D.V.R - Signal & Telegraph Branch

Bi-directional Running.

Staff & Ticket Working
Real railways travel in both directions every day. At the Diamond Valley Railway we are geared to go in one direction on the mainline. We have been doing it well for over 30 years. Occasionally we have done a reverse run for a day. However the signal system is built for one direction. We can often see eight or more trains on the mianline at the same time.

Here is an account ( as featured in our "Diamond Rails" ) of our experience...

We really had fun on Saturday 14th February 1998. We had invited the members of the Bellarine Peninsular Tourist Railway to our railway in return for our visit a few years back.

The day started off okay, The railway was set up, and then the visitors arrived. Train running commenced and it was a busy time with Pauline, Tom Thumb, 700, G527 on the track.

Lunch was cooked up by the team of Bill Day, Ian Pettersen, Jan Cottrell and Sharon Clarke, with a few extra helpers as well. There was not enough food but all had a good feed. Thanks, as usual. I do not know what DVR would do without these members who helped cook and serve. It made the day feel great.

After lunch we announced to all that we were going to implement "Staff & Ticket" operation. This was a must see, with a trial made the previous Sunday after passenger running.

All trains and crew were ready. Andrew Kennedy in Meadmore Junction Box, Phil. Hibbs at Pine Creek, David Mehlman in "B" Box, and Tony Gatt on the station acting as senior signalman, Diamond Valley. In platform two there was Tom Thumb with Gordon Webb at the throttle, and behind was the G527 with Matthew Clarke at the controls. In the opposite direction, in one road there was S301 with Steve Coombs ready to head off in the reverse direction.

With a flourish Tony gave Steve the staff "DIAMOND VALLEY to PINE CREEK via Meadmore". Steve set off in the reverse direction. Two minutes later Tony showed Gordon the staff "DIAMOND VALLEY to PINE CREEK via Outer Circle" and told him to proceed ( he had been given the verbal ticket to proceed down a single line section ) in the normal direction. About another minutes passed, then Tony gave Matthew the staff "DIAMOND VALLEY to PINE CREEK via Outer Circle". Matthew departed in the normal direction obeying the signals in the normal manner.

Just a little after, Steve in S301 has reached Pine Creek and stopped in the platform. Phill took possession of the staff "DIAMOND VALLEY to PINE CREEK via Meadmore". Then Tom Thumb arrived in the normal direction. With both trains stationary Phil radios Meadmore Junction to change the points for Tom Thumb. Then, like at Diamond Valley he shows Gordon the correct staff "DIAMOND VALLEY to PINE CREEK via Meadmore" and tells him to proceed.

G527 has arrived at Pine creek by now, with Tom Thumb on it's way. Phil. hands Matthew the staff "DIAMOND VALLEY to PINE CREEK via Meadmore" and Matthew proceeds with the staff. At the other end the points have been changed, and Phil hands Steve the staff "DIAMOND VALLEY to PINE CREEK via Outer Circle". S301 then heads from Pine Creek towards Diamond Valley in the reverse direction.

S301 arrived back at Diamond Valley, with Tony taking the staff. Tom Thumb arrived back, followed by G527 - from which the staff was retrieved by Tony.

And so it started all over again............. well until about 3:45pm. We had over an hour of bidirectional running without any problems. We even shunted trains on and off at Diamond Valley. The PERM, The Doggies and Pauline took part as well, replacing the G527, the S301, and Tom Thumb. Drivers and Guards changed jobs or locos. Signalmen switched jobs.

The was an abundance of smiles on all the members. We were having a great time, doing something different. At around 4.00pm most of the visitors left - but we were still enjoying ourselves. S301 did one last reverse run to Meadmore Junction, then via the triangle to reverse it's direction into our normal direction. Trains then went out as normal.

The doggies started to do a boomerang or two. The PERM did a boomerang after running around it's train [ Boomerangs are train running into Meadmore Junction, reversing direction and then running through our triangle and going the normal running circuit in the normal direction ]. The Doggies also went from Meadmore back in the reverse direction along the Inner Circle to Diamond Valley, and returned a few minutes later.

Then, well, we packed up and went home.