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The "Manangatang Mixed" Watch the passing parade of trains as the mixed simmers at Pine Creek. |
On Sunday 3rd August 2003, the DVR Heritage Group ran a mixed train in public passenger
service using a number of vehicles from the heritage fleet. It was fitting that the
first running of the mixed train in recent years was hauled by 2-6-2 steam engine
"Newport" owned by Alan Calder who is the current chairman of the Heritage Group with
the guard being Bob Carlisle. Newport (built in 1985) was the "grandfather" design
prepared by Keith Watson which evolved into the "La Quinta" Class 2-6-0's built in
Perth in the 1980's and 1990's by Willis Light Engineering. To add realism to the
venture, 'Newport" was run backwards for the afternoon and comfortably hauled the BP
Petrol Tanker, the GY built by Bill Pert in 1966, and the recently refurbished high
sided bogie hopper wagon which played a significant role in the building of the Railway
during the 1960's, as well as two CC passenger carriages and one of the two ZL's
refurbished for use during the 40th birthday celebrations in October 2001. The Railway
has the capacity to run passenger trains, good and works trains and now we can run a
real goods with passenger cars attached
The Railway ran an intensive service during the day and as it was a particularly pleasant Sunday afternoon, crowds swarmed into the Eltham Lower Park and we ended up carrying 1961 passenger using about 10 trains. Our trains call sign on the day soon became the "Manangatang Mixed", in memory of the Mixed trains that were once such a feature of travel on the branch lines of the old Victorian Railways up until the 1950's and early 1960's. 
The 1953 VR General Appendix to the Book of Rules and Regulations and to the Working Time Table had a lot to say about Mixed trains. The Working of Trains required trains running on lines with a "maximum rate of speed of more than 45 mph" to comprise all bogie stock and six wheel vehicles but where a YZ or Z type guards van was attached the speed was not to exceed 45 mph (ever been in a ZP van at 60 mph? -its not a pretty experience as I once found out on a Christmas eve stopping Pass on the Geelong line!). In addition 4 wheeled vehicles were not to be attached to a passenger train unless specially authorized and then the speed of the train was not to exceed the "Rate of speed laid down in the Working Time Table". Provided the Z van was loaded with not less than 3 tons of dead weight it could be marshaled in any position on the Passenger train. We did just that with the GY by loading it with scrap rail sections from the W &W depot! Specific reference was made to the attaching of trucks to any passenger train and it was not authorized unless the Chief Traffic Manager said so and the truck had to be specially examined before it was placed on the train. QR's 394 & 396 (low sided gondola's) were specially reserved for such use as they were used for the conveyance of theatrical scenery and were otherwise required to be retained in Melbourne for terminal use. UB louvre trucks were also allowed on Passenger trains but were restricted to 40 mph provided they were marshaled "on the engine" or trailed behind the train Van. On mixed and car goods trains, "the passenger cars must be next in front of the rear brake van". Specific reference was also made to conveying truck loads of pigs by mixed trains when such vehicles were to be placed next to the engine! I can distinctly remember traveling to Manangatang in 1948-9 with my mother and north of Bendigo crossing the Up Mixed at Sea Lake with both trains hauled by D3 4-6-0's. Both trains had a couple of circa 1890 V type bogie carriages sandwiched between two Z vans behind a motley collection of GY's and assorted louvre and sheep vans. The V Cars were very comfortable to ride in and were in fact used on the Vintage Train in the 1960's and 1970's. The DVR Mixed ran for most of the afternoon and carried about 100 very satisfied customers who appreciated a very different outing. The trip comprised a leisurely run tender first on the Outer Circle Line to Triangle Jct and then on the Pine Creek Line to Pine Creek Station. By arrangement with Meadmore Jct Signal Box, we were diverted into Pine Creel Station Platform Road to be run through by a number of regular service trains. During the layover, either Alan or I then gave the customers a short talk on the nature of the train they were riding in and the operation of Mixed trains on the Victorian Railways. When the talk was completed and there was a lull in the passing parade of service trains, a call to Meadmore Jct Signal Box on the radio would soon give us the green light to depart the station platform. We then rolled down the steep grade over the Three Arch Bridge and battled the climb up through Rocla Tunnel to Meadmore Jct, over Coleman Bridge and the Sanctuary Trestle thence via the Up Through Line to Diamond Valley B Box and then a canter down the Inner Circle Line over Chelsworth Bridge past Meadmore Signal Box into the narrow confines of Nillumbik Tunnel and finally up the straight on the Up Local Line over Willcox Bridge and back into Diamond Valley Arrival Platform to detrain another group of satisfied customers. From the comments received there was universal acceptance of the concept to do something different and we may well see the "Manangatang Mixed" running under the auspices of the Heritage Group on the first Sunday each month providing a new experience for DVR patrons. Robert Carlisle 08/08/03 (as featured in "Diamond Rails") |
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G527 through Pine Creek. |
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Joyce through Pine Creek. |
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RM55 through Pine Creek. |
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Pauline through Pine Creek. |
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K37 through Pine Creek. |
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The passengers listen to the presentaion at Pine Creek. |
