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.
.
_
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).
_
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
_
**** LOCOMOTIVE/ PUBLICATIONS ****
-
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, July 26, 2023

AUSTEAM 88 - VICTORIA PART 1



Those of us who were lucky enough to have been in our hobby back before social media turned it into a cesspool of hate and narcissistic behaviour, may well remember the 'Austeam 88' event in Melbourne.
The bicentennial year was incredible throughout the whole12 months, steam train tours all over Sydney and outskirts, FLYING SCOTSMAN Aussie visit, and specially painted locomotives, trams, and buses.
However, there is no doubt in most people's minds that the Austeam event in Melbourne was the pinnacle moment in the railfan calendar.
I, along with famous heritage volunteer David Henderson, decided to make a two week trip out of it, making use of the now extinct Motorail service to get down to Spencer Street and give our cameras a belting.


Anyway, thanks to a recommendation from one Mr Neil, I went and recently purchased a slide scanner and have got stuck into the hundreds of shots taken during that fortnight.
  It was my first real use of slides, having mostly used prints until this trip, so many of the results leave a lot to be desired.
However, they are what they are, and slowly I am scanning and placing them on here for the world to reluctantly endure.

I'm sorry.




    AUSTEAM 88 EVENT - SLIDES
17-10-1988N473 Y166 TxxxYardWodonga  
 RT45ShuntBenalla  
 9RT X37 31RT 7CV-Seymour Yard
 T320-Seymour Preserved
 T411Light EngineBroadford Crossed us in loop.
 G519Freight- South of Maribyrnong Viaduct
 42219 -Passenger- South of Maribyrnong Viaduct
 Y149-Tottenham Yard
 Notes:DepotDynon G521 G517 8170 N465 P11 P19 T380 C504 C505 G516 Y103 Y101 B64
     N458 Y138 P16 Y145
     Steam: 1210
 Notes:YardSpencer Street A78 P13 P15 P17 A60 Y151 A79 A70 56RM
 A77-Spencer Street- 
 N455 N451PassengerSpencer Street-Up Overland from Adelaide
 N460ShuntSpencer Street-Motorail cars
 821 -Tram W2Spencer Street Caught down Collins Street
 P20 X41 RM56 -Spencer Street  
 Y119shuntSpencer Street  
 Comeng SparkPassengerSpencer Street Caught to Gowrie
 625MPassengerGowrie Spark carriage
 N473PassengerNorth Melbourne -Up
 X47 S311 T395-North Melbourne-Doing something I didn't note
 T359-Spencer Street- 
 N463PassengerSpencer Street-Down Twin City Limited
 N460-Spencer Street- 
 A78-Spencer Street- 
 P13 / P23PassengerSpencer Street-Down
 55RMPassengerSpencer Street- 
 P17PassengerSpencer Street-Up
 N473PassengerSpencer Street-Up
 P19Light EngineSpencer Street-Arrive Platform 1
 P14Light EngineSpencer Street-Arrive Platform 1
 B80PassengerSpencer Street-Depart on down
 S301-Spencer Street-Collision with a cement. Train I assume.
 A62PassengerSpencer Street-Up pass
 B64SlabSpencer Street- 
 T359PassengerSpencer Street-Up Sunbury
 S311Light EngineSpencer Street-Arrive
 A85 A71 N461Light EngineSpencer Street-Depart
 G519 G520PassengerSpencer Street-Sydney Express depart
 S307PassengerSpencer Street-Depart
 P11-Spencer Street-Yard (night shot)
 N462 N451PassengerSpencer Street-Depart on Overland
18-10-1988Notes:   My Corona on Lonsdale St with two Z class
 Y147ShuntSamson Siding Sunshine-Newport section
 459MPassengerHoppers Crossing07:55Up Sunbury
 A73PassengerHoppers Crossing-Up, Blue set.
 Hoppers CrossingStation   
 Loco Depot-Geelong H1 H2 H3 H5 T380 T392 T353 T362 T396 T407 T393 T363 T400 W241 W244 Y129
     X36 X35 T413 T397
 N458PassengerNorth Geelong-Up
 N73PassengerNorth Geelong-Up 10:30 South Geelong
 A66PassengerNorth Geelong-Up 11:28 Geelong
 DP29 X20 251 VA1 V8PreservedQueenscliff-Bellarine Peninsula Railway
 J515SpecialGeelong- 
 T353 T407-Geelong- 
