Hey there spark fans!
One of the consequences of neglecting to catalog over 300,000 photos over the years is that I’m now in full catch-up mode. While I’ve managed to organize thousands of images across various themes here on the blog, there are still many more waiting for their turn in the spotlight.
To tackle this backlog, I’m diving headfirst into sorting and categorizing a large portion of these photos in the coming months.
You can look forward to endless dreary posts focused on locomotives, carriages, infrastructure, trams, and buses—perfect for anyone with even a passing interest in these fascinating subjects. Or not ..... that choice is up to you
I have to admit that sparks were never really on my radar and the vast majority of photographs were either during some special event, or just to pass those endless boring hours waiting for the good stuff to arise.
Of course, as time progressed and the older sets start going to train heaven, I began to regret not getting my rear more into gear and cover more of this guff.
More recently I have actually made an effort to cover the greatly endangered old K and V sets which, I guess, is probably to little to late.
Anyway, it is what it is.
Feel free to enjoy what I do have to share, or more likely to hate given many of the rabid attitudes out there.
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The spectacular looking Zoo Train arriving at Central station.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Zoo train again, this time approaching Campsie station well before the Metro idea was ever thought of.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Yep, the Zoo Train was a popular photographic topic. :-)
Pretty sure this was on a tour to a few locations around Sydney.
Pretty sure this was on a tour to a few locations around Sydney.
Photo: Carl Millington
The V sets never looked better than when they wore candy. Here one is on the short single track section at Clifton with a service bound for Sydney.
Alas, these beautiful trains are now in their dying days.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Flemington to Elcar exchange cars.
That old siding to the right was the 'Pole Siding' and it was removed not to long after this was taken.
Photo: Brad Peadon
D6127 was a victim of the accident at Wentworthville in 1989 and spent her final days of existence here at Elcar (Chullora).
Believed to be an old Sputnik car in the background. But they all look the same to me :-)
Photo: Brad Peadon
C7376 sitting at the Elcar Workshop in Chullora.
According to a comment by Michael Morgan, on the 'NSW Railways Past & Present' forum, this car seems still exist in private ownership'
Photo: Brad Peadon
Another candy coloured spark, and another greatly endangered train type nowadays.
K37 arriving at Circular Quay station on Sydney's City Circle.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Trailor T4357 is preserved at 'Campbelltown Steam & Machinery Museum' at Menangle Park.
Bus 2716 is a privately own ex-government bus being used on a 'Strange Modelers of Universal Trains' closed lines tour.
Photo: Brad Peadon
T57 at Port Kembla station in the Illawarra.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Now it's NT17 at Port Kembla station a few months earlier.
Photo: Brad Peadon
The legendary Bruce Cook had an amazing ability to be everywhere for everything.
This time it was for set U5 to become the last U-Boat to operate the Blue Mountains in regular service.
Photo: Bruce Cook
F22 on one of Bruce Cook's outstanding 'ET Tours' trips.
Anyone who were lucky enough to ride these tours will attest to the amazing amount of work that went into achieving things that would horrify the railfan police of today.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Red Rattler B9 at Central Station.
Photo: Brad Peadon
NC3, one of the former three car double deck sets that used to work local Newcastle services back in the day.
Cockle Creek
Photo: Brad Peadon
V7 approaching Cowan station for a Central Coast service.
Photo: Brad Peadon
There's that delicious candy again, this time V31 on a Sydney bound service from the now closed Newcastle station.
Hamilton Station
Photo: Brad Peadon
An unidentified V set on Cowan Bank.
Photo: Brad Peadon
C3905 leading set R8 down the Illawarra.
Apparently C3905 would go on to be burnt out during a major fire at the Mortdale Maintenance Centre back in July 1995.
Photo: Brad Peadon
C3866 wearing the rare yellow front that was only carried by four cars. The others being C3858, C3860, and C3867.
While I managed a number of photos of these cars, this is by far one of the better ones.
Photo: Brad Peadon
H18 awaiting departure from Port Kembla railway station.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Above and below.
Now in the process of wiping out the last of our V sets, D135 and D35 are seen passing over the Meadowbank Bridge back in the days before they started entering regular service.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Circular Quay station looking towards St James.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Another of those four yellow enders.
C3867 is seen leading set R25 through Warwick Farm. The branch to the right leading into the racecourse (see photos below).
Photo: Brad Peadon
K62 in the unfamiliar location of Chullora Junction during a weekend of train diversions.
Photo: Brad Peadon
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R28 approaches Turrella station.
Quadruplication of this line means that it is a scene totally different to what is found there today.
Photo: Brad Peadon
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C3836 leading set S13 through Loftus in Sydney.
Photo: Brad Peadon
An unidentified candy K set passes over the single line section of the Illawarra line that goes through Coal Cliff Tunnel.
Southbound - Clifton
Photo: Brad Peadon
R32 at Concord West.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Rattler H2 approaches Milsons Point station on the north side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge..
Photo: Brad Peadon
S21 passing the Loftus Junction signalbox at, not surprisingly, Loftus.
This was the junction for the former Royal National Park branch. It is believed the signalbox is now preserved by the nearby 'Sydney Tram Museum', whom now operate trams along the former branch.
Photo: Brad Peadon
S38 races 4917 out of Campsie station as it makes its way back to the city from Bankstown.
The two furthest track are currently closed for conversion to Metro usage, while that unusual track setup in front of the 49 is the former weighbridge.
Photo: Brad Peadon
C7489 at the former Elcar workshop in Chullora.
Photo: Brad Peadon
C3711 on red set W5 at Central station.
Photo: Brad Peadon
T3 at the former Delec Locomotive Depot (Enfield) for wheel lathe attention.
The red thing on the front was for Red Nose Day.
Photo: Brad Peadon
While now greatly into sparks back in the day, I did make a bit of an effort to get the fast disappearing blue and white ones.
Alas, I was young and couldn't afford those fancy type cameras at the time.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Earlier I mentioned the Warwick Farm Racecourse branch.
We went out there for the last day of operation.
Here we see T4627 on set H3. This set would go down in history as the last to leave that evening.
Photo: Brad Peadon
C7465 had lead set H6 in to the racecourse on the last day of operation. It, along with another red set, are waiting to leave for the last time that evening.
Today all but a very short section of the platform still remains here.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Set V16 climbs up the grade from Kembla Grange to Unanderra.
Another racecourse appears in the background here, that being Kembla Grange.
People going past may be able to spot ex Sydney tram R1804 in that racecourse.
Photo: Brad Peadon
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Toby Baldwin, Warren Jones, Mick McGinty, Adam Reid, and Chris Stratton.
Check our new Linktree site above for piles of dreary transport entertainment.
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