The Semi-Retired Foamer has been a railfan since he was around 5 years old, oh yes a very young age, an age when one really should avoid being involved with the gunzel community to any great extent. A few rather unsavoury people bringing that fact home.
After a few decades of train chasing, one decided to break with protocol and get married, thus leading to a severe cut in railfan activity.
Subsequent dealings with hate breeders, lunatics, mental defectives and self-appointed preservation overlords lead to an even greater decrease in my hobby participation.
However things have changed thanks to our small group of trusted mates, interest has returned, and now I have become a bit more involved yet again.
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Over the years I have tried my best to further both the hobby, as well as the friendships that it brings. I have done this by setting up proactive groups both here in Australia, as well as the Philippines. It is with huge honour that I am often considered the founding father of the railfan hobby in the Philippines (my second home).
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I don't take the hobby too seriously and I am a friend to anyone who is good and genuine. But never forgive those who have used their hate to destroy my hobby or hurt the friends within it.

Let's Make The Hobby Great Again!
I aim to share the era that I considered mine, the 80s and 90s. I also like to help promote, and even raise funds for, the various heritage societies that keep the era alive
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**** LOCOMOTIVE/ PUBLICATIONS ****
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We occasionally publish information on the locomotives, and rollingstock, from railways in Australia and the Philippines.
All are available for
FREE at our ALR WEBSITE.




Please email me should you wish to use anything from this site !



Wednesday, May 1, 2013

 
DUDLEY (BURWOOD) COLLIERY BRANCH
27-4-2013
 
G'day foamers, last weekend a free afternoon following a late friends birthday allowed me the opportunity to go take a look at a former coal line in Newcaslte thats long been on my to do list.
This branch junctioned off the Belmont line just north of Whitebridge at, not surprisingly, Dudley Junction, then leading a curvey course through local suburbs to the colliery.
Sadly, time was short and only so much could initially be seen, however a follow up visit, including walk, is already being organised
 
 

The above map from Google Earth was what we initially used for our visit. Unfortunately we are not quite sure of where the line ran in the Whitebridge area.


 
Presumably a bridge or short tunnel exists under all this growth on Burwood Road.
 



 
 


Then And Now
Its hard to imagine the activity that once went on in what is now a football field.
The two photos above compare shots, the earlier one being courtesy of the State Library of NSW
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Tuesday, April 2, 2013



COMING SOON
Eventually even those first embarrasing shots on an Instamatic camera become interesting enough to pull out and show.
In coming weeks join us for a trip down memory road, back when Sydney transport was interesting and that digital photo rubbish was still far from being invented.
Theres something here for everyone, from the most obsessed of bus fan, to the marginally sane ferry nut
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Thursday, January 17, 2013

YEE GRAND JUNEE ROUNDHOUSE
VISIT PT1

Oh it has been a long time since once presented ones parts down around that which is the roundhouse at Junee, however our recent Wagga trip provided us the perfect chance to look back in and see what has been going on at this once regular haunt.
With thanks to the kind folk of the roundhouse we present you with the first of two selections of shots taken on the day.




















Come back ya'hear, we will be completing the second lot of shots shortly.

Monday, January 14, 2013

EDWARDS CROSSING
A Forgotten Halt on the Tumbarumba Line.

Buggar all is known about this little Riverina halt, not far east of Tarcutta on the long closed Tumbarumba line. It may have opened with the line in 1917 and quite possibly was available for passengers until flood damage caused service suspension beyond Ladysmith in 1975.
Despite its no longer being needed, Edwards Crossing survived nearly four decades as an interesting relic of better times on our railways. A shot of her back in 1985 can be found HERE.
  
Sadly, the start of 2013 has seen New South Wales plagues with bush fires ranging from small, to the extremely large. One of these was in the Tarcutta area, it was huge and it received much media coverage around the country.

Our final stop after a weekends Riverina railfanning saw us taken to see this little halt hidden well away from where others would normally go.
However, as we got closer we found ourselves entering the fire zone and the chances of finding an intact halt were not looking good, far bigger structures having been destroyed all over the place.
What we found was a dismal reminder of what fire can do and how our rail heritage can be wiped out in the blink of an eye.










COMING SOON

More views from the Semi-Retired Foamers Riverina jaunt.