Volume 25

Number 8
AUGUST 1997
. | FOR ALL WHO ABE INTERESTED IN RAILWAYS I

EDITOR
Stuart Turnbull, P.O. Box 122,
Kensington, 3031
Email: stuartt@netspace.net.au

NEWS
David Langberg, 4 Blaxland Court,
Mooroolbark, 3138
WSRAIL 19

ARTICLES
THE MAGAZINE OF THE AUSTRALIAN RAILWAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Julian Insall, 55 Reed Street, (VICTORIAN DIVISION)
Albert Park, 3206

PHOTOGRAPHIC EDITOR
Peter Weickhardt, 18 Imperial Avenue,
Mount Waverley, 3149 CONTENTS
PRODUCTION
Frank Cross

Assistants: John Dare, Sid Brown,

and John Green FEATURE ARTICLES
Note: News, letters and odd spots to be
sent to David Langberg, articles to Julian
237
Insall and photographs to Peter
Weickhardt.
B61 - THIS IS YOUR LIFE!
NEWSRAIL thanks the following people A history of the oldest diesel-electric locomotive still in service in Australia
and organisations who contributed to
this month's issue:
C Banger, I Breydon, G Elliott,
N Houghton, T Kennedy, S McArdle,
D McLean, M Russell, D Smith, I Stan- 259
ley, G White and Public Transport
Corporation. THE FIREMAN'S SIDE
ADVERTISING The seventh in a series of reminiscences
Geoff Peterson
Phone (03) 9764 5011, Fax (03) 9764 5056

SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR PICTORIAL FEATURE

NON-MEMBERS
Mailed flat, with supplements not 248 RAILS UNDER A SOUTHERN SKY
provided with across-the-counter copies.
May - April — $60
November - April - $30
All subscriptions expire with the April
issue. WritetoARHSMembership Officer,
Box 5177AA, GPO Melbourne 3001, for
REGULAR FEATURES
subscriptions and details of membership,
monthly meetings and activities. 236 GENERAL NEWS 250 OPERATIONS
NEWSRAIL is published by the Australian 256 ROLLINGSTOCK 261 WORKS
Railway Historical Society Victorian
Division A.C.N. 004 701 295 and details
Victorian railway happenings and related
items. Opinions expressed in NEWSRAIL
are not necessarily those of the ARHS
or of its members. FRONT COVER: Commuter trains were one of the last regular rosters for the
ISSN 0 310-7477. B class in government service. This scene depicts a dirt/ B61 descending from
Parwan Loop with 8125 Bacchus Marsh pass. Fri.11.1.91 Stuart Turnbull
Closing date for News, Articles and
Photographs: twenty-fourth of each OPPOSITE: With work on the City Link project progressing at a rapid rate, this
month. view of Macaulay station shows an early stage of construction which will
eventually see the entire railway enclosed in a tunnel beneath the road which
will link the Westgate and Tullamarine freeways. Sun.13.7.97 Peter Weickhardt
COPYRIGHT
All material and illustrations in this BACK COVER
magazine remain the copyright of the ABOVE: Home again in a different livery. B61 takes time out at the Ballarat East
author and publisher. They may not be locomotive depot, now used by West Coast Railway as a maintenance centre,
reproduced wholly or in part without waiting for its next turn of revenue service. Fri.22.6.84 Graham Withers
the written permission of the author and BELOW: Hauling an all blue consist, B61 departs Warrnambool under a blue sky
the publisher. with Lady Bay in the background in somewhat of a postcard setting. Sat.18.1.97
Russell Armstrong
 NEWSRAIL August 1997

On its deliver/ run from Wodonga, B61 catches the e/e of commuters at Kensington as it passes through
with a train consisting of 21 vehicles — 498 tons. Mon.18.8.52 Photo courtesy of the PTC

