198711 – Clarke – Aberdeen-Werris Creek CTC: The Project

Although the obvious benefits of a C.T.C. type signalling system are well know, the documented, I feel it was with some misgivings that Executive of the S.R.A finally gave their blessing to the awarding of an approved contract.

I base this statement of a number of items which have come to light:-
1. The Executive was somewhat alarmed at the number of failures which initially occurred on the North Coast C.T.C.
2. The susceptibility of the electronic equipment to lightning strike. and
3. The overrun in time and funding which occurred on North Coast C.T.C.

In November 1984 the submission for approval was submitted with the following documentary evidence of performance.
1. Staff Savings:
North Coast C.T.C. – 195 individuals
Junee Albury C.T.C. – 46 individuals

2. Transit Time Savings:
North Coast CTC: Average transit time savings (Junee – Grafton Section) are somewhat better post C.T.C. by 9 minutes (up) and 34 minutes (down). However this has been achieved with a 20 percent increase in the number of trains and a corresponding 44 percent increase in the number of train crossings. The post C.T.C. performance is also affected by a speed restriction of 80 Kphr (down from 100 kphr) on 3 piece bogie rolling stock.

Junee-Albury C.T.C.: The average transit time between Junee and Albury has been reduced from 3 hours 10 minutes (pre C.T.C.) to 2 hours 40 minutes (post C.T.C.) and some trains have been increased in length to 700 metres. The majority of loops being 900 metres long means that further increase in train lengths is still available. In actual fact the XPT was able to save some 48 minutes running time Wagga Wagga – Albury.

Operations Branch were, I feel, a little cautious here also, as they only “lifted” the timetable 30 minutes with still over nine minutes “recovery time” between Wagga Wagga and Junee.