THE
DIAMOND VALLEY RAILWAY
CHAPTER SEVEN YEARS OF CHANGE
Information about the 1968 - 1970 period is very sketchy, but it
was a period of continual growth within all areas of the Diamond
Valley Miniature Railway Club's activities. The highlights of
this period are mentioned briefly below:
- Searchlight signals and a Block Telephone communication system
were temporarily provided for the New Station area during December
1968, in time for the, as usual, expected heavy pre Christmas
traffic.
- Approval, in principle, was granted, by the membership, for
the installation of Automatic Signalling on the main lines
between station areas, and for the installation of galvanised
iron and copper piping for the hydraulically operated semaphore
signals and points.
- In May 1969, a Signalman's course was adopted.
- The financial report for this period showed a bank balance of
$2,230-15 with $40-00 cash in hand.
- Some months later, 'A' Signal Box, at the old station, was
opened for use, even though it was only partly completed.
- Plans were prepared for the construction of 'B' Signal Box,
near the New Station, which was later to be known as Diamond
Valley station, and for the extensions to the tunnel.
- Over the Christmas, 1969 period, work commenced on the construction
of 'B' Signal Box and a number of 6 ft diameter reinforced
concrete pipes were obtained and in January, the
tunnel was extended in length from 16 ft to a majestic 88 ft,
and its ends finished off with portals that look as if they
were constructed of scaled down bluestone blocks.
During 1971, Roly Barling, the Way and Works Superintendant, realised
our ambitions of completing the main line relaying in 14 lb
rail, just prior to the Annual General Meeting. This, coupled
with the opening of the partly completed, Diamond Valley station
platform for passenger operations and the almost finished outside
appearances of both 'A' and 'B' Signal Boxes, were the highlights
of 1971.
At the beginning of 1971, a future-planning sub-committee was
formed to formulate plans for the following 10 years.
Earthworks were commenced near the old station, in preparation
for new main line laying and for relocating the old workshops
branch line. During March, main line relaying advanced to the
departure end of the old station, Chelsworth Bridge was extensively
repacked for track levelling.
With the completion of the 14 lb main line imminent, the old
station platform was demolished; 'A' Signal Box (including the
ticket office) was relocated its present position and the fencing
rearranged so that patrons could purchase their tickets
from the ticket office, thence board the trains that were now
operating from the arrival platform of Diamond Valley station.
The final linkup of the main line (in 14 lb rail) was achieved
during June, including a portion of the branch to the old workshops.
After many months of preparation, the new ticket office and platform
stanchion pads were poured and work then proceded on the installation
of roof stanchions and a framework for the new ticket
office at Diamond Valley station. A heavy-duty level crossing
was constructed near 'A' Signal Box.
Cables and water piping from 'A' and 'B' Signal Boxes were installed
and covered for future signalling installations. A level
crossing adjacent to the facing points at the approach to Diamond
Valley station was constructed. A bracket signal was installed
at the departure end of Diamond Valley station and a new light
signal was installed at 'A' signal box to protect a new set of
points installed near the mouth of the tunnel. Some time later,
a wigwag level crossing warning device was placed into service,
and stages 1 and 2 of the signalling installation at 'B' Signal
Box were completed, and 'A' Signal Box was completely weatherboarded
and painted.
Whilst the track and signal works were progressing, the Rolling
Stock branch was not idle: Fire extinguishers were fitted to all
'diesel' locomotives; Alan Parker's Pacific steam locomotive was
running well after a major overhaul at our own 'Newport' workshops
(Bill Pert's workshop); Nine passenger car bogies were rebuilt with
steel wheels and put into service; Locomotive S301 was
progressing well at 'Newport' workshops with the electrical systems
being installed; Locomotive S300 completed 10 years running
at the DVR, clocking up some 11,000 miles. The Rolling Stock
branch brought into service a new, steel flatcar, WW6.
It was noted that a quarter million passengers had been carried
since October 1961. The 1971 Annual General Meeting saw some
major changes in the Committee. Bill Pert was re-elected to the
position of President; Jack Rutledge, Robin Quaife and Brian
Coleman were elected into office for the first time; Peter
Nielsen was elected Treasurer, replacing Arthur Cowan, who had
served an unbroken term of office since the Club's inception.
The Diamond Valley Miniature Railway Club members celebrated 10
years of passenger operations with a dinner dance at Salzburg
Lodge on 29th October, 1971. T320 locomotive underwent a major
overhaul in preparation for the Christmas peak period. The
Signal and Telegraph branch installed the DVR's first scale model
fully automatic, searchlight signal.