-B61-
This is your life:
18 August 1997 marks the
45th 'birthday' of B6l,
iown as ML2-2 to its parents — For me, and I'm sure many other
Clyde Engineering in Granville and the oldest diesel-electric Victorians, that sleek and noble design
the ElectroMotive Division of General locomotive still in regular with the bulldog nose at each end
Motors — B6l was the second of the service in Australia. epitomised diesel rail travel, and while
twenty-six powerful and oh-so-reliable no diesel can match the romance of
B class locomotives that revolution- Here we present a brief a near living, breathing steam engine,
ised the Victorian Railways. When B6l 'life history' and personal there was still a considerable degree
ran onto Victorian broad gauge metals of style married to B6l's functional
for the first time and commenced the tribute to this noble design.
final leg of its delivery run to Mel- workhorse
bourne, my own parents were teen- CHILDHOOD
agers who hadn't yet met. By the time B6l's entry onto the Victorian Rail-
that I had completed my delivery run, Russell Armstrong ways came on Monday 18 August 1952,
and was old enough to have a vague when it made an 08 45 departure from
comprehension of the world around Wodonga with a load of 21 vehicles
me, B6l was already 10 years old, and had shared responsi- weighing 498 tons on the final leg of its delivery from Clyde.
bility for the rapid displacement of steam locomotives from Like each of the other B class on delivery, driver Frank Myers
most major freight and passenger trains in the state. When was at the controls, and B6l had been swapped onto its own
the Bs were followed by S and T class diesel-electrics, remain- broad gauge power bogies at Bandiana after hauling a revenue
ing steam locos on even the most minor routes were looking load from Sydney to Albury running on borrowed standard
back nervously over their tenders. gauge bogies.
 NEWSRAIL August 1997
Two days after its arrival some serious testing of the
capabilities of multiple B class units began, the first detailed
in VR Circular S.1614/52, Test Trips with Diesel Electric Loco-
motives B60 and B6l, which even then ended with those
immortal words 'All concerned to note and arrange accord-
ingly.' A gruelling eleven day program ran from Thursday 20
to Saturday 30 August 1952. The two locos ran solo on 650 ton
fast goods trains to Seymour and Bendigo, keeping a very
tight timetable, teaming for test runs on the Overland and
with 1300 ton fast goods trains on the western line. Over
those eleven days B6l ran 7519 km, 2539 km alone and 4948
in partnership with B60.
The October 1952 edition of VR News proudly declared:
When this was written, Harold W Clapp (B60) had travelled
14,000 miles and B61 5,000 miles. Apart from refuelling and rou-
tine inspection, the diesels only require mechanical attention
every 5,000 miles. The fuel capacity of the diesels is 1,000 gallons
of oil, and of this the journey from Melbourne to Serviceton and
return takes about 800 gallons. Each diesel has been averaging
about 1.33 gallons a mile.
Clyde-G.M. advertising of the era triumphantly carried
Victorian Railways pictures of B6l leading B60 on one of
these test runs, hauling a then record 1 235 tons from Mel-
bourne to Ararat. The proud parents of B60 and B6l boasted:
The 13.5 mile 1-48 grade of the Ingliston Bank was climbed in 47
minutes. Under steam the maximum tonnage on this haul was
825 tons and the time 67 minutes, using two locomotives.
Revenue-earning capacity on this regular run with the two
Clyde-G.M. Diesels shows 20,850 ton miles per hour compared
with 9,000 ton miles with two steam locomotives — 110% greater
hauling and earning capacity!
Having just arrived at Spion Kop, B61 rests in what is soon to become familiar territory.
Mon.18.8.52 Photo courtesy of the PTC
With the arrival of B62 on September 8 and then B63 on
6 October, the scene was set for serious changes in the
running of interstate services. One week later on Monday
13 September, the Victorian Railways began to operate an
accelerated timetable for the Overland, using two pairs of
B class locos dedicated to the task.
That morning R714-R716 led the final steam-hauled Over-
land into Melbourne, with B60-B63 leading the westbound
Overland out of Spencer Street that night at 20 00, an hour
later than previously. Arriving at Serviceton at 02 55 they
picked up a fast goods from Adelaide, departing at 04 15 for a
14 30 return to Melbourne. B61-B62 ran the reverse, making
an early afternoon departure on a fast goods to Serviceton
and returning next morning with the eastbound Overland,
B62 leading.
Other reportings from the 1950s (see Table A) indicate B6l
travelling to many corners of the state, with one ignominious
moment at Warrnambool recorded! Other services generally
in the capable couplings of the B class during the late 1950s
included the Mildura Sunlight (daylight pass.), Daylight
(express pass, to Albury), Spirit of Progress, Albury Express
(daylight stopping pass.), Adelaide Daylight Express, and the
Jet (express goods to and from Adelaide).
ADOLESCENCE TO MIDDLE AGE
Information about the teenage and middle years of B6l was
hard to find; those 'Busy-Bs' were so commonly seen that
they were no doubt viewed as very ordinary and common-
place, not really so newsworthy as to be of note.
 NEWSRAIL August 1997

Through the 1960s, B class locos in general dominated
on the Mildura Fruit Flyer and express passenger trains to
Ballarat, Warrnambool, Seymour and Bendigo. S-B combina-
tions were noted as common on the Overland and interstate
express and fast goods, returning to double B class when
there was a shortage of S class on the broad gauge.
Double Bs were also regular on wheat trains, hauling
54 wagons, and sometimes sharing the load with R class
steam.
As more S and X class were available for the run to Service-
ton, the Bs were again displaced, not because of their unsuit-
ability (loads for S/X class were 710 tons, for B class 660 tons),
but because their double-ended design made them just too
useful not to use on shorter hauls where the need for frequent
turning would have been a concern with the S class.
Specific sightings of B6l through the 1960s and 70s refer
predominantly to express passenger runs, including those to
Albury, Numurkah, Dimboola, the Great Northern Limited to
Bendigo and Swan Hill, the Flier to Port Fairy, and the Mil-
dura Express and Vinelander. The number of references found
to B6l on a Warrnambool pass, point to it being well qualified
for its current service!

