Random Bollocks From A Semi-Retired Foamer!

Hello and welcome back to the latest mixed selection from the bowels of my photographic archives - celebrating what is now 37 years of foaming around Australia, along with Fiji and the Philippines.

A more recent shot, taken in 2009, shows FCD-8, the caboose used for clearance duties around Manila (Philippines).

Removing squatters, or the more politically correct 'Informal Settlers', can be a hard task, with many really not wishing to leave their illegal abodes. Thus the railway police are always close at hand to utilize their trungeons, or at least accept a bribe.

Bless those beautiful 10 Class, with priority given to SMR22.

Here be two more shots, recently found, of the final weeks

of the Richmond Vale Railway.

Here SMR22 is seen shunting the Hexham washery after

returning from her one mine run of the day.

Not long after this all railway staff were given the royal rogering and sent on their way. Despite tourist railway plans, the railway lays abandoned 20 years later and the one busy Stockrington yard now just a field of grass that

gives little indication of its past.

Today SMR22 rests out of use at the 'Richmond Vale Railway Museum' with Buckleys chance of ever seeing steam again.

Another of those kettle things, 5112 (often refered to as Ben Chifley's loco) is seen behind ALCo 4484 back in the 80s.

The location is Bathust, the loco now being under restoration and either far from, or closed to finish, depending which railfan gossip you choose to believe.

And finally, the last day of operations to Toronto, strangely enough

utilising a less common, for this branch, 660/760 set.

It was still quite early in the day and the ever growing crowds had yet to form in numbers that would have seen the line still open. It was a fun, albeit sad occasion, being part of rail history, but also witnessing the end of

something you had spent so many years around.

We all enjoyed it our own way, one guy climbing on the front to stop it leaving and others continually hitting the emergency stop along

the final trip to Fassifern.

The night ended with a four gun urine salute as the train returned to Broadmeadow to stable.

Ahhhhh those were the days!