 Notes: Geelong Us with the car
 Notes:StoredSpencer Street Somewhere: T366 B83 B84 T355 T349 S303 S308 Y153
 A66PassengerSpencer Street Bicentennial livery
 1008Tram W7 19:24To City
 861Tram SW6City19:24To City
 838Tram SW5City19:25To St Kilda Beach
 987Tram W6City19:23To Toorak
 796Tram SW5City19:28To West Preston
 728Tram SW5City19:30To East Brighton
19-10-198864RM-Shed Only note I made.
 Locomotive Depot-Dynon Loco 701 Y113 Y120 Y118 Y121 P11 C501 F211 T412 Y156 Y138 X52 Y159
 Locomotive Depot-Dynon Loco S317 C503 X41 P17 N462 N451 T404 T395 X49 T398 T381 X34 Y167 P20 T398
 Locomnotive Depo-Dynon Loco X34 Y167 P20 T408 T409 A66 G532 G531 T381 P12 N463 P21 BL26 S307 G515
 Locomotive Depot-Dynon Loco T400 A71 S300 A79 X54 X31 N456 Y160 A70 N453
 Locomotive Depot-Dynon Loco Withdrawn: Y159 S304 S305
 Locomotive Depot-Dynon Loco Standard: 4201 C505 1210 3112 X37 Y103 Y104 G518 G523
 Locomotive Depot-Dynon Loco Shed: Y140 S311 G519 X43 G521 X53 G525 N465 T351 N469 N466 DRC40 64RM
 Locomotive Depot-Dynon Loco N468 in shed with middle missing.
 Locomotive Depot-Dynon Loco S301 major damage due to cement.
 Locomotive Depot-Dynon Loco B69 On freight bogies following collision.
 3801SpecialDynon  Down
 G524 C508FreightDynon -Up Jet
 Y108 Y149ShuntTottenham- 
 T374BallastSunshine-Up Ballast off Ballarat line
 A60PassengerSunshine12:38Down Bendigo
 N460PassengerSunshine12:41Down Ballarat
 T380FreightSunshine12:49Down pick-up
 P11PassengerSunshine12:56Down Bendigo
 N473PassengerSunshine12:59Up Bendigo
 T353FreightSunshine-Up
 X47 T365BallastSunshine-Up Apex
 3801SpecialM Viaduct-Down, Maribyrnong Viaduct
 8175FreightM Viaduct-Down, Maribyrnong Viaduct
 X54 X49-Sunshine Nothing else noted
 Hitachi SetPassengerSunshine- 
 59Tram Z1Bourke St  
 249Tram A2Collins St  
 139Tram Z3Spencer St  
 1007Tram W7Collins St To St Kilda Beach
 236Tram A1Collins St To Mont Albert
 A77-Spencer St Station
 RM56PassengerSpencer St21:23Depart
 RM55-Spencer St -
 X45 A79 N474-Spencer St Hooked up to empty set
 Note: St Kilda Signalbox a demolished pile of wood
20-10-1988Tram Depot-Essendon  
 4Tram Z1Royal Park Bicentennial livery
 431Tram W1Royal Park Heritage tram , formerly W2, originally W1
 841Tram SW5Melbourne Caught from FlinderStreet to Spencer Street
 56RMPassengerSpencer Street Caught train to Seymour
 Note:-Spencer Street Morning: N455 A66 P16 N454
 Y121FreightNorth Melbourne  
 B65 T373FreightNorth Melbourne  
 8177FreightBeveridge North of Beveridge
 T376SleepersWallan Up Empty, North of Wallan
 X47 T356BallastKilmore East Up
 T376SleepersKilmore East Down
 8168 C504FreightKilmore East Down
 A60 A78PassengerKilmore East Up
 P18PassengerNorth Melbourne Down
 T359PassengerSpencer Street Up Sunbury
 R707SpecialSpencer Street Arrive
 B80FreightSpencer Street Up
 X48Light EngineSpencer Street Arrives
 8177ShuntSpencer Street Sydney Express
21-10-1988    Tait Train To Belgrave
 42216PassengerSpencer Street Depart on Intercapital Daylight Express
 N451PassengerSpencer Street Up
 N463PassengerSpencer Street Up
 A60PassengerSpencer Street Down Bendigo
 P21ShuntSpencer Street Arrive empty
 Tait SetSpecialSpencer Street Special to Belgrave. Bruce Cook got us on board part of the way.
 N474PassengerSpencer Street Up
 Note:-Belgrave CLIMAX D20
 T457 T401GrainSpencer Street  
 Y118ShuntTottenham Yard  
 P13PassengerSunshine19:17Up Kyneton
 8180FreightSunshine19:25Down to Sydney
 8175FreightSunshine19:32Down to Sydney
 56RMPassengerSunshine19:40Down Sunbury
 X43ShuntSunshine--
 P15 P22 P21Light EngineSunshine20:00Up from Bacchus Marsh
 42214PassengerSunshine20:03Up Intercapital Capital Daylight
 DRC41PassengerSunshine20:10Up
 G518PassengerSunshine20:18Down Sydney Express
 N472PassengerSunshine20:20Down Ballarat
 T372CementSunshine20:22Up
 N461 X38PassengerSunshine20:29Up