TABLE A
Date Details
Wed.20-8-52 B60-B61 No.77A Fast Goods, 14 00 Melb. - Ararat arrive 18 45
No.38 Fast Goods, 19 50 Ararat - Melb. arrive 01 00
Thurs.21.8.52 B61 No.15 Newsgoods, 02 10 Melb. - Bendigo arrive 06 00
Up goods, 06 30 Bendigo - Melb. arrive 10 15
B60-B61 No.77A Fast Goods, 14 00 Melb. - Ararat arrive 18 45
No.38 Fast Goods, 19 50 Ararat - Melb. arrive 01 00
Fri.22.8.52 B61 No.15 Newsgoods, 02 10 Melb. - Bendigo arrive 06 00
Up goods, 06 30 Bendigo - Melb. arrive 10 15
B60-B61 No.77A Fast Goods, 14 00 Melb. - Ararat arrive 18 45
No.38 Fast Goods, 19 50 Ararat - Melb, arrive 01 00
Sat.23.8.52 B61 No.15 Newsgoods, 02 10 Melb. - Bendigo arrive 06 00
Up goods, 06 30 Bendigo - Melb. arrive 10 15
B60-B61 No.77A Fast Goods, 14 00 Melb. - Serviceton arrive 00 00
Sun.24.8.52 B60-B61 No.10 Over/and 01 35 Serviceton - Melb. arrive 09 30
Actual times for the trip indicated the ease with which diesel loco could keep a
timetable set for steam, being 02 16 Serviceton to 09 19 Melb.
Mon.25.8.52 B61 No.15 Newsgoods, 02 10 Melb. - Bendigo arrive 06 00
Up goods, 06 30 Bendigo - Melb. arrive 1015
B60-B61 No. 69 Overland 19 00 Melb. - Serviceton1
Tues.26.8.52 B60-B61 Fast Goods, 03 45 Serviceton - Melb. arrive 14 05
B60-B61 No. 69 Over/and 19 00 Melb. - Servicetonf
Wed.27.8.52 B60-B61 Fast Goods, 03 45 Serviceton - Melb. arrive 14 05
B61 No.125 Fast Goods 17 45 Melb. - Bendigo arrive 21 35
Up goods 22 05 Bendigo - Melb. arrive 01 50
Thurs.28.8.52 B61 No.15A Newsgoods 03 00 Melb. - Seymour arrive 05 40
Up goods 06 45 Seymour - Melb. arrive 08 55
B60 B61 No.77A Fast Goods, 14 00 Melb. - Serviceton arrive 00 00
Fri.29.8.52 B60-B61 Overland 01 35 Serviceton - Melb. arrive 09 30
B61 Down goods 10 00 Melb. - Seymour arrive 12 20
Up goods 13 30 Seymour - Melb. arrive 15 35
Down goods 1815 Melb. - Seymour arrive 21 00
Up goods 22 20 Seymour - Melb. arrive 00 25
Sat.30.8.52 B61 No.15 Newsgoods, 02 10 Melb. - Bendigo arrive 06 00
Up goods, 06 30 Bendigo - Melb. arrive 10 15
B60-B61 No.77A Fast Goods, 14 00 Melb. - Ararat arrive 18 45
No.38 Fast Goods, 19 50 Ararat - Melb. arrive 01 00
Dec.52 B61 ran a Sunday excursion train to Portland
Wed.19.3.58 B61 replaced the regular R class steam on 18 12 down Yarram pass.
Fri.1.5.58 A bit more mundane, B61 hauls the Coburg line goods
Fri.24.10.58 Oh the shame! B61 failed on No.38 (07 45) up Warrnambool pass, before departure, and was
replaced by the Warrnambool pilot, J533.
Wed.24.12.58 B61 on the 14 10 Ballarat pass.
1 My copy of this circular specifically lists the down runs on the Overland, but has Monday afternoon and Tuesday missing off the bottom
of the summary page, and no passenger details elsewhere. However, up trips are mentioned in the opening preamble and seem logically
to be needed here to fit with the listed down goods runs.
 NEWSRAIL August 1997

TABLE B
Date Details
Tues.4.4.61. S302-B61-T346 on Horsham pass.
Fri.23.3.62 B61 and steam loco A2995 each ran a school special from Caulfield to Geelong
Thurs.6.9.62 S303-B63-B61-T324 overpower 17 45 down Adelaide goods of 1340 tons.
Tues.21.6.66 More embarrassment, B61 failed on 13 35 down Bendigo 66 pass.
Sun.18.9.66 B80-B61 lead one of two specials to carry members of military battalion from Woodside camp SA to
Brisbane
Black Thurs. On the busiest day of the rail year, B61 left Spencer Street for Swan Hill spot on time at 18 00
1967 with AW-BW-BW-AE-BW-AE-BE-BPL-BPL-Van
Fri.5.5.67 B61 hauled Yarram goods, listed as the second B class visit to visit Yarram. Is B61's own visit of 19.3.58
assumed to be the first?
Mon.15.1.68 B61 is the second B class to work 19 00 Welshpool goods.
Good Friday B65-B61 haul 21 20 (No.80) up Mildura Express of AX-CE-BE-BE-BZ-AZ-sleeper-AX
1972 (AX=Motorail)
Thurs.16.4.72 B61 hauls ballast train discharging between Bittern and Hastings at the site of the derailment of a railcar
the previous Tuesday
Thurs.20.9.73 B61 with 11 car up Geelong pass, at 06 49, a double car set due to an earlier derailment
Fri.21.12.73 14 25 down Swan Hill pass, of B61-25BE-15BW-Toggerty-6BZ-4AZ-33BW-6CE
Tues.8.1.74 B61-S303-2CW-25BE-22BE-30BE-17BE-30AE-23AE-4AE-24AE-19AE-38AE-20CE run train A25 for Scout
Jamboree. Dep. Spencer St 05 40, arr Albury 10 58.
933-934 hauled train Adelaide to Serviceton, B71-B70 Serviceton to Spencer St, B61-S303 Spencer St to
Albury. 15 of the 26 B class locos were involved with Scout specials
Thurs.25.4.74 B61 on the Traralgon pass, with Sunday timetable operating for Anzac Day; Sunday is the only day that
B class are rostered in place of L class
Wed 24.7.74 08 25 down F//er (Port Fairy pass.) of B61-No.4 (State Car)-ABE-BW-AS-CE
Fri.14.2.75 B61-T-5xBE-BU-6xBW-CV form fruit pickers special to Mildura for grape harvest. The T class was
detached at Donald. Departed Spencer St 22 20, arrived Mildura 08 55 Sat.
Sat.24.5.75 B61-46BE-6BU-32AW-9BPL-12BW-5CE arrived Ballarat 21 00
Mon.21.7.75 B61-B62 lead 08 35 down Albury and Tocumwal pass, with 10 cars. Train split at Seymour
Sun.9.5.76 B61-31ABU-63BW-6ABE-29AW-37BW-7ABE-34BU-28CE form 17 76 down Numurkah pass, during
school holidays.
Fri.11.6.77 Due to shunters' strike, unusual consist for up Vinelander of B61-3BCE-33BU-33AW-64BW-7AZ-
Moorabool (locked)-1BZ-15CE.
Sun.4.12.77 B61 and B75 each hauled one of two special to HMAS Cerebus for Queen's Jubilee Celebrations
Open Day
Fri.24.3.78 B61 runs 19 35 down Warrnambool pass, for Good Friday. Returns Sat. on 07 30 up pass.
Wed.19.7.78 Back on the Overland again, behind X53.
Fri.1 3.7.79 S306-B61-BE-AW-BW-AW-AW-ABE-AE-BE-BE-AZ-MBS-BEa/c-AS-CE-VBPY on Albury Express. This
included Spirit of Progress passengers as there was no standard gauge train due to a technicians' strike in
Victoria. Standard gauge train ran from Albury to Sydney. Arrived Albury 55 minutes late due to the
need to make double stops at all stations past Seymour and to detach a loco and four cars at Wodonga.

