Bli Bli Pies & Randy Ducks - It Can Only Be Moreton! Part 3.

DAVID LOW BRIDGE SAFEWORKING!

Below is a number of shots taken of the safeworking arrangements for the road/rail David Low Bridge in Bli Bli (Queensland)!
Although taken a year after closure, all was unchanged.
A couple of days after these were taken PETRIE pushed three flats across the bridge to remove the last lengths on the other side and then spent the next two days helping with removing the track across the bridge.
The selection here is a small part of what I took on the day. If anyone is interested in modelling this operation I would be happy to supply some others.

Regards
Brad

Xing sign on the east side approach to the bridge.Unusual flashing warning lights and sign on east side approach.Controls on east side of bridge. Note preserved steamer BLI BLI behind.Control on the west side of the bridge.Western approach to the bridge!

Bli Bli Pies & Randy Ducks - It Can Only Be Moreton!

COMING SOON!

Our next look at the Moreton system will be the safeworking utilized for the road/rail "David Low Bridge" in Bli Bli!

** LATER **

# Detail shots of the Maroochy River lift bridge and a shot of her shorter counterpart demolished in the 90s.

# Look at more Moreton Mill locomotives, as well as cane bins and maintenance vehicles.

# Howard Street - If Queensland sugar railways had a hackspot, then this would be it.

Bli Bli Pies & Randy Ducks - It Can Only Be Moreton! Part 2.

Arguably Moreton Mill's most well known and popular locomotive, BLI BLI was built in 1965 by E M Baldwin (6/1257.1.7.65) and spent her life hauling sugarcane from the fields back to Moreton Mill.
After closure of the mill she spent the next couple of years helping with removing the track she spent so many years on before being sent to Bingera Mill in Bundaberg. How much use she has been receiving there can hopefully be answered by one of the readers of this blog.
Having taken hundreds of shots of BLI BLI it would be to much of a task finding the best, so for now I have included shots inside and out of the cab, as well as one poassing through the Dunethin Rock picnic ground.
Its a safe bet that she will be appearing again.

Brad

Not discovered until the late 1990s, the picnic grounds situated on the banks of the Maroochy River at Dunethin Rock were always a favourite photographic location. Lunch would be grabbed prior to a chase along the line and consumed while waiting for whatever loco (usually BLI BLI) to return with the fulls.
On this day she had a rake of empties heading for the outer reaches of this branch.

Moreton staff were nearly always helpful and friendly, especially in the final years when they became more used to hordes of foamers heading to Nambour to get one or two shots for their collection.
While partaking in a crib break at River Depot I was invited to hope into BLI BLI for a look.
Such a popular loco must certainly be worthy of preservation. Hint Hint Albion Park ;-)

Bli Bli Pies & Randy Ducks - It Can Only Be Moreton! Part 1.

MORETON SUGAR MILL RAILWAYS!

Howdee,
It is as I start to do this series on the Moreton Mill railways that I realise that this year will mark the fifth year since closure of what was my favourite railway operation.
Over the years of being a dribbly foamer I have seen many lines disappear, some that held much significance, however it was the closure of this system that has affected me most.
A little more about my early days arond the system can be found HERE in an earlier posting.
With the exception of last year I still ventured up there on a yearly basis to cover what was left and, while I know that may sound quite sad, it did allow me to concentrate more on infrastructure than had been the case when the railway was operating. Thankfully it also allowed me the historic opportunity of photographing a locomotive touching soil on the east side of the David Low Bridge (Punt line) for the very last time.
During these later visits I tried to photograph (and even measure) as much railway related buildings, bridges and safeworking equipment as I could find. Much of the results of this will appear here in future posts
Incredibly, only three years after closure I was already having trouble locating some old sections that I once spent much time along, this was particularly the case along the 'Horse Line' which branched off from River Depot. Sadly the passage of time will render even more areas like this, with many a gunzel researcher in the future having to spend much time identifying where BLI BLI and her friends once trod.
So over the next few weeks I hope you will enjoy a look at many different aspects of what was once a great railway system.
In the meantime you may be interested in checking out these two websites covering other long gone railways in the area.

Brad

MAPLETON

BUDERIM

Can You Identify?

Can anyone identify where these tickets are from?
Found them in the boxes to be cataloged and have absolutely not idea where I came across them.

Brad

Lurking Around Hurlstone Park!

Howdee,
MMM FM had designated it 'Gay Day' in recognition of this being the weekend of that Mardi Gras thing.
With this in mind, the Colonel wished to celebrate the event at Hurlstone Park and asked me to join him, ahmmmm, for train and woman watching only.
Sadly, the increased domestic responsibilities that come with being a father mean't that, despite much drooling, the Colonel didn't go across to the bottle shop to partake in some Bundy Bombs and remained in a 'highly unusual' upright position all day.
Anyway lets get into the all important train sighting information.

442s2 Up Mannway 09.39
48162 dn 3xXT 09.42
4906 4903 up conts to Botany 09.50
3106 852 2202 2201 ARG to Nowra 09.58
EL53 62 64 conts to Botany 10.04
3102 3101 2208 dn L/E 10.05
8253 22 39 21 dn mt coal 10.18
8208 8107 dn mt coal 11.09
8148 8153 dn gravel 11.34
8207 8111 8129 8137 dn mt coal 11.46
8230 57 18 8181 dn mt coal 12.01
8226 GL106 8237 up coal 12.14
48162 up L/E 12.20

All totally enthralling!
Brad

Cadney Park Today!

Dick Holland has generously shared his photos of Cadney Park taken late last year.
Not one of Australia's more bustling centres :-)

Cadney Park Revisited!

It has been some time since we first looked at the 1984 train orders from Cadney Park over in South Australian.
They were indeed popular and I have been planning to show more ever since.
Well work finished early today and the torrential rain has cancelled any need to take number 1 son to footy training, so what better way to spend the afternoon than with a few rums and rambling on with bollocks around the internet.
With this in mind, I hope you like the latest Cadney Park selection.
No doubt we will be revisiting here yet again in the future.

Random Piccies!

It is time for a selection of random photos with no real theme at all.

In a couple of weeks time we will be moving north to take an extended look over the now closed Moreton Mill system at Nambour, locomotives, safeworking, structures.

For now I am going to be quite the bludger and just place up a few random selections.

All the following train shots were taken during the forst two months of this year.

5002 5009 have just passed under the new flyover at Sandgate and are turning towards Kooragang Island where their load of coal will be dumped.The coal system in Newcastle has been struggling to cope with the increased loads nowdays, with one mine, Austar, appearing to have found a solution in containerising the black diamond.

A face that will soon change. Cs5 still retains her lovely Silverton blue/yellow livery, but for how long. Gradually the class are going through major overhauls and reappearing in a new livery, still yellow and blue, for 'South Spur Rail'.

While the parent company, Coote, has purchased most of the earlier sold Silverton fleet from ALLCO, the C class were not included and are leased from the ALLCO/CFCLA joint venture.

Cs5 is seen here at Port Botany in January.

Undergoing somewhat of a revival of late, the 80 class have been returning to service, some even recieving major overhauls and repaints.

8042 is seen passing through Belfield in January with two recently refurbished fuel tankers, presumably from a siding at Meeks Road.

Ahhhhhhhhh Philippine beauty. Far more easier on the eye, and the lens, than trains.

These two sweeties were at the '2007 Philippine Fiesta' at Rosehill Racecourse and pretty much sum up why my photographic interests are more aimed in that direction nowdays.

See you at the 2008 Fiesta.