PAST MAINLINE TRIPS
For information on thumbnail photographs go to our Photo Gallery
2010
09 May - Mother's Day trip to Ballarat via North Geelong
The trip was run in conjunction with the Ballarat Heritage Weekend festival and the Ballarat City Council arranged two free-of-charge return shuttle trips from Ballarat Station up Warrenheip Bank to Lal Lal as part of the weekend festivities. The shuttles were topped and tailed by R707 and diesel electric T413 with R707 leading up the bank. The trains were near full and a total of 781 passengers were carried during the day.
   
707 Ops Train on the way to Ballarat. 09 May 2010. Photo Matt Cantle.
27 & 28 May - "Rush" Filming Charter
May saw Southern Star Productions hire diesel locomotive T413 plus ACZ255, BZ270, PC294 and DT318 to film an episode for the third series of the police series "Rush". Filming took place between Lethbridge and Warrenheip on the Geelong-Ballarat line and required total occupations on both days.
The third series of Rush commenced on Channel 10 on Thursday, 22 July.
08 January - Australian Railway Exploration Association Charter
707 Operations ran a return diesel hauled charter to Seymour for the AREA on 08 January. T413 was accompanied by carriages ACZ255, BRS224 and sleeper car "Kuldalai" (JTA6) plus power van PCP294.
2009
22 March - Return trip to Colac with a shortened 3-carriage consist topped and tailed by T Class diesel-electric locomotives (due to the steam ban season and the abscence of run-around facilities at Colac).
On the outward journey the train was hauled by 707 Operations' T413 with Steamrail's chartered T356 trailing. The roles were reversed for the home trip. Our thanks to Steamrail for providing T356.
09 May - After summer maintence R707 took a short evening test train to Bacchus Marsh.
 
17 May - R707's first public trip for 2009. The engine took three carriages to Geelong. Loading was light but the trip was most enjoyable for both passengers and crew. T413 trailed on the rear to reverse the train from Newport Garden Platform to Newport station and return.
13 June - R707 hired to Steamrail for a doubled headed trip with R761 to Castlemaine and Bendigo (Castlemaine 125th anniversary celebrations). R707 has been a reliable performer but it blew two superheater tubes and did not steam well on the return trip.
 
03 August - With R707 out of action for maintenance on the braking system Steamrail kindly provided K153 for use on this trip. Loading was again light and a shortened formation was used. Passengers who took the optional wineries bus tour enjoyed an excellent light lunch at Moorabool Ridge Vineyard and Olive Grove.
13 September - Brakes fixed, R707 was back in top condition for the return trip to Ballarat via North Geelong. Booking was heavy and the train load was increased to over 300 tonnes with the addition of Kim Baxter's Overlander sleeper car Kuldalai (JTA6). Some spirted running saw the train top the 1 in 72 Lal Lal bank at over 60km/h.
Approaching Lara with sleeper Car Kuldalai behind R707 on Ballarat trip 13 September 2009. Photo Dale Smith.
Departing Werribee for Ballarat on 13 September 2009. Photo Steve Hoptroff.
  
  
05 December 2009 - R707 and T413 took three carriages for a "Saturday Evening Suburban Steam Soiree" around parts of the suburban rail network. The train departed from Newport Workshops Garden Platform around 3pm and travelled to Lilydale the long way around via Glen Waverley and Flemington Racecourse stations. At Lilydale passengers were served a light barbeque dinner in the historic railway refreshment rooms located on the station platform before the train, with T413 leading R707 returned to Newport at 11pm.
2008
16 June - Charter trip for a group of over 260 Monash District Scouts from Southern Cross to Bacchus Marsh. The scouts had lunch in the park adjacent to the station while R707 was turned and serviced.
 10 August - A trip for 707 Operations members and guests on a rather cold and wet day from Newport Garden Platform to Marshall. The train carried about 110 passengers and R707 was crewed by 707 Operations members Rod Giri (driver) and John Nunn (fireman). It was John's final steam roster before retirement as a V/Line driver.
For operational reasons our diesel electric T413 was attached to the rear of the train. T413 was used to pull the train from Garden Platform into Newport station (reverse), back from Marshall to Geelong station (where the locomotives exchanged ends after R707 was serviced and turned) and finally to pull the train back into Garden Platform from Newport Station.
The highlight of the trip was the climb out of Geelong through Geelong Tunnel. Pressure waves from R707's exhaust found every weakness in the sealing of the air-conditioned carriages and by the time the train left the tunnel visibility was less than a coach length due to a thick (and very smelly) interior smog.
Exiting Geelong Tunnel on 10 August 2008. Photo Steve Temple.
17 August - Driver training trip from Newport West Block Yard to Seymour (empty carriage stock)
2007
24 June – R707 hired to Steamrail for trip to Geelong (Geelong 150 rail celebrations)
30 September - Driver training trip from Newport West Block Yard to Seymour (empty carriage stock)
05 and 06 October - Driver training trip from Newport West Block Yard to Seymour (empty carriage stock)
2005
31 July - Public excursion to Bacchus Marsh.
  
15 October – Public excursion from Newport Garden Platform to Seymour
30 October - Driver training trip from Newport West Block Yard to Geelong (empty carriage stock)
13 November - Driver training trip from Newport West Block Yard to Geelong (empty carriage stock)
20 November - Driver training trip from Newport West Block Yard to Seymour (empty carriage stock)
 
2004
24 October - Public excursion from Newport Garden Platform to Geelong
13 November - Public excursion to Newport Garden Platform to Ballarat
Last Updated: 27 July 2010.
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