The old leading the new. B61 stands at Wangaratta heading an unidentified rebuilt unit, repowered to what we
know as an A class, with a down Albury pass, from Melbourne. 28.4.85 Edward Pascoe
 NEWSRAIL August 1997
B61 leads B69-X41 with the down Sunday morning pass, to Bendigo seen here departing Woodend.
B69 is in the short-lived 'tea cup' livery. Sun.4.9.83 Graham Withers
By 30 January 1977, B6l had clocked up 2 900 780 miles
(4 668 353 km), and the twenty-six members of the class were
together responsible for a phenomenal 66 682 020 miles
(107 314 309 km) of faithful service. For B61 this averages out
to just over 191 000 km of service per year.
This period contains what is perhaps the blackest moment
in B6l's career, with a fatal derailment at Laverton. On Satur-
day 10 July 1976, B61, at the head of 36ABU-14ABE-27AW-
49BE-3AS-22CE on an up Port Fairy pass, was derailed at
approximatley 20 01 on the crossover at the up end of Laver-
ton station. The locomotive and several carriages struck
the Princes Highway overbridge, then collided with a signal
gantry which fell on car 3 (27AW), practically demolishing it
above the floor. One female passenger was killed and seven
injured out of the total of 49 passengers aboard the train. The
derailment was attributed to the train diverging near full
speed on a crossover designed for 25 mph use. The Coroner
was unable to determine whether human error or mechanical
failure in the signalling contributed to the accident, returning
a finding of death by misadventure. He did however question
the placing of a crossover designed for such low speeds on a
line signalled for 70 mph operation.
Almost exactly one year later, B6l comes closer to glory
with an almost heroic achievement. At 21 23 on Tuesday
21 June 1977, T389-B61 left North Melbourne for the Apex
Quarry at Kilmore East. At Donnybrook the T was cut off
due to an extremely bad knock in its compressor. B6l con-
tinued on to the quarry, then worked the return load of
1 432 tons by itself.
Reminiscent of the children's' 'I think I can, I think I can'
story, the B struggled up the gruelling climb to Heathcote
Junction, only to come to a halt at 03 50, out of fuel a quarter
of a mile short of the summit. The load was hauled to Wallan
in sections by another T class, finally clearing the line at 07 04.
A selection of sightings through B6l's adolescence and
middle age are shown in Table B.
TWILIGHT YEARS WITH THE PTC
As the demise of the Bs drew closer and their 'interest value'
increased, so too did the frequency of reference to them in
the pages of NEWSRAIL.
This was the era in which VicRail as it was then known
began to retire B class locos, many to be almost totally rebuilt
into A class units, and others to a less honourable destiny at
the hot end of a blow torch! Initial plans were for all twenty-
six B class to be converted to A class, but as it became
abundantly clear that trying to force a new locomotive into
the shell of an old one was neither as effective nor economical
as first hoped, the program ceased after the eleventh conver-
sion. Further N class locos were ordered to fill the gap.
With the B class now overshadowed by newer and more
powerful S, X, C, A, N and finally G class locos, they were
increasingly assigned to the less glamorous commuter
passenger train runs — Sunbury, Bacchus Marsh, Seymour,
Kyneton, Stony Point — and block freight hauls such as
quarry, oil, grain, briquette, steel and ballast trains.
B6l's ultimate fate appeared to be sealed when the ARHS
had confirmed in a letter from the PTC (another name change
- this is now the era of V/Line) dated 19 April 1988, that B6l
was reserved for display in the Railway Museum at Williams-
town when no longer required for normal operations. It was
still listed as such on PTC records on 10 July 1992.
By mid-1992 a dark cloud loomed ominously over the hori-
zon for the remaining six faithful Bs, with PTC policy being
that repairs on any unit exceeding 200 man hours required
discretionary executive approval from the management of the
Operations and Scheduling Office. There would need to be a
very good reason for spending time and money on the repair
of a B.
The final withdrawals occurred over a six month period,
first B64 and B65 (both 3-7.92), next B80 (23.9.92), B75
(13.10.92), and then B76 (15.12.92). Finally our hero B6l, the
 NEWSRAIL August 1997
only member of its class to enter 1993 in service, was with-
drawn and taken off register on Wednesday 6 January 1993,
with 6 296 131 km service to its credit. It stands as the second
diesel-electric loco to enter mainline service in Victoria, with
B60 it was the first to relieve steam on an interstate passenger
run, and it survived as the last B to retire and with the greatest
distance under its wheels.
On Wednesday 10 February 1993 the six B class were all
noted stored at South Dynon Loco, B6l with B76 at the rear
of the diesel shop. In the mid-year 'stocktake' of the diesel
electric register printed in the August 1993 edition of NEWS-
RAIL, all six B class were listed as 'released for sale'.
A representative selection from some seven pages of
'twilight' observations are shown in Table C.
HEALTH AND STATISTICS
In brief technical terms, B6l boasts a General Motors EMD
16 cylinder Series 567BC engine, rated at 1193 kW (1650 hp),
of which 1119 kW (1500 hp) is available for traction, and a
continuous tractive effort of 178kN at 18 km/h . It has a Co-Co
bogie arrangement, with six EMD Type D27B traction
motors, a mass of 123 tonnes, overall length of 18.7 m, maxi-
mum speed of 133 km/h, and a fuel capacity of 4 550 litres.
Over the years a number of minor changes were made to
the external appearance of B6l, in common with others of
the class. Very early on holes were cut in the headstocks of
B60 to B65 to access air pipes for multiple unit operation that
were at one stage thought to be superfluous. Valances on the
sides of the units just above the fuel tanks were removed from
all Bs during the 1960s, as they restricted access to the tanks,
and the gauges and gear on the valences were deemed to be
unnecessary. It is a statement in itself about the tight rostering
Double-headed Bs in two different colour schemes. Numbers 61 and 69 drift downgrade into Ballarat working
No.218 wheat extra from Maryborough. Wed.3.9.86 Graham Withers
of the Bs that amongst this redundant equipment was a bat-
tery charging socket; one reason it was never used was that
the Bs were so seldom shut down in their early years that
only limited drain was made on the batteries in using them
to restart the engines!
In September 1974, when image was not a high priority for
the VR, B6l was noted with the nose ends welded up and
painted over, 'about the only clean part of an otherwise filthy
carbody'. The welding was undertaken 'in the interests of
crew comfort because of draught problems.'
On Tuesday 18 July 1975, B6l was shopped at South
Dynon for major repairs, and was still there in March 1976. An
obvious change at this time was the fitting of twin sealed
beam headlights at each end.
May 1984 saw B6l back again at South Dynon for further
bogie repairs, returning to service 'radio equipped'.
It was not until April 1986 that B6l had its most significant
face lift during PTC service, returning from a major overhaul
with its faded blue and gold livery replaced by a fresh coat
of the tangerine and grey of V/Line. At this stage B6l had
clocked up a very creditable 5 788 000 km, and was well
deserving of the attention paid to its main generator, control
wiring, air compressor, oil cooler and bearings. Was it also at
this stage that the series 567B engine was upgraded to 567BC?
Interestingly, during 1987, V/Line weighing of locos re-
vealed that the weight of B class locos were in fact heavier
than originally thought — 123 tonnes and not 114 tonnes,
making them as heavy as the N class and heavier than A, S
and X.
Revised speeds were issued for B class as a result.
As B class withdrawals began in ernest with the arrival of
the G class, the August 1988 NEWSRAIL accurately predicted
 NEWSRAIL August 1997