Extensive track maintenance was carried out for the expected peak
load service during November. The Outer Circle main line was
commenced from near 'B' Signal Box. Alan Parker's steam locomotive,
now numbered 610, carried regular passenger services through
the month with great success. 'A' Signal Box became fully automatic
to switch-out stage - all signals being worked by trains on
the main line. The Social club organised another successful tram
tour. A third attempt at establishing a Club newsletter was made
under the Editorship of Brian Coleman; this newsletter is still
being published!
In a major setback, the Victorian Health Department threatened to
close the Railway because the tunnel was not installed in accordance
with the Regulations. To quote the Secretary of the day:
"On Tuesday, 7th December, 1971 the President and I discovered
that the Health Department had refused to renew our certificate
of safety. The reasons were: a) the installation of a tunnel
without applying for approval from the Department; b) that the
tunnel, as it is, has insufficient headroom or side clearance.
"This would have meant the closing of the Railway with heavily
booked weekends coming up, or risk a heavy fine. After many
telephone calls around the suburbs on that afternoon (most emanating
from the Maidstone area), I was very gratified with the
turn up of members at the Club rooms that evening, to discuss
the situation. It was decided to reroute the track around the
tunnel and reapply for the certificate of safety on that basis.
"Further working bees were organised on Wednesday night and Thursday
afternoon, to have the track re-routed and ready for inspection
by the Engineer on Friday morning. The plans and Engineer's approval
were rushed into the Health Department on Friday
afternoon and we were ready to run on the Sunday."
By the end of 1971, the level crossing near 'A' Signal Box was
completed over two tracks and work commenced on signalling and
point operating devices for the new crossovers recently installed
near 'B' Signal Box.
Work got off to a good start in January 1972, with the roofing of
the new Diamond Valley station building. Earthworks were undertaken
for the excavation of a new main drain near 'A' Signal Box;
much levelling took place for the future carriage sidings near
'B' Signal Box and signalling systems at both Signal Boxes were
officially commissioned into service after much testing.
Laying of imitation bluestone bricks for the New Station building
was completed and water services connected to the building during
February. As an experiment, in welding 14 lb rail into long
lengths, two 80 ft lengths were satisfactorily constructed and
installed in the, now closed, tunnel. At about the same time,
the Dock Road (No. 3) at Diamond Valley was relaid and levelled
for use by passenger trains, and as a test, both the arrival and
departure ends of the station platform were used temporarily.
The DVR acquired most of the rolling stock from the defunct 10?"
gauge Valley Railway, Noojee, and conversion to 7?" gauge was
undertaken. The battery-electric Ganger's Trolley (ERT1) was the
first item to be brought into service. Then a flatcar and
GPX11 wagon were soon commissioned after gauge conversion.
Ammendments to various clauses of the DVR Constitution were presented
and passed for adoption by the general membership. The
Annual General Meeting and Elections of Office Bearers were
conducted during July, with quite a few changes taking place: Syd
Gillies became Club President; Roly Barling, Vice President;
Brian Coleman, Secretary; Bob Worland, Assistant Secretary; and
Ron May, Assistant Treasurer. Peter Nielsen was re-elected Treasurer;
Bill Pert and Brian Coleman were re-elected as Rolling
Stock Superintendant and Signal and Telegraph Superintendant,
respectively. Jim Willcox was elected the new Way and Works
Superintendant. Furthermore, Syd Gillies, Bill Pert and Ron May
were nominated and accepted as Club Lincensees for the next four
years. The fares were increased, for the first time in 6 years,
to 20 cents per ride, children and adults.
Meanwhile, work continued in the various branches: a new point
was installed near 'B' Signal Box and was fitted with a 'Q45'
hand lever; an independant water pressure system was installed in
'B' Box for the operation of hydraulic points and signals; two
hydraulic point machines were installed on the single slip points
outside 'B' Box and, after testing, were brought into service.
Work on the provision of new tunnel doors was undertaken and
trackwork commenced on the laying of the tunnel storage siding
and the lead from the main line. The lowering of the deviation
around the tunnel resulted in an overall easier gradient for
trains. The new Diamond Valley station building was completed to
lockup stage. An extra siding was laid at Diamond Valley yards
for storage of standby passenger trains. A point was installed
in the tunnel storage siding, and the siding declared in service.
Eight passenger cars were transferred to the tunnel for storage,
thus relieving overcrowding that existed at the old workshops.