 X46PassengerSunshine-Up Bendigo
 N455PassengerSunshine-Up
 56RMPassengerSunshine-Up
 N451 N465PassengerSunshine-Down Overland
 G515 G532FreightSunshine-Down - G532 noted as being new.
 X43ShuntSunshine-Up
 8170 8176FreightSunshine-Up
 B75SteelSunshine  
 G531 702FreightSunshine21:10 
 1092TPassengerSunshine Six smashed windows, grafitti "Jerkin The Gherkin"
 56RMPassengerSunshine Up
 N463FuelSunshine23:09 
 T383FreightSunshine  
 8176FreightSunshine  
22-10-1988     
 Y115-North Melbourne  
 42214PassengerMooney Ponds Viaduct
 N462 X32 S306PassengerNorth Melbourne Down
 N453PassengerSomerton Up
 T410PassengerSomarton Up
 3801PassengerMeadow Heights  
 D3639 K157PassengerSomerton  
 R761PassengerDonnybrook Triple Parallel, also Heathcote Junction
 3801PassengerDonnybrook Triple Parallel, also Heathcote Junction
 D3639 K157 PassengerDonnybrook Triple Parallel, also Heathcote Junction
 R761Light EngineSeymour Derails in depot
 Y133 Y160 T374Light EngineSeymour Helping rerail the above locomotive
 RT12 58RM T320DepotSeymour  
 G530 G526 939 934FreightSunshine20:07Down, containers
 G517PassengerSunshine Sydney Express
 8179 42204FreightSunshine20:26Down containers
 T361 S310BallastSunshine21:07Down APEX
 42218PassengerSunshine21:18Intercapital Daylight Express
 T411SpecialSunshine Up,3801s cars
 N461SpecialSunshine Up, R761s cars
 N464 N470PassengerSunshine09:30Down Overland
 3801Light EngineSunshine22:40Up
 G516 8168 G522CarsSunshine23:25Up, empty
23-10-1988X31 X38Light EngineSpencer Street Arrive
 N452PassengerSpencer Street Arrive empty
 Y148ShuntSpencer Street  
 N465 N451PassengerSpencer Street Up Overland
 N456 N458Light EngineSpencer Street Arrive
 G518PassengerSpencer Street Arrive Melbourne Express
 Y104ShuntNorth Melbourne  
 A85 A81Light EngineNorth Melbourne09:22To Spencer Street
 Notes:Light EngineNorth Melbourne 8168 42218 4201 3112 3801
 Notes:Light EngineNorth Melbourne G533 B80 H5 L1169 X51 T392 S317 C509 F211 Y169 947 701 900 BL26
 Austeam Display-Spencer Street 8168 42218 4201 3112 3801
 Austeam Display-Spencer Street G533 B80 H5 L1169 X51 T392 S317 C509 F211 Y169 947 701 900 BL26
 Austeam Display-Spencer Street D3639 J515 R707
 R761-North Melbourne  
 B76 X32PassengerNorth Melbourne  
24-10-198842218 42204PassengerSpencer Street Down Intercapital Daylight Express
 P22PassengerSpencer Street Up
 P22 P12 Y149-Spencer Street Yard
 A60PassengerSpencer Street Up
 Y124ShuntTottenham  
 Y121ShuntTottenham  
 38RTShuntTottenham  
 P16-Kyneton  
 K157PreservedCastlemaine Derelict
 X39 T345 T378-Bendigo  
 INM895-Bendigo  
 X43 T352GrainBendigo  
 Y164FreightBendigo  
 N463-Bendigo  
 17RT-Castlemaine  
 42201FreightSunshine  
 T411Light EngineSunshine Down, hurtling through.
 T371GrainSunshine21:45Down
25-10-19881005Tram W7Melbourne Bourke to Preston Workshops
 T365-Flinders Street Down empty something
 X46 S317 TxxxFreightRichmond Up
 Notes:SparkDandenong 727M 628T 632T 1571M 2551BT 2825T 702M Harris set.
 Notes:SparkDandenong 790M + Remains of 604T
 -BusDandenong Caught to Frankston
26-10-1988    NO NOTES RECORDED
27-10-1988P14PassengerNorth Melbourne Up
 Y138-- -
 56RMPassengerSunshine Up
 42207PassengerSunshine Down Intercapital Daylight Express
 A70PassengerSunshine Up Ballarat
 X35-Tottenham -
28-10-1988Notes:DepotSouth Melbourne W5: 774 794 799 835
     Other W Types: 727 940 957 724 943 893 970 814 802 955 659 823 1006
     828 767 963 996 898
     A2: 262 279 276 275 282 277 296 285 263 254 263 266 295
     B1/2: 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007
     W1: 431 (Heritage fleet)
     W2: 510 (Heritage fleet) 442 (Restauant Tram)
     Y1: 613 (Heritage fleet)
     Works: 8W 9W 10W 11W
 T402 T351CementSpencer Street Up
 42207PassengerFootscray Up Intercapital Daylight Express
 T364CementBroadmeadows Up