TABLE C
Date Details
Tues.22.7.80 B61 derailed on back road at Newport. Split the gauge and finished at 30 degree lean.
Sat.15.11.80 Back with a fast western line goods, S308-B61-C507 hauling up Jet.
Tues.19.5.81 B61-38AE-12BW-34BE-14AS-17CE run down Warrnambool 81 pass., arr. 13 23.
Tues.17.11.81 B73 is the first B withdrawn from service after being severely damaged in an electrical fire. Taken off
register 20.3.84. Rebuilt into A class, returning to service as A73 on 23.5.84.
Sun.13.12.81 B61 has 3 320 359 miles (~5 343 600 km) to its credit.
Tues.23.3.82 S303-S306-B61-B77 power a very long down Bendigo goods.
Fri.28.1.83 B61-X50 with 10 cars on a special holiday Adelaide Daylight, combined with the regular 07 55 down
Horsham pass. B61 and trailing cars detached at Horsham.
Thurs.31.3.83 B61-15ACN-40BRN-13BN arr. Spencer Street on time at 16 05 on up Bendigo pass.
Black Thursday First mention of B61 with a new N set of cars.
Mon.11.6.84 B61-T320-T358 through Surrey Hills at 23 26 with a down ballast.
Sun.19.8.84 B61 (VR)-B80 (VicRail) lead 13 15 down Ballarat pass.
Thurs.20.9.84 B61 still has the power to handle a 7 car (N15, N8) Dimboola pass, for the school holidays.
Fri.5.4.85 Good Friday B80-B61-N13-N12-D301 on down Dimboola pass.
Tues.6.5.86 B61 runs Lilydale goods with cement hoppers for Cave Hill quarry, continuing to Coldstream with GYs
loaded with superphosphate. First time in years such a loco ran beyond Lilydale.
Thurs.12.6.86 B61 has 5 798 000 km under belt — highest of any six remaining B class.
Wed.3.9.86 B61 (V/Line)-B69 (VicRail) make a 17 32 arrival at Ballarat with a Maryborough - Geelong block grain
train.
Sun.21.6.87 A79-B61 form typical A-B partnership for 09 35 (8081) Sunday down Swan Hill pass.
Thurs.6.8.87 B61 (V/Line)-B65 (VR) haul an up Gypsum from Cowangie to Geelong.
Thurs.7.1.88 B61 on a down express Mildura goods makes a late night Ballarat cross with B75-B74-T373 on a
Geelong bound block wheat train.
Wed.20.7.88 G525-S301-B61 on a very long Maryborough block grain train of VHGY and VHGF wagons.
Tues.1 6.8.88 B61-T-T haul the 09 05 (9240) Morwell - North Geelong goods.
Mon.13.2.89 B61 was running down light engine at Lara at 07 14 for crew training.
Mon.15.5 to B61 ran 'mini' quarry trains of 10xVHRX from the Pioneer quarry at Kilmore East to the
Sat.20.5.89 Brooklyn siding every day of this period, managing two return trips on Tues., Thurs. and Fri.
Thurs.29.6.89 B61-T402 on the night 9350 down Wodonga oil.
Fri.1 3.10.89 Mixing with an AN partner, B61-931 ran the North Geelong - Mt Gambier goods via Heywood
(usually run by twin 930 class). Aside from its delivery trip from NSW, was this B61's only trip on
interstate metals?
Fri.2.2.90 B61-S311 through Mangalore at 04 56 on a down Wodonga goods; the pair have run together recently
in WCR colours! Back at 22 10 on up Wodonga goods run by X52-X49-B61-T390.
Tues.20.3.90 B61 stars on the first train recorded on the 1990 'Climbing the Summit' video, hauling the 'scratch set'
(MTH101-52AE-CP292?) on the 8302 up Seymour pass. A very regular B class run.
Sat.28.4.90 B64-B61 were waiting in the loop at Frankston with a down Long Island steel as B80 passes to begin its
trip with the Stony Point pass.; three of the six Bs together.
Thurs.28.2.91 B61 runs 16 40 (9224) Wodonga - Corio block oil (empty).
Good Friday 91 B61-A79 ran an extra down Albury pass, for Good Friday.
Thurs.22.8.91 B61 on 16 15 down Ballarat pass.
Tues.3. 12.91 S306-B61-G533 ran 15 05 (9154) Dimboola - Corio goods, picking up 15xVLCX from Great Victorian
Bike Ride at Stawell.
Tues.10.3.92 B61 with South Australian K set ran 07 18 (8116) up Bacchus Marsh pass.
Fri.1.5.92 B61 has 6 239 539 km to its credit.
Tues.7.7.92 B61 ran Stony Point pass., through until Fri.10.7.92. B76 took over on Sat.
Sat.1 5.8.92 B61 spends day running rails to Geelong, observed on 10 00, 13 00 and 16 00 down pass.
Thurs.22.10.92 B61-X36-H5 lead 9080 (14 50) Swan Hill - Tottenham Yard goods. B61 attached at Bendigo after arrival
from Kyneton.
Sat.28.11.92 B61-N463 run third down special to Numurkah for Great Victorian Bike Ride.
Tues.1 5.1 2.92 B76 withdrawn from service. B61 is now the sole operational B class locomotive.
Tues.5.1.93 B61-2 cars ran the Frankston - Stony Point pass, all day.
