Well, Look Who’s Finally Organizing 300,000 Photos…
Hey there, loyal readers (and those of you who just wandered in here by accident while Googling “vintage trains” or possibly “how to organize your life”)!
So, fun fact: If you ignore a growing pile of 300,000 photos for a few years—give or take a decade—you eventually hit a point where you either have to sort them... or fake your own disappearance. I chose the former. Barely.
Yes, I’m now in full-blown catch-up mode. Think digital archaeology meets mild existential dread. I have managed to wrestle thousands of images into some sort of themed order here on the blog (because, you know, I’m a responsible adult LOL), but there’s still a mountain of unsorted memories waiting to see the light of day. Or at least the glow of your screen.
So what’s coming your way over the next few months? Oh, just a tsunami of transport-related guff: locomotives, carriages, infrastructure, trams, and buses type bollocks. Basically, if it runs on rails or gets stuck in traffic, it’s probably going to make an appearance.
Now, before you get too excited (or fall asleep), let me lower expectations just a tad. This particular post steps away from the mechanical marvels of ALCO and English Electric—yes, I know, tragic—and instead, we take a solemn, slightly pitying glance at the humble creations of Clyde/EMD. Think of it as the train equivalent of watching someone try their best in gym class.
But hey, whether you’re here for the glorious detail shots or just to marvel at how someone let this photo hoarding situation get so out of hand, you’re in for something. A ride, perhaps. A journey. Or maybe just several weeks of relentless scrolling/yawning. Either way, buckle up—or, you know, don’t. I can hardly tell you what to do.
Photos from the '80s right through to today are incoming. It’s going to be wild. Or mediocre. Depends on how much you like trains, really.
Stay tuned (or don’t). The visual garbage is coming either way.
--------------------------------------------
DL41 was returning from a promotional run to Alice Springs in the brand new National Rail livery.
She was the first to be painted thusly.
Spencer Junction, South Australia.
Loco currently stored, in the Pacific National livery.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Queensland Rail 4031 receiving some TLC at Callemondah.
Photo: Brad Peadon
2188 is seen passing through Bohle (Townsville) in Queensland.
Unit would later go to Africa as Transnet's 38-808, but has returned to Australia with Watco and back in her original number.
Photo: Brad Peadon
The Swanbank branch coalies were always an aim on our Brissie visits. The branch was an interesting survivor of a number of coal lines that once ran around the area, and the combos were great also.
Here we have 2360 and 2339 up front, 2331 and 2347 out of view down the back.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Another coalie from the west. Just west of Helidon with 2358 2352 up front.
Photo: Brad Peadon
4006 was still quite new when found at Callemondah on this day.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Whoopsie. Yep, seems 1728 has had a rather big one.
What is left is seen at the Redbank Workshops in Brisbane and it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to work out what became of her.
Just in case you aren't a rocket scientist, she was scrapped.
Photo: Brad Peadon
1744 snoring away at a very quiet Willowburn (Toowoomba, Queensland) depot.
Photo: Brad Peadon
4901 in the short lived Metro green livery leads candy 4912 into the former Rozelle yard with a grain train.
Both units are now scrapped, the line converted to a light rail, and Rozelle yard now a large parkland.
Photo: Brad Peadon
4905 was another of the three 49 class to wear the green/yellow Metro livery. The third was 4902.
She is sitting with 42220 at the Delec Locomotive Depot in Sydney.
4905 is owned by Traction Engineering and is to be found in Seymour (Victoria), while 42220 has migrated to the other side of Australia and is owned by Watco.
Photo: Brad Peadon
4901 again, this time on a works train at Rockdale during a line shutdown.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below.
Yet again we have green 4901, however this time it was in a different use, hauling a tour train out along the now closed BHP Steel Wongawilli (Elouera) coal line
Photos: Carl Millington
Brad Peadon Collection
4910 was one of two 49 class to receive the Freightrail Blue livery.
4910 is stored at Bendigo awaiting repairs, now owned by Southern Shorthaul and wearing their attractive yellow and black livery.
Photo: Brad Peadon
1435 passes through the former level cross on the Botany Goods Line in suburban Sydney.
Photo: Brad Peadon
A couple of gorgeous ALCo streamliners amongst the EMD ones at Streamliners 22 in Goulburn, New South Wales.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and two below.
GM38 and CLP14 pass through Gelco with a rake of flats.
Photo: Brad Peadon
DL41 in a very different use to the earlier shot, this time a stone train at Dunmore Quarry with another former South Australian in BL27.
The DL is stored, while the BL remains in use with Pacific National.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Same train as above, but headed towards the quarry and seen passing the unimaginatively named Brownsville.
The DL is stored like the rest of the surviving class members, the 81 likely still running with Pacific National.
Photo: Brad Peadon
X46 G533 X45 and another yet to be identified X class shunt the now closed fuel terminal at the end of the now abandoned Sandown branch in Sydney.
The two identified X class are believed to be with Regional Connect, with G533 operational with Aurizon.
Photo: Brad Peadon
One of our many 90s South Australian trips.
Julie, John, and myself were about to catch that Overland to Melbourne with N462 up front.
They were great days with great friends.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Something I once would have laughed at the idea of. Two former Victorian Railways T class operating coal trains on the South Maitland Railway.
T385 and T387 have just dropped the staff at East Greta Junction before joining the mainline to port.
Both have had interesting careers after V/Line, T385 going to West Coast Rail, then Southern Shorthaul, and T387 to 707 Operations via the Yorke Peninsula Railway and Chicago Freightcar Leasing.
Photo: Brad Peadon
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bradly Coulter & Carl Millington.
Wikipedia
Check our new Linktree site above for piles of dreary transport entertainment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
