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With the planned conversion of the Mildura line to standard gauge expected to begin in May 2002, Steamrail Victoria planned "The Last D3 to Mildura and farewell Broad Gauge" tour, covering the Mildura and Yelta line and the Ouyen to Murrayville and Panitya line. This was also the last opportunity for a D3 locomotive to travel on these lines as that type of locomotive was unsuitable for conversion to standard gauge. The locomotive, D3 639, made its first visit to the area since its withdrawal from regular Victorian Railways service in 1964. Prior to withdrawal, D3 639 was the Victorian Railways Commissioners tour locomotive and covered all lines in the north-west of Victoria.
"The star of the show" former Victorian Railways Commissioners special engine D3 639 on its first and last visit to Mildura in nearly 40 years. Impending gauge conversion of the Mildura corridor would make it impossible for this locomotive to ever travel to the north-west again. D3 639 was captured at a photo stop at the Mallee Highway level crossing near Ouyen on 26-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
There were 140 enthusiast passengers on board when the special train departed Spencer Street on Wednesday night 24-4-2002 with a large train consisting of R761, R711, T356, PCP294 (Power Van), "Goulburn" (Sleeping), JRA1 (Sleeping), LAN2354 (Sleeping), "Indi" (Sleeping), "Werribee" (Sleeping), "Inman" (Sleeping), "Coliban" (Sleeping), 500AK (Sitting), 14BRS (Buffet/Sitting), 63BW (Sitting), 1BCE (Sitting/Guard's Van), WAL951 (Sleeping). WAL951 was provided by West Coast Rail to convey staff as they were the accredited operators for the Steamrail tour.
The special train travelled overnight, arriving at St. Arnaud at 7.40 a.m.. Locomotive R711 was removed at this point and the train continued to Donald where the train was rearranged with the addition of 60BW, 17BE, and 38BE (Sitting cars) placed between 63BW and 1BCE. Coal wagon VOAF9 was added behind T356. D3 639 which had previously brought the sitting cars and coal wagon to Donald, was added to the front of the train and led for the remainder of the journey to Mildura.
Arrival at Ouyen was at 1.55 p.m. (due 1.15 p.m.). The steam locomotives took water, the diesel T356 was removed and was stabled with Steamrail's other preserved second series T Class locomotive, T364. Arrangements were made for a group of school children to travel from Ouyen to Walpeup on the train. (The children returned to Ouyen by buses).
D3 639 and R761 at the head of the Steamrail special arrive at Ouyen with the first visit of a D3 locomotive for nearly 40 years. 25-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
Departure from Ouyen was at 3.37 p.m. (scheduled for 2.05 p.m.) with R761 leading D3 639, both engines running tender-first.
R761 was leading D3 639 as the locomotives hauled the special train tender-first from Ouyen to Panitya. 25-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
The Train Staff for the section Ouyen - Cowangie was exchanged for the section Cowangie - Panitya by the Safeworking officer accompanying the train throughout its journey at 6.32 p.m. and the special arrived at Murrayville to a huge crowd at 7.03 p.m. (scheduled 5.10 p.m.). The crowd of about 400 people had been waiting patiently for the train as they had purchased tickets for a trip to Panitya and return. After they had boarded the train departed at 7.25 p.m. and arrived at Panitya at 7.56 p.m.. R761 cut off the train and pulled into the loop siding, D3 639 pulled the whole train forward, and then R761 was attached to the lead for the return to Murrayville with D3 639 pushing at the rear. Departure from Panitya in the pitch black with a full moon trying to peer through the cloudy sky, was at 8.21 p.m. and arrival at Murrayville was 8.47 p.m.. Passengers adjourned to the Mallee Fowl Hotel for a meal and slept the night on the train.
The author admiring the beauty of R761 at Murrayville on the night of 25-4-2003. Photo: Bob Wilson
D3 639 and R761 depart from Murrayville under a cloudy sky on the morning of 27-4-2002 after an overnight stop. Photo: Bruce McLean
The following morning, Friday 26-4-2002, departure from Murrayville was at 7.57 a.m.. The timetable was altered from Murrayville as a planned cross with a gypsum train at Cowangie was not required and the train ran at earlier times for the journey to Mildura with numerous photo stops.
A Safeworking Officer exchanges the staff at Cowangie with the Ouyen Pilotman accompanying the crew on D3 639. The Safeworking Officer accompanied the train throughout the historic tour of the north-west. 26-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
A photo stop was held at a sand hill offering an excellent vantage point for capturing the whole of the train as it crossed the Kow Plains, near Cowangie. 26-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
D3 639 and R761 put on a good show as they climb a gradient between Boinka and Linga on the return trip from Murrayville to Ouyen. 26-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
By the time the Steamrail special from Murrayville reached Underbool, the sun was shining.26-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
Passengers from the special train line up with the cameras at a photo stop near Ouyen. 26-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
Arrival at Ouyen was 11.20 a.m.. The locomotives were watered and the passengers had lunch.
Country Fire Authority volunteers arranged for the locomotives to be replenished with water during the three scheduled stops at Ouyen. On this occasion D3 639 and R761 are being filled before departure for Mildura. 26-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
Driver Lou Perna poses for the author's camera at Ouyen as he oils up R761 during the stop for engine requirements. 26-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
Departure from Ouyen was at 12.58 p.m., arrival at Hattah 1.33 p.m. with departure after a photo stop at 1.52 p.m..
D3 639 and R761 passing through the mallee scrub and sand hills between Trinita and Hattah on the last leg of their northward journey to Mildura. 26-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
D3 639 and R761 lift their train away from Hattah. 26-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
The last leg of the journey northwards included more photo stops before arrival in Mildura at 3.21 p.m..