Wed.6.1.93 B61 withdrawn from service and taken off register, last of the B class to be retired.
 NEWSRAIL August 1997
With all the locomotives having since departed the V/Line rollingstock register, B61-T401-T410-B83-T404 form
a colourful consist as they power out of Dunolly at 08 00 with the up gypsum train for Geelong.
Sat.9.4.88 Graham Withers
that B6l and B76 were likely to be the longest survivors due to
their more recent major overhauls. October 1990 and B6l was
back at South Dynon for a generator change, a heartening
sign of the PTC's commitment to the loco's future, at least
in the short to medium term.
WCR AND THE RESTORATION
The 1992 election of the Kennett Coalition government
signalled a major change in the direction of public transport
in Victoria. The decision announced in January 1993 to put
several country lines up for tender provided the opportunity
for the Victorian Railway Company Pty Ltd, trading as West
Coast Railway (WCR), to successfully tender for the oper-
ation of passenger train services on the Warrnambool line,
relieving the fears of many on that line at least that trains
may be replaced by buses.
While WCR initially ran with rollingstock leased from the
PTC, it was always their intention to own and run their own
trains. By early 1994, WCR had purchased S300, S302, S311
and S312, and negotiations were proceeding regarding the
purchase of several B class. In the end a classic 'buy four, get
two free deal' saw WCR obtain all six B class, with the inten-
tion of using the extras for spare parts. A condition of the
purchase was the return of the power bogies off B75 and
B80, which were fitted with uprated traction motors.
B6l arrived at WCR's Ballarat East depot on Wednesday 16
March 1994, in the company of B?6 and B80. By April 1994
work was proceeding on the carbody of B6l, and on Tuesday
21 June it was photographed for the July NEWSRAIL resplend-
ent in its new WCR livery alongside a rather weary looking
B76.
On Monday 23 January 1995 the new life for our ageing
hero drew one step closer, when S300-B61 ran light engine
from Ballarat to Melbourne, entering the PTC mainline for
first time under WCR ownership. S300 had already under-
gone extensive modification, and was tested at South Dynon
before the PTU Locomotive Division cab committee. B6l
acted as support on this trip, but for the return run on Friday
27, B6l led for the first time with S300 off-line, enabling noise
tests to be carried out in B6l's cab.
The big time was nearer still on Friday 3 February 1995,
when S300-B61 left Ballarat East and proceeded to South
Dynon to be fuelled. Tuesday 7 March then saw S300-B61 run
a test trip hauling the 12 35 (8235) down Warrnambool pass.,
the first occasion that WCR units had run on the company's
Warrnambool passenger trains. For the first time in over two
years, B6l took the focal point on a passenger train when it
led the pair back to Melbourne on the 17 35 (8286) up pass.,
arriving 3 down. To B6l's already impressive service record
can now be added another first: with S300 it was now the first
privately owned locomotive to haul a regular timetabled
passenger train in Victoria for over a century.
One week later, Tuesday 14 February, a more formal test
trip had S300-B61 haul the 08 49 (8221) down Warrnambool
pass, with the Minister for Transport, Alan Brown, publicly
launching the new WCR livery at Spencer Street station prior
to departure, then travelling on the train to Geelong.
It was to be October of that year before preparations for the
full commercial resurrection of B6l were completed, firstly
with substantial improvements to the No.l end cab to obtain
the approval of the PTU cab committee. These included the
fitting of an extra sound wall behind the cab, installing two
$2000 air-ride driving seats, and adding airconditioning. In
the interests of economy it was decided to only modify No.l
end and to turn the loco at Warrnambool and Melbourne,
although it can be driven from No.2 end in an emergency.
The upgrade was completed at Newport Workshops with
maintenance on bogies, traction motors and wheels.
In December 1995, B6l commenced regular operation haul-
ing WCR passenger services, initially paired with an S class
loco, making its first solo run shortly after.
Some sightings of B6l in its new life are shown in Table D.
 NEWSRAIL August 1997

