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The Thirlmere based New South Wales Rail Transport Museum (NSWRTM), arranged an extensive tour of the standard gauge lines in Victoria, running from Sydney to Melbourne, Portland, Dimboola, Hopetoun and Yaapeet.
The group also did a broad gauge tour to Mildura and Yelta with a sleeping car train (including lounge and dining cars). The train was provided by the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre and West Coast Railway and consisted of: R711 (West Coast Railway steam locomotive), GM36 and T378 (Seymour Railway Heritage Centre preserved diesel-electric locomotives), WAL951 (West Coast Railway crew car), PCJ491 (power van), LAN2354 (sleeping car), "Avoca" (dining car), "Victoria" (Club Car), "Indi", "Werribee" (sleeping cars), BS1 (sitting car), "Ovens" (sleeping car), "Carey" (shower car), "Acheron", "Wando", "Pekina", "Loddon" (sleeping cars) and "Yarra" (parlour car).
The train departed Spencer Street on Saturday 22-4-2000 at 11.42 a.m. and travelled via Ballarat (1.55 p.m. - 4.55 p.m.), Maryborough (6.09 p.m. - 7.27 p.m.), Donald (9.15 p.m. - 10.02 p.m.), Woomelang (11.27 p.m. - 12.15 a.m.), Mildura arrive 4.25 a.m.. G521 was added to the train at Mildura and in an unusual piece of scheduling for visiting enthusiast trains, the special departed Mildura at 5.25 a.m. for Yelta where it arrived at 6.15 a.m.. After the locomotives reversed around the train, the special departed Yelta at 7.15 a.m. and arrived at Mildura at 8 a.m. after stopping between Yelta and Merbein and Merbein and Mildura for photos to be taken.
G521 was cut off and stabled at Mildura and the carriages were shunted into the carriage shed. R711 was reversed on the turntable and serviced.
The Mildura carriage shed with the special train taking up all available space. 23-4-2000. Photo: Bruce McLean
R711 stand on the turntable service track, whilst GM36 and G521 are stabled on the Mildura diesel locomotive stabling tracks. 23-4-2000. Photo: Bruce McLean
R711 being reversed on the Mildura turntable. 23-4-2000. Photo: Bruce McLean
R711, GM36 and T378 power up the bank south of Irymple with the special train of enthusiasts from Sydney on their return journey to Geelong. 23-4-2000. Photo: Bruce McLean
The return trip on 23-4-2000 departed Mildura at 3.36 p.m. and ran as follows: Hattah (4.46 p.m. - 5.05 p.m.), Ouyen (5.41 p.m. - 6.36 p.m.), Woomelang (7.40 p.m. - 8.14 p.m.), Donald (9.46 p.m. - 10.08 p.m.), Maryborough (11.58 p.m. - 4.42 a.m. 24-4-2000), Ballarat 5.58 a.m. - 6.20 a.m.) and arrive Geelong 8.18 a.m.. The tour ended at Geelong to allow the visiting enthusiasts to travel to Western Victoria.
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