SLIDING

Storm approaching Eugowra Yard.

Exeter Station - Australia

East Greta Junction.
Start of the South Maitland Railways

Eugowra yard

Grenfell station

Goulburn Roundhouse

Galong Yard layout

AVAILABLE NOW

From the Strange Modelers website.

  Status of all locomotives to have been owned by both operators and listing of all known surviving rollingstock.
  Compiled through the worldwide resources of the S*M*U*T research team.

View It On the WEBSITE free today.

ARE YOU AWARE?

S*M*U*T and 'The Semi-Retired Foamer'' run a number of specialist Facebook research groups based on Australian (and overseas) railway topics.

Maroochy Shire Tramways SIG

BHP Rail History SIG

Philippine Railway Historical Society

Botany Line SIG

South Maitland & Richmond Vale Railways SIG

  All contain a wealth of information about their respective topics.

  Come join us and join in.

-

Colliery Location Needed

If I remember correctly this was taken during an 80s look around the South Maitland region and quite possibly is one of the collieries served by the line through Kalingo Junction.

Anyone recognise? Thanks.

Neath Colliery - Thanks to Brian Andrews

¬¬ EL CLASS SMR INVASION ¬¬


Don't hit me if this turns out wrong :-)

OK I believe the plan is:

An 11am departure (tomorrow) from port of two EL class to Pelton.
48 class will be on standby in case of failure. Not sure if that is a failure of locos, or the infrastructure.

Assuming they don't find themselves in Swamp Creek or similar, one would imagine this is the end of PN 48s on the SMR. Probably see the demise of the PLs to.

~~ WELCOME HOME SMR10 AND 18 ~~

A six hour return trip, a pre dawn departure, pouring rain during the whole event and deep thick mud.

AN AWESOME DAY!

Nothing was going to stop myself, along with my usual sidekick MrX, heading north towards Maitland to celebrate the returning home of SMR10 and 18 to their rightful home in East Greta Junction.
The whole day was somewhat heritage themed, with visits to Minmi and Pelaw Main aso partaken in, along with a chase of a Pelton (SMR) coalie with ALCo locomotives up front, something that will soon disappear.

Thanks to everyone at the HVTC and 'Friends of SMR' for a truly great day.

East Greta Junction

Abermain

B1 preserved at Minmi has had its windown smashed on the other side.

Passenger gets sick of waiting for next Cessnock passenger.

~~ TORONTO MEMORIES ~~

Random older shots of the Toronto branch from the

mid 80s until closure!

~~ NEATH RAILFAN WEEKEND NUMBER ? ~~

PART 1

Ahhhhhh yes it was that time again, its spring, a time when a young man's thoughts to love and a foamers thoughts turn to the Hunter Valley.

While not really a weekend, given this was a one day venture north to sit in on the inaugeral meeting of the 'Merriwa Railway Society', much opportunity was taken to consume the Hotels fantastic food and delightful 'alcoholic' beverages, during a sampling of Colonel's finest orchestral instrumentation from the nearby gentlemans convenience.

As it was likely to be the last time I can drag my rapidly decaying frame to East Maitland prior to the most glorious of all hackspots, Pitnacree Bridge (aka Houro's Bridge), being destroyed by a brand new bridge catering for the ever growing needs of humanity. I thought this would have to be the go for the first few shots of the day.

Now I am not going to sit here and type up a whole pile of sightings for you to quickly persue through and soon forget about. Nah stuff it - I can't be bothered.
So instead - please devour the following selections of gunzel porn taken on the dribbly cam which will appear over two parts.

NOTE: I hold no responsibility for expansion of personal

body parts while viewing the following!

Just in case anyone cares - our first sighting was this flamin thing!

The Colonel brings along a sample of his new gunzel rag.
To be released in 2012

PL5 48120 48137 pass through East Maitland with one of two services out of Pelton

that morning. The afternoon services were cancelled.

NR92 NR83 NR52 scream through East Maitland with a load of containers

bound for the 'Shakey' city of Brisbane.

The excitment of the earlier Huntercar was way to much for Nathan and Colonel.

The elder-statesman of Hunter railway photography, Mr John Hourigan

as found in East Maitland waiting to pounce on the next exciting combination!

9005 9022 8241 up coal rooooooooooar through East Maitland 20kph.

A Broken Man - 8am and still no Bundy!

Buggar, didn't I just show this one?

Must have come back for a second run through.

8237 8217 8210 Down empty coal passing through East Maitland.

Yes, it was getting very hot. As a safety precaution much fluid was consumed.

Perhaps a little to much was consumed in retrospect!

Anyway, eventually 8226 8254 8129 9007 took centre stage with a rake of coal

headed to port.

Cooties, 3112 and the World Famous Colonel!

All members of the 'Neath Hotel Railfan Group', Facebook and AA.

5010 5004 make a welcome change to the endless Pacific National passings.

Despite being a hot and sunny day, the moon did make a brief apearance.

~~ COMING VERY SOON IN PART 2 ~~

In Part 2 we shall sit in on the inaugeral meeting of the 'Merriwa Railway Society', visit the Richmond Vale Railway and head on back to East Maitland for the final hours of daylight.

12126

You come back again - ya here?

~~ HUNTER HOLIDAY HIJINKS ~~

and NEATH WEEKEND #11

** NOTE: As always, high-res copies of all photos are available for any
magazine who may wish to use such **

PART 2 OF 3

Welcome back to Part 2 of what is 'now' a three part series.

The reason for the sudden increase in size is due to an awesome Neath night and an extra morning lineside that was not expected. Now, you tell me of any railfan who dosen't have an increase in size when lineside!!!

In part one of story, our heros had just finished at Pitnacree Bridge and were off to meet the world famous John Hourigan at Victoria Street.

But first, a quick last look at the Pitnacree Bridge location.

9024 8217 8254 8241 down empty coal at Pitnacree Bridge 12.34

Could this be the bridge to replace 'Gunzel Bridge' at Maitland?
It already seems to be marked for its most famous regular attendee.

Before to long we were being greated by the man himself, local identity and long-term friend Johnno Hourigan.

BL26 BL33 4836 603 on a down ore goes flying through Victoria Street as a sea of foam coats the locomotives in question!

Oh my god - that was bloody awesome!
What a sight - Wheres the Kleenex?
My god - what could be better than that?

Hmmmm yeah your right - this is marginally better!
The seat I mean, shame that rather developed woman got in the way.

Yes - well anyway, soon enough and there was more train action to be had as 9207 G529 G519 8205 come through with another loaded coalie at 14.46.

2753 2703 - down pass - 15.32

9005 9020 9010 - up coal - 15.51

9018 9004 9025 down empty coal at Victoria Street.

Rear shot of these interesting seats.

8243 9031 G543 9214 pass an up Exploder just to the east of Victoria Street.

8111 hauled the strangest movement of the day, if you don't count MrNathans rather odourous death cloud after three Snickers Bars (apparently had to give em up for Lent).
It was seen here hauling a short rake of coal hoppers of many different varieties, the reason for such is still unknown. All hoppers were empty.

Victoria Street station has not been to diffaced by moderisation!

Victoria Street - Down train arrives.

Two ladies who have possibly caught a train sometime in the life, but don't really have much to do with this post other than their being good to look at.

Stay tuned for PART 3

* Neath Night *

* Morning Around Newie *