Disturbing the rural peace of Ballarat, B61-B69 stagger up Warrenheip Bank at dusk on a cold, clear
spring evening. Wed.3.9.86 Graham Withers

TABLE D
Date Details
Sat.25.3.95 S300-B61 tow R711 from Bendigo to Ballarat East for restoration.
Fri.30.6.95 B61 has travelled 6 297 579 km in service; beaten only by S300, S301 and S302.
Fri.19.1.96 B61 observed solo on 06 35 up Warrnambool pass.
Mon.12.8.96 G515-A73-X41-B61-23 wagons through Gheringhap on 9139 North Geelong - Mildura goods.
Fri.1 5.8.96 G514-G511-G526-B61-28 wagons on 9152 Ouyen - Tottenham Yard goods. This is a typical way to
transfer WCR locos to and from Ballarat East for maintenance. The locos are transferred under power
rather than hauled dead so that all safety equipment is operational. Lube checks occur every 16 000 km,
with an exam (one section fully stripped and checked) every 32 000 km.
Tues.31.12.96 B61-S311 run 06 35 (8236) up Warrnambool pass., to arrive Melb. 09 50; after this the locos were
fuelled at South Dynon. Many services ran double headed over the Christmas/New Year period to cater
for higher passenger numbers.
S311-B61 run 12 35 (8235) down Warrnambool pass., to arrive 15 50. At Winchelsea, they crossed with
S300-S302 on 8256 up pass., bringing all four operational WCR locos together for a few minutes.
B61-S311 run 17 55 (8286) up Warrnambool pass., to arrive Melbourne 21 02.
A complete listing of all services run by B61 over one week follows; from personal observations of
many of these at Warrnambool, all trains noted were officially on time.
Mon.13.1.97 B61 runs 08 49 (8221) down Warrnambool pass., to arrive 11 54.
Tues.14.1.97 B61 runs 12 20 (8256) up Warrnambool pass., to arrive Melbourne 15 30.
B61 runs 18 00 (8265) down Warrnambool pass., to arrive 21 14.
Wed.1 5.1.97 B61 runs 06 53 (8236) up pass., and is refuelled at South Dynon Loco.
B61 runs 12 35 (8235) down pass., arriving on time at Warrnambool at 15 50.
B61 runs 17 55 (8286) up pass., with author travelling in cab to Winchelsea. At Winchelsea the distance
B61 had travelled in service had reached 6 432 492 km.
Thurs.16.1.97 B61 runs 08 49 (8221) down pass., Warrnambool arrival on time at 11 54.
Fri.17.1.97 S311-B61 run 12 20 (8256) up Warrnambool pass., to arrive Melbourne 15 30.
Sat.18.1.97 B61 runs 08 43 (8221) down pass., to arrive 11 53.
B61 runs 13 05 (8256) up pass., to arrive Melbourne 16 10.
B61 runs 18 35 (8265) down pass., to arrive 21 40.
Sun.19.1.97 B61 runs 17 05 (8246) up pass., to arrive Melbourne 20 17.
Mon.17.3.97 WCR release B76 to traffic. B76 was chosen for return as it and B61 were the last B class locos to be
overhauled by the PTC. Preparation of B76 had commenced in October 1996. B76-B61 together worked
the 08 49 down, 12 20 up, and 18 00 down passenger services to Warrnambool, with B76 leading on
the down trips. No doubt this was the first time for many years that B class locos double headed on any
train, let alone a mainline passenger service. Truly a sight to moisten the eyes of a fan of these sleek
GMs. They ran together again on the Tuesday.
 NEWSRAIL August 1997

