I was sampling the popular overnight tour that was heading the Goldfields Vic which included visiting and riding the Vintage Railmotors of Daylsford Tourist Railway and Victorian Goldfields Railway
I checked in the Savoy Hotel at 19:30 for the Vinelander Tour and had a very nice dinner of roasted vegetables whist the guest had a nice set menu meal of Western Cuisine ie: Roast lamb or Fish
Boarding commenced about 21:30 for our train heading out of Southern Cross Station formerly Spencer St Station as advised by our Tour Manager
I shuffled toward our train consisted of after putting my stuff in the carriage berth I was allocated I had a stroll along the full length of the train the carriages was as follows:
- Wando a wooden bodied carriage from the Train Of Knowledge” with a canvas roof and varnished timber panel interior a twin sleeper formerly allocated from Seymour Heritage Rail Center now reallocated to 707 Operations Inc.
- LAN from the former Southern Aurora Roomette sleeper
- NAM from Southern Aurora Twin Sleeper
- LAN from the former Southern Aurora Roomette sleeper
- Lowanna Meal Service/Lounge Car for crew ex SA BK from Victorian Goldfields Railway
- BTN 259 from V/line public service VN6
- Club no1. from Overland VR&SAR joint rolling stock
- Dori ex SG Vinelander now paint back to Overland Livery
- Kuldalai twin sleeper of the Overland
- PCO2 Power Van Overland
Powered by two locomotives:
A66 Tangerine Livery and N452 City Of Albury
The train itself was 12 Cars long the BCZ from PTV was missing due to yard train length limitation on route
Due to occo [tracks work on the Bendigo line via Metro] line was booked out and we rerouted toward Geelong via North Shore freight lines to Ballarat when we departed 22:12 on Friday night.
People settled down in the Club Car, chatting and served drinks and fruit and party pie on board. It was good ride on old no.1 again after such long time on their weekender tours.
Pulled into Ballarat and shunted in the siding for the night appox. 01:45 Saturday Morning, very nice way to find out we are being shunted back and forth and being in the last car when locomotives couple we felt it the most as the two locomotive being recouple to the train for the movement later on I bet it woke everyone up in my carriage I was resting in!!!
*Lol the joys of rail travel tours*
Meals on board the Dining Car :
- First Seating is. group 1 guest
- Second Seating group 2 guest
- Third seating for the crew members
We were served tea and coffee and people enjoyed the traditional Australian Breakfast Buffet in the dining car next to the mainline whist we saw service of the Ballarat roll in and out Ballarat with passenger on board plus a few empty car movements.
Bacon and Eggs, Grilled Sauces, Fried Tomatoes, Hash browns and other lovely bit and pieces fruits as well!
As I was in the 2nd Group which started 09:00 later on we made our way to Ballan for our coach tours for Daylesford other Tourist Railway Tours
After arriving at Ballan we made our way to buses and we made our way to Daylesford had stroll and lunch was at one their regional restaurant, were guest were served a good meal before heading off to their Tourist Railway which was known for their DERMs and various railmotors who recent acquired a 3x N set cars two of em from VN18 as that set was broken up allocated for Rail Heritage Groups after being retired from public service.
Boarded the DERM 63 an nice old railmotor from Daylesford to Bullarto did a shunt movement and back again on the old branch line railway.
Then back on the buses for Winetasting for the passengers and run to Castlemaine on the Bus
Victorian Goldfields Tourist Railway
A rail heritage group with their wooden bodied carriages and J class oil burning Locomotive who does tours to Maldon on their branchline.
The carriage I rode was 41BU a wooden bodied canvas topped carriage which some are done with shade cloth on their roofs through my window we went a leisurely pace hearing the un welded rail joins on that section.
After getting off at Maldon on board the coaches we went to local restaurant for a hearty dinner at local restaurant and village Tourist Area where people had their dinner that after buses back to the train at Ballarat waiting for us.
Late night more shunt movement and train on the move overnight in yard in the morning where the train remained until after meal service
After mid morning 11:45 approx we on the move towards Gheringhap Loop brief stop at a unused station at 12:09 we off loaded to buses to have lunch at Wine Estate the same one as Australia Day 25th this year when our Standard N set SN16 had a day tour in that same area.
Whist people were enjoying their meal and wine, train was moved back to Ballarat and it came to pick us up after lunch 14:51 for a relaxing run back to Southern Cross via Werribee line and Newport line like the older days when regional train used to the Express way towards Newport with metro trains before the new route with Wyndham Vale etc was added and routed the current v/line trains to Geelong and Warrnambool etc.
People resting in the Club Car and in their compartments of the train, as me I was sitting in the dining car enjoying the ride!
By 18:00 we had pulled in Southern Cross Station a good tour to end the year!
