197711 – Sharpham & Revell – The Port Waratah Resignalling (Parts 1 & 2)

Part 1 Introduction

The Port of Newcastle exports the largest quantity of coal in N.S.W., exporting coal from the Hunter Valley and Northern N.S.W. collieries.

Last year the Public Transport Commission of N.S.W. hauled over 6 million tonnes of coal to Port Waratah for export. The maximum possible annual throughput of coal was about 8 million tonnes before the area was redeveloped.

Coal has been exported from the Port Waratah area since 1877. The present line from Scholey St. was opened in 1908. Coal was transferred from rail hopper wagons with a capacity up to 12½ tonnes to ships by crane until the present Basin Loader, operated by the Maritime Services Board, was opened in 1967.

This consisted of one tippler and one bottom dump hopper where wagons were unloaded one at a time.

The wagons were stored in a vast network of siding nests while waiting to be unloaded.

In addition to coal, Port Waratah handles wheat, oil and some private siding traffic, and steel for B.H.P.

With a large increase in orders for coal from Japan anticipated, it was realised that the facilities at Port Waratah were inadequate. It is expected that the quantity of export coal to be railed to Port Waratah will increase to 20 million tonnes per year by 1985.

About 40 hectares of P.T.C. land previously occupied by the nests of storage sidings have been made available to “Port Waratah Coal Services” on which an extensive stockpiling and blending complex has been built. Coal will be transferred from this area to ships by automatic handling equipment.

Coal is unloaded from modern 76 tonne capacity coal wagons, made up in unit trains, at a bottom dump coal hopper on the balloon loops built for the purpose.

As the nests of sidings required for storage of coal wagons for the unloading arrangements at the Basin Loader were being removed, unit train operation has been introduced for the Maritime Services Board hoppers. The tippler was converted to a bottom dump hopper and a balloon loop was built at Bullock Island for this purpose. The Bullock Island balloon loop was brought into use in March 1976. Two automatic level crossings were installed by the P.T.C.

Before redevelopment, traffic in and out of Port Waratah was controlled from two mechanical signal boxes. Shunters controlled movements within Port Waratah and Bullock Island.

t was realised from the start of the planning for this project that for efficient operation of the complex, signalling would have to be installed so that trains could be controlled from a central point. Accommodation was allowed for this purpose in the new administration building that was built as part of the overall project.

The signals and points were worked from a route setting control panel located on the first floor of the administration building. Space has been allowed on this panel for future control of points and signals now worked from Scholey St. Signal Box.

Signals are of the position light shunt type.

Point machines are trailable yard type, the first used on this system.

Ground frames are released by electric locks on the ground frame rather than by releasing switch which is normal P.T.C. practice.

Point indicators of the dwarf colour light type are provided at ground frame catchpoints.

The area under control of the Signalman is fully track circuited and indicated on the diagram.

Jeumont Schneider impulse track circuits have been used because of the possibility of coal dust and corrosion on the rails giving shunting difficulties.

A Project Manager was appointed and in October 1975 a time scale was produced which called for completion by the end of 1976.

P.T.C. forces were already heavily committed in other works and it was decided that the work should be let out to contract.

The successful tenderer was Delairco M.L. Engineering.

Due to delays by other contractors the project ran late and the signalling was subsequently brought into use on 8th November, 1977.

Traffic light type unloading signals have been installed by P.T.C. and M.S.B. for controlling trains during unloading operations.

As part of the overall coal export project, signalling for the new Whittingham–Mt. Thorley coal line has been installed by P.T.C. staff. This is a single line 10 km long with a balloon loop at Mt. Thorley for the loading of coal. The signalling for this line is controlled from a relay interlocking panel at Singleton via a direct wire remote control system.

Part 2 Introduction

I shall continue with a description of the final signalling arrangements now that Bruce Sharpham has outlined the course of events leading up to the requirements for the resignalling of the Port Waratah yard area, and the subsequent letting of the contract.

The site construction was commenced in August, 1976 and installation has been completely dictated by the progress of permanent way relaying and renewal stages which were, in turn, related to other major site works not essentially part and parcel of railway operation, the signalling work being only a small part of the overall project.

The whole scheme was due to have been completed and in operation on the 1st January this year but was, in fact, only commissioned on Tuesday this week and consequently this meeting has been finely timed to suit.

It is intended to accompany this paper with a series of slides and questions will be welcomed at the end when Bruce and I will endeavour to cover adequately any points raised.

We shall be available during the course of the weekend to answer and discuss any further points which may come to light.

The yard complex is completely controlled by three new route relay interlockings of the type used by the Public Transport Commission and I shall not dwell in detail on their operation as several of these installations are now in use around New South Wales and are familiar to most I.R.S.E. members. However, we shall concentrate on those items of variance to the standard arrangement, some of which are, I believe, completely new to Public Transport Commission of New South Wales, although I stand to be corrected here.

I should point out that part of the trackwork is still missing in the vicinity of Morandoo South Junction and that part of the inner balloon loop and certain other connections are clamped out of use, but these will be more apparent on the visit tomorrow.