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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All are available for
FREE at our ALR WEBSITE.




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



Tuesday, January 21, 2020

PUNT & HORSE LINES
Moreton Mill - Nambour

While this series is meant to mostly look at what is still to be seen of the former Moreton Mill (Nambour) tramway system, this riveting installment is more a look at what isn't to be seen.
Very little remains to be seen of the Punt line, ironically, most of that which does exist, is the old  line that closed in the 50s. It is thought that a bridge may still exist at the nd of the Finland Road line, but this has still to be investigated.
   The Horse line was of very light construction and, apart from a few random sleepers at River Depot, there is nothing to be found. I even have trouble locating where it ran, despite having spent so many years around there.


Punt Line



1 - Took a lot of searching, over a couple of visits, to finally work out where the original Punt Line crossed, over what is now, Cooks Road (unsure if it existed at the time).
Looking back towards the mill.

2 - Looking away from the mill.



3 - The next two shots were taken northwards from near David Low Way on the Finland Road line. The first shows the location in 2003, the final year of mill operation, with PETRIE heading back to the mill in the late afternoon.


3- Today, the area is taken up by the 'Maroochy River Golf Club', with the whole area regraded and totally unrecognisable as a former cane line.




4,5 Borsato 116
This line was one of the lightest and, being on mostly flat ground, really has little in the way of earthworks to begin with.
Thankfully, the well placed tree, seen here, has made identifying the location of this siding a lot easier over the years.
A farmer along this former line has preserved a cane bin wheel set as a garden feature on his property (2018).




6 - River Depot - Maroochy River
This important location, in the middle of the system, was the junction for many different lines, covering areas both south and north of the river.
It is also the location of the historically important lifting bridge, which is currently in very bad condition and subject to a push for it's restoration. This bridge will be covered later.
The Horse line left the mainline just south of the bridge, via a point facing away from the mill. Today,  a few rotten sleepers, and the curve in the canefield, gives a good indication as to where the line once ran.


No photo description available.







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