D3 639 and R761 finally arrive at Mildura to a deserted station. Local people were unaware of the early arrival time of the locomotive but soon gathered after hearing the distinctive sound of the train whistles. 26-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
The arrival at Mildura mid afternoon on a working day caught many by surprise and after hearing the sounds of the locomotives whistling, a crowd of keen onlookers gradually assembled, particularly to see the locomotives reversed on the turntable.
Reversing D3 639 on the Mildura turntable. 26-3-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
A highlight for the author was the shunting that took place in the yard. Both R761 and D3 639 were required to reposition goods and passenger vehicles and about an hour with the two steam locomotives busy at work was a reincarnation of the old days of regular steam operations at Mildura.
R761 was required to shunt cement wagons from No.3 road to enable a clear track for running around the passenger vehicles. 26-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
The late afternoon sun gleams off D3 639 and 14BRS during shunting maneuvers to re-arrange the passenger carriages for local passenger trips the next day. 26-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
The Steamrail passengers spent the night at Mildura in their sleeping cars and the following morning R761 was reversed on the turntable, having been coaled and watered the previous evening.
On the morning of Saturday 27-4-2002, the Steamrail passengers went on a return trip to Yelta to inspect the terminus of the line.
D3 639 has cut off from its passenger cars and is moving towards the silo where it will intersect the points and run around the train. Once it was coupled up, the train was reversed to the end of the line for a departure for the last time ever from Yelta. 27-4-2002. Photo Robert Hayes
D3 639 departing from Yelta with the special train for the Steamrail Victoria passengers. Photo: Robert Hayes
D3 639, 63BW, 14BRS, 60BW, 17BE, 38BE and 1BCE ran the trip which departed Mildura at 9.16 a.m., arrived at Yelta at 9.54 a.m., departed from Yelta at 10.17 after the locomotive had reversed around the train, and returned to Mildura at 11.05 a.m. after three photo stops between Yelta and Merbein. The train then took up running three shuttle trips for local residents to Redcliffs and return during the day. The original plan to run to Merbein was abandoned as the sidings at Merbein were in use with inter-modal loading by Wakefield's Transport.
The 70 foot Mildura turntable was made to measure for the mighty R761 as it is reversed in order to be prepared for the journey home. 27-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
The wonderful sight of two steam locomotives at Mildura. R761 is standing in No.2 road of the car shed that leads to the turntable as D3 639 heads down the yard to return on No.3 road to take up its position at the head of the first special train for the public to Redcliffs and return. 27-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
Advertisement promoting steam train rides between Mildura and Redcliffs or Merbein on 27-4-2002 Source: Bruce McLean Collection
D3 639 runs around its passenger carriages at Redcliffs station on the second shuttle trip from Mildura. 27-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
Tickets issued for local trips hauled by D3 639 on 27-4-2002. All local trips ran to Redcliffs. Trips to Merbein were cancelled as the siding was full of freight wagons making it difficult to reverse the locomotive. Source: Bruce McLean Collection
The train running arrangements called for R761 to depart from Mildura at 1.50 p.m. for Ouyen, taking with it the coal wagon and sleeping cars. It was scheduled to arrive at 3.20 p.m. and stable for the night.
R761 pulls its train of sleeping cars from the carriage shed as it prepares to depart for Ouyen for the next overnight stop. This would be the last broad gauge R Class to depart from Mildura unless one of the preserved members of the class is converted to standard gauge in the future. 27-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean
In the meantime, D3 639 continued to operate the shuttle trips before making the final departure of a broad gauge steam locomotive from Mildura and the last D3 class locomotive to come to Mildura.
The Member for Mildura, Mr. R. Savage M.L.A., waves the green flag to signal the departure of D3 639 from Mildura. This was a staged false departure for the benefit of Steamrail passengers/photographers, the final departure being after they had re-boarded the train. Photo: Bruce McLean
The Member for Mildura, Mr. R. Savage M.L.A., flagged the train away from the station in a staged departure for the Steamrail passenger/photographers. After they had boarded the train, the actual final departure was at 4.53 p.m. - the only photographer left on the platform being the author. Other photographers were on the overhead footbridge and trackside beyond the station.
The last moments of the last visit to Mildura by D3 639 at 4.55 p.m. on 27-4-2002. Steam will return to Mildura in the future with locomotives built for or converted to standard gauge, but D3 639 will not be suitable for conversion. Thanks Steamrail for allowing this event to be possible. Photo: Bruce McLean
After departing from Mildura, D3 639 headed for Ouyen where it arrived at 6.49 p.m. and stabled overnight in No.3 road with R761 and the sleeping cars stabled in No.4 road.
The following morning, Sunday 28-4-2002, R761-T364-T356 departed for Donald where there was a re-organisation of the rolling stock and another R Class, R711 was added to the train. (R711 had earlier been dropped off at St. Arnaud, reversed on the turntable, and then ran up to Donald where it was stabled). The consist of the first train south of Donald was R761, R711, T356, T364, WAL951, 1BCE, 38BE, 17BE, 14BRS, 500AK, "Coliban", "Inman", "Werribee", "Indi", LAN2354, JRA1, "Goulburn", PCP294.
D3 639 and the sitting cars departed Ouyen at 8.54 a.m., stopped at Speed from 9.47 a.m. to 10.08 a.m. to receive a train order via a public telephone, stopped at Woomelang from 10.47 a.m. to 11.21 a.m. to take water, and arrived at Donald at 1.57 p.m.. Departure from Donald was 2.59 p.m. with the consist of the second train being D3 639, 1BCE, 38BE, 17BE, 60BW, 14BRS, 63BW. The Steamrail special eventually arrived at Spencer Street, Melbourne at 11.14 p.m..
Another portrait of the two steam locomotives, this time standing at the down end of the Mildura yard. Photo: Bruce McLean
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