Ballina freight question

[spudfan]

Might be near Ballina tomorrow afternoon. Would there be anything going on freight wise at the yard?

[gm171 kk]

The liner is due to arrive at 16:37 but is often up to an hour early. 

[spudfan]

Thanks

[Rob]

Get a few photos now !!

[spudfan]

Sadly things did not work out as I had hoped. I did get a few shots there a number of years ago of an 071 with wooden chocks being placed at the wheels when it came off the  train. They are on the site somewhere. It must be a common occurance as the loco was driven and parked by the chocks. They were removed later when the loco moved but left by the tracks, for the next loco I presume.

Edited July 10, 2020 by spudfan

[spudfan]

I found the photo of the 071 chocked. They are on the first and second wheels of the front bogie. They are just two wooden wedges on the end of a piece of rope. One set per wheel. Can't beat old technology!!!

[spudfan]

Here is another shot which shows just how cramped the yard is. I presume land was sold off.

 

[Mayner]

25 minutes ago, spudfan said:

Here is another shot which shows just how cramped the yard is. I presume land was sold off.

 

I don't think any land was sold off, the present freight yard was built in the 1970s on the site of the loco depot.

The yard was originally laid out with two through roads one served by a gantry for container traffic, the second for palletised cement and fertiliser traffic. 

The reach stacker requires a wider space to operate than the gantry with containers stored in the area once occupied by the cement store and fertiliser storage area.

The goods yard was originally on a narrow site between what is now the main running line and station road, a short section of the Killala line known as the "Crossmolina Siding" was retained as a goods yard after the branch closed in the late 1930s.

[DiveController]

5 hours ago, spudfan said:

Here is another shot which shows just how cramped the yard is. I presume land was sold off.

 

The Fantuzzi reach stack is a pretty impressive piece of equipment but the body alone is almost 30 feet long and close to 50ft if you drop the boom