Above: B61-N473 lead 8395 down bike special to Numurkah at Wahring on the Goulburn Valley line.
It was most unusual to see a B on a passenger train albeit a special service in the vicinity of Shepparton
late in their lives. Sat.28.11.92 Stuart Turnbull
Below: For a brief period in 1991 a regular working for B class locos was the briquette train. Skirting
the Maribyrnong River, B61 has just departed the goods sidings with a lengthy consist of empty
bogie wagons bound for Morwell. Sat.6.4.91 Jeff Bounds
 NEWSRAIL August 1997
THE FUTURE
What can we expect for B6l and its stablemates in the future?
With the reliability of these Clyde-GM workhorses well
proven, and a reasonable supply of spare parts courtesy of
the other locos at Ballarat East, WCR staff believe that if
the need is there, B6l could be expected to serve faithfully
for another five years or so. Can we look forward to a big cele-
bration for the fiftieth anniversary of its entry into service?
In the meantime, I'm keen to continue researching the ser-
vice life of my locomotive hero with the hope of producing
a more detailed document than this, and would value any in-
formation or photos relevant to B6l that NEWSRAIL readers
are able to share with me (please contact me at 4 Grace Court,
Wangaratta 3677). To date my main source of information
has been reading every copy of Divisional Diary and NEWS-
RAIL, from the first printings in 1957 right up to today. Thanks
to all responsible for those original articles and news items
and to Peter Churchley at the ARHS library, as well as to Peter
Bermingham, Phil Dunn at the PTC, and Gary McDonald
and Bob Butrims at WCR for assistance.
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE
You may well ask why a supposedly mature adult has invested
over one hundred hours researching the history of a single
locomotive: many of my friends and family certainly have!
There are several explanations.
Like countless other young boys, I just had to have one of
those roughly copied blue and gold Triang diesels running
around on my own model railway. A generation later, when
my own son David requested a train set for his birthday (no
prompting I assure you!), a more accurately replicated tan-
gerine and grey Lima B class in the form of B80 was an
obvious inclusion.
Reading Peter Bermingham's The ML2 Story gave me a
deeper appreciation of just how unique the B class locos were,
and of the foresight of the Victorian Railways engineering
staff who suggested and insisted on the double-ended design
and the previously unheard of three axle, three motor bogie.
As I further dabbled in the history of the B class locos and
made comparisons with other early diesel-electrics in Austra-
lia, it struck me that B6l could arguably add to its other claims
that of being Australia's oldest diesel electric locomotive still
in regular revenue-earning service. Other older locos have
been preserved as static museum pieces, and others are oper-
ational but not in regular service, or are on volunteer tourist
With a mixture of old and new paint schemes on the carriages, No.8221 pass, headed by
West Coast Railway B61 works downgrade into the popular seaside town of
Warrnambool. Thurs.16.1.97 Russell Armstrong
railways. For a loco still hauling regular, timetabled services
on a commercial railway, B6l stands alone by years!
In 1995, eager to see the real thing in action, David and
I sought out B6l during Christmas holidays in Melbourne.
We visited South Dynon Loco, and spent time lineside at
Manor keen to photograph our target; true to form I found
myself dreaming about it the night beforehand. In the light of
day, reality was as good as the dream, and those B class lines
looked just as beautiful in the new West Coast Railway livery
as I had remembered them in the blue and gold of old.
More personally — and this is the really serious bit that puts
the true passion into my interest — a fairly taxing six years
working as a secondary school chaplain had left me emo-
tionally drained and losing confidence in myself and my
ministry. I did what I always encourage others to do, and that
was to talk about it with people I trusted. Amongst them was
the minister that I had done much of my training in counsel-
ling with, and after several visits when I had regained a more
accurate and less critical view of myself and my world, we
found ourselves talking about dreams. The most recent and
vivid dream I could recall was of my holiday search for B6l.
We discussed the relevance of this dream at a surface level,
and then I was encouraged to dig deeper for the symbolism
that gave it real power for me. The message hit me with an
impact that even now is hard to describe. I had just about
written myself off as a chaplain, and was ready to resign; B6l
was written off and retired by the PTC, and destined at one
stage to be a museum exhibit. Then came a new lease of life
for B6l in the service of WCR, and a new lease of life for me
with restored confidence in myself and in the God I aim to
serve.
As I have tackled my work with greater confidence, energy
and vision, B6l stands as a powerful symbol for me of myself,
and a pointer to my God, exemplified in the of life Jesus, who
never writes anyone off, and who offers to each and every one
of us the chance for a fresh start with new meaning and
purpose in life.
So, when I stand by the line listening to the rhythmic chant
of that 567 engine, and watching the blue, white and yellow
streak by, I'm an admiring railfan watching a famous loco-
motive; I'm also a misty-eyed school chaplain watching with
gratitude something of myself and a symbol of my faith.
When my long ordered model of B6l in WCR livery finally
arrives, it will occupy a very special place on the model railway
that (surprise, surprise) David and I now share.
 B61 - THIS Is YOUR LIFE!

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