Locomotive W100 returned to the DVR rails after an absence of six
years, being amongst the items purchased from the Valley Railway,
it was tested for several weeks and ran satisfactorily. During
September, locomotive T320 was repainted, packed into a box then
forwarded by road, to Western Australia, to run on the rails of
the Castledare Miniature Railways. John Murdoch and Robin Quaife
accompanied T320 whilst it was in W.A. The visit was very
successful, and was the forerunner of many interchanges of visitors
between these two great Clubs, from the opposite sides of Australia.
A new position, namely Station Master, was created by the Committee
to improve the working efficiency of the new Diamond Valley
station, which had three platforms and was capable of handling up
to, as many as, 20 trains per hour.
The year, 1972, closed with a record 48,786 passengers carried,
an increase of 3.5% over the previous year's total. To close the
year's activities, the Social club organised the Annual Christmas
party, which was enjoyed by everyone present.
And now comes 1973, the last full year of the Diamond Valley
Miniature Railway Club, this year was definately a year of advancement,
especially in the motive power department: Repairs were
effected to T320's traction motors and air compressor, this locomotive
was also fitted with an automatic field changeover device,
(consisting of 4 diodes) thus eliminating the manual changeover
switch; Work on the construction of S301 was still proceeding,
with electrical wiring well in hand; Jim Willcox's experimental
'E' calss 0-4-0 battery-electric locomotive was withdrawn from
service and stripped of reusable parts; A new scale model 'ZL'
class Guards van ( 1 ZL ) was commissioned into service; W241 was
withdrawn from traffic, fitted with a new Honda engine, painted
and returned to traffic.
Sometime later, Jim Willcox's new E1103 Bo-Bo battery-electric
locomotive arrived at the DVR, and after some teething troubles,
turned out to be a very effective locomotive for general duties;
Alan Parker's No 610 pacific steam locomotive departed for places
unknown after performing well on special trains chartered by the
GMH Social club, which held its annual picnic at the Park; Gordon
Webb's incomplete B71 petrol-mechanical locomotive arrived at the
DVR for completion.
On Sunday 30th November, 1973, all members present at the DVR had
the surprise of their lives - not one steam locomotive was running
- but three colourful steam locomotives graced the DVR
tracks: John Murdoch's green 4-6-2 pacific steam locomotive; Doug
Middleton's BRITANNIA, a beautiful machine built by Doug himself,
taking two years to complete. This locomotive was entered in the
Lake Goldsmith Steam Rally and won first prize for the best model
steam exhibit.
Then there was a 0-6-0 tank locomotive which is called COOLUM -
a very colourful locomotive, with its green, red, white and black
paint and complete with coffee pot smoke stack and rather large
brass dome and a wonderful sounding whistle. This locomotive was
built in 1971 by J. Jackson of Brisbane, for Mr B. G. Willaims of
Gosnells, W. A., a member of the Castledare Miniature Railway.
Owing to ill health, Mr Williams was unable to use his locomotive
so he sold it to Brian Coleman and Robin Quaife, who brought it
back to the DVR.
Work was also progressing well in the other departments: new signal
track circuits were activated for the 'B' Signal Box control
area; An electric motor point machine was installed on '15'
points at 'A' Signal Box, the first of many more to come; we acquired
a railbender and a quantity of 14 lb rail and some odd
locomotive parts from a Dandenong firm, and construction commenced
, in earnest, on the manufacture of many more 14 lb points.
One of these points was installed at the tunnel mouth and a second
track was built in the tunnel, increasing its storage capacity; The Diamond Valley station building and station roof were
being completed, slowly but surely.
Meanwhile, on the administrative side, discussions were taking
place with a view of forming the DVR into a Company, various ammendments
to the DVR Constitution were presented and adopted, a
railmotor excursion to Korumburra and Jumbunna was organised by
the Social club, a special run was conducted for the kids from
the Allambie Homes and charity runs were held for the Royal Childrens
Hospital, the Salvation Army, the Araluen Day Training
Centre and the Eltham Community Youth Club.
During July, the Annual General Meeting was held with few changes
in the Committee taking place: Bill Pert became Vice President;
Gary George and Jim Willcox were elected Assistant Treasurer and
Rolling Stock Superintendant, respectively. Re-elected for a
further term were: Syd Gillies, President; Brian Coleman, Secretary;
Bob Worland, Assistant Secretary; Ron May, Treasurer; Brian
Coleman, Signal and Telegraph Superintendant and Ron May, Way and
Works Superintendant.
And so ends another great period of advancement of the Diamond
Valley Railway!
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