---


A66 on a passenger train departing Geelong.
Wearing the 1988 bicentennial livery.
Still with V/Line and recently repainted in the heritage orange/grey V/Line livery.
Photo: Brad Peadon


A2-268, B2-2003 and SW6-968 is the former South Melbourne tram depot.
2003 was the first B2 type tram, 2001-2002 being the prototype B1.
SW6-968 is now privately owned.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Z1-84 in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.
Now scrapped.
Photo: Brad Peadon


42207 on the Sydney bound 'Intercapital Daylight Express' leaving Sunshine.
Now 2207 with whoever it is that 'One Rail' is this week.
Photo: Brad Peadon


 H2 B61 T368 in Geelong (Victoria).
H2 now with 'Ettamogah Rail Hub'.
B61 now with Southern Shorthaul
T368 now scrapped
Photo: Brad Peadon


T345 at a place that is actually at Bendigo, despite the caption on the photo.
Now with SCT.
Photo: Brad Peadon


X37 at Somerton.
Now preserved by the 'Seymour Railway Heritage Centre'
Photo: Brad Peadon


H1 H3 H2 having a bludge around Geelong.
H1 is now with 'Pacific National', H2 with 'Ettamogah Rail Hub', and H3 with '707 Operations'.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Z1-82 coincidentally operating route 82 from Footscray to Mooney Ponds.
Withdraw in in 2002, going to Mt Buller the following year.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Z1-4, like a number of locomotives around Australia, was painted up in a bicentennial livery. It is seen here about to pass through Royal Park.
Now scrapped. 
Photo: Brad Peadon


H3 at Geelong.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Visiting 3801 on a 'Austeam 88' special.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Railfan legends Lindsay Porter (Melbourne) and David Henderson have a chat while waiting on a tram.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Preserved 251 on a Bellarine Peninsula Railway operation.
Photo: Brad Peadon


B80 receiving attention at Dynon.
Now with Rail First Asset Management.
Photo: Brad Peadon


T362 T377 T380 on a freight at Warrenheip.
T362 and T380 are now scrapped.
T377 now with 'Rail First Asset Management'.
Photo: Brad Peadon


A66 in bicentennial livery, sitting at Dynon loco with C503.
C503 now with 'Rail First Asset Management'.
Photo: Brad Peadon


8175 with a freight crossed the Maribyrnong Viaduct.
Photo: Brad Peadon


NSW railfanning legend John Auer in what I thought was Bendigo, but am told it may well not be.
So who knows.
Photo: Brad Peadon


My veteran of many a motorcade around the countryside, a 1976 Toyota Corona. Put 350,000kms on the clock, that was in addition to the 141,000kms it had when I first got it :-)
Photo: Brad Peadon


Hoppers Crossing railway station, such as it is.
Photo: Brad Peadon


The broad gauge 'Austeam 88' display heads towards Spencer Street station.
The lineup of locomotives have gone on to a wide variety of different situations today, however all but one survive.
G533 - Aurizon
B80 - Southern Shorthaul Railroad
H5 - Ettamogah Rail Hub (in care of 707 Operations)
L1169 - Preserved (Steamrail)
X51 - SCT Logistics
T392 - Pacific National
S317 - Southern Shorthaul Railroad
C509 - Southern Shorthaul Railroad
F211 - Preserved (Newport Railway Museum)
Y169 - Ettamogah Rail Hub
947 - Scrapped
701 - Preserved (Tailem Bend)
900 - Preserved (National Railway Museum)
BL26 - Pacific National
Photo: Brad Peadon


Benalla railway station.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Ballan railway station.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Y103 between shunts at Spencer Street station.
Scrapped 1992
Photo: Brad Peadon


X43 sitting at Bendigo.
Now scrapped.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Preserved X20 on a Bellarine Peninsula Railway operation.
Photo: Brad Peadon


W2-510 at the former South Melbourne tram depot.
Preserved at Hawthorn.
Photo: Brad Peadon


W6-976 Swanston Street, Melbourne.
Preserved at Bendigo (Bendigo Tramway).
Photo: Brad Peadon


Preserved VA1 