant would need to be prepared to work at any other nominated location along the Belgrave / Gembrook rail corridor.
The successful applicant would be offered a full time permanent position following an agreed trial period of not more than 3 months.
Applications in writing to be forwarded to Fleur Barrell, PO Box 451, Belgrave VIC 3160 or fleur.barrell@pbr.org.au
The closing date for applications is the 15th of October, 2007.
On Saturday 10th November we will be conducting a trolley driver training day. Any one with safe working who wishes to become a trolley driver please contact Daniel O'Connor for the full details. To avoid disappointment get in early as we usually end up with the maximum number of participants.
Sleeper replacement continued between Pinnocks Road and Emerald Main Road. A number of Road Crossings had their approaches lifted and realigned.
Usual point maintenance has occurred at various locations. Both whistle board signs and posts were replaced at Selby Aura Road approaches due to vandal damage. This seems to be the trend these days - they don't just graffiti a sign, they either cut it down or totally destroy it.
A new car park has been laid out at the rear of the US Buses depot in Belgrave. This is for the use of PB patrons and is intended to provide overflow parking.
Menzies Creek and the up side of Emerald yard have received plenty of attention lately, with quite a number of dead and suspect looking trees felled and cleaned up.
Cockatoo station received a clean up on the 'road' side of the yard.
A 10 foot x 12 foot ex V.R Portable was obtained from VicTrack. This resided at Geelong South near the Diesel loco depot. After a lot of deliberation it was decided to locate it on the Cockatoo platform next to where the original station stood. After a few timber replacements and a paint job this will look a lot better than the current building, which will be removed.
Hotham Valley Railway in WA wanted to purchase almost 10,000 single shoulder sleeper plates from VicTrack at Spotswood and we were given the task of sorting them out of a pile of around 5,000,000. It was a very difficult job. [At least you didn't have to deliver them on a bike. Ed.]
Tom Kilner
Andrew is due to return on Friday Oct 12th after his overseas sojourn. Until that time, the previously advised arrangements will continue in force.
A reminder that the next S&T Branch meeting will be held at Kings Rd, 10:00 a.m. on Saturday 13th of October. Again if anyone is prepared to take our minutes, then that would be greatly appreciated.
The flashing light masts an the Beaconsfield Road crossing were repainted last month and are now both better protected from the elements and much improved in their outward appearance. A recent internal audit recorded a good result for S&T. Thanks to all those who assist in performing the repetitive tasks necessary to ensure that our maintenance is up to standard. An intermittent fault on the track indication diagram at Menzies Creek was eventually traced to a faulty LED (light emitting diode). This has now been replaced and all indications should again be functioning normally.
Designs for the structure continue to progress and the scaled drawings are quite impressive. Engineering calculations will be required to certify our retaining walls. The generator (to be located in the basement) has been inspected and is an important consideration in this project.
The vandalism at Menzies Creek (reported last month) has been repaired. A substantial wire guard has been manufactured for the light outside the signal box door. Whilst not in keeping with our heritage image, it is an unfortunate fact of life that such measures are necessary to ensure safe and reliable operation.
Andrew Wheatland.
Work on the Climax locomotive is proceeding well with our fulltime fitter, Adam Burrage, on the job. The rivets for the foundation ring are being installed. Preliminary work has commenced on the smokebox.
The Footplate Experience Trains continue to sell well. We have nearly sold out this year and have sold several for 2008. We have had some very good complimentary letters come in from satisfied Guest Drivers. This is a testament to the quality of the crews.
We would like to open Emerald Refreshment Rooms on weekends to help sell our range of Climax merchandise. If you would like to help out, perhaps once a month, please give me a call.
John Conway, jfgconway@yahoo.com
Our next workday is Tuesday 2nd October. Please let me know if you would like to come along. We have several booked in already, including some new people. I will be planning plenty of really grotty work so come along prepared for action! The usual lunch and drinks will be supplied.
John Conway, jfgconway@yahoo.com
Warren Doubleday is providing training sessions for the software.
If you are having a clean out, please do not throw anything that we can utilise, but contact Geoff Tasker so he can obtain useful items.
The Archives Group has weekly working days at Kings Road every Monday, with an 11.00 am start, the group includes Geoff Tasker, Ted Godwin, Brenda Saunders plus Chas Bevan. The group is progressing well and would appreciate any assistance from interested parties.
Hugh Markwick
Join your colleagues as we travel by bus to Healesville and enjoy a trolley ride and dinner as we make our annual visit to one of Victoria's other steam preservation centres.
Out with Old and in with the New as we again celebrate New Year's Eve at the Packing Shed. Travel by train from Belgrave. Catering provided.
The return of an old favourite! Join us as we travel the full length of the line for a sunset trip to Gembrook, stopping along the way to enjoy dinner, course by course, at the different stations.
Ride along as we travel by bus from Belgrave to visit and travel on the Alexandra Tramway.
Theatre Night. Join us for supper and a show as we meet at Ferntree Gully and visit the 1812 Theatre Company.
Look back into the archives when we meet for our annual film night, with train ride from Belgrave to Emerald.
Travel by train from Emerald to Gembrook and partake of dinner at the station before making our way to the Community Hall for an evening of varied dance.
Another old favourite! Join us as we see out the old year and welcome in the new in traditional Puffing Billy style!
For enquiries on any of these events, please ring Jeff Goodwin
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Updated Monthly. Contents © 2006 by the P.B.P.S. for the E.T.R.B. This service is provided for the Emerald Tourist Railway Board and maintained by Bill Russell. URL: http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/puffing.billy/monnews.htm |
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