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jemo27
Junior Train Controller
Joined: Jan 12, 2007
Last Visited: Oct 25, 2008
Location: Kulwin line
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:20 pm
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i read somewhere that there used to be a passenger service that ran from Ballarat to Donald in i think the 1980's, is this true and why did it stop at Donald and not go onto Birchip 50 kilometers away,
Also when did it stop
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The Vinelander
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Mar 28, 2006
Last Visited: Nov 22, 2008
Location: Ballan, Victoria on the Ballarat RFR Line
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:22 pm
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| jemo27 wrote: | i read somewhere that there used to be a passenger service that ran from Ballarat to Donald in i think the 1980's, is this true and why did it stop at Donald and not go onto Birchip 50 kilometers away,
Also when did it stop |
Any advances on 1978 for the demise of the Donald DERM 
Thanks to Mark Bau's excellent website for the following Donald rail car links.
http://www.victorianrailways.net/timetables/tt1967/tt1967_042.html
AND
http://www.victorianrailways.net/timetables/tt1967/tt1967_043.html
Mike.
The Vinelander, from Melbourne to Mildura was Victoria's only overnight sleeping car train which was launched 8/8/1972.
Ballan, the best town, on the best railway line, in the best state, of the best country in the World.
Longreach, Qld here we come  The old pioneering town will never be the same.  |
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penov
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Aug 31, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 21, 2008
Location: By the shore of Bass Strait.
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:30 pm
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There was a passenger service on the line to Mildura at least until the early 1990's.Someone will no doubt tell us the exact date it was terminated.
For many years up to the 1960's or 70's t here was also a local service which ran, not only to Donald but to Woomelang.
You can check out the country timetables which are available on this site
http://www.victorianrailways.net/timetables/tthome.html
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ParkesHub
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jul 29, 2003
Last Visited: Nov 8, 2008
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:33 am
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| The Vinelander wrote: |
[color=darkblue] Any advances on 1978 for the demise of the Donald DERM
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I think you'll find that it was a DRC that ran the Donald service, Mike. Same as Portland.
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penov
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Aug 31, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 21, 2008
Location: By the shore of Bass Strait.
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:38 am
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If it was anything like the Hamilton DRC it would only run two days out of five with a bus the other days. They were the most unreliable vehicles that VR ever had, although they got better as they got older.
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The Vinelander
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Mar 28, 2006
Last Visited: Nov 22, 2008
Location: Ballan, Victoria on the Ballarat RFR Line
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 6:08 pm
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| ParkesHub wrote: | | The Vinelander wrote: |
Any advances on 1978 for the demise of the Donald DERM
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I think you'll find that it was a DRC that ran the Donald service, Mike. Same as Portland. |
Thankyou, I'm happy to stand corrected. 
I never travelled on either Portland nor the Donald rail-cars
The Vinelander, from Melbourne to Mildura was Victoria's only overnight sleeping car train which was launched 8/8/1972.
Ballan, the best town, on the best railway line, in the best state, of the best country in the World.
Longreach, Qld here we come The old pioneering town will never be the same. |
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wongm
Minister for Railways
Joined: May 26, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 20, 2008
Location: Geelong, Victoria
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:55 pm
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In Newsrail March 1997:
- Ballarat - Maryborough 153 hp Walker withdrawn May 26, 1978. A school service, 1x railcar from Ballarat to Clunes, 2x Walker trailers added between Clunes and Maryborough.
- Ballarat - Donald DRC withdrawn March 1981. Date not given.
- Last Melbourne - Mildura September 12, 1993.
The Ararat - Portland DRC ended September 12, 1981
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PClark
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Apr 01, 2003
Last Visited: Nov 22, 2008
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 12:34 pm
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Interesting to note from the 1967 TT on Mark Bau's website that the Mildura service had reverted to six overnights per week.
I thought that the "Mildura Sunlight" day service lasted a bit longer than that.
In the time of the Sunlight some of the 280hp Walker railcar trips from Ballarat (IIRC, three per week) were extended beyond Donald to Woomelang which, of course, is beyond Birchip.
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Highrailer
Junior Train Controller
Joined: May 17, 2007
Last Visited: Jul 10, 2008
Location: Somewhere out on the track......anywhere around the country
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:57 pm
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With the Mildura line over my back fence while living in a D.R. in Ballarat from the early 70's to the early 80's, ive seen the Donald service run with all type's of thing's.
Walker's, DERM'S, DRC'S & for a little while or from time to time it was double headed T class loco's with a consist of 3 to 6 cars behind them.
In the later year's the norm was to combine the Donald service with the loco hauled pass that left Melbourne around noon or just after with a DRC at the end of the consist, at Ballarat the pass would be shunted aside & the DRC continued onto Donald.
I also used to see the "train of knowledge" go past my back fence on a regular basis as well.
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jemo27
Junior Train Controller
Joined: Jan 12, 2007
Last Visited: Oct 25, 2008
Location: Kulwin line
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:12 pm
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does donald have a turntable , maybe that is the reason why it stoped at Donald because Birchip does not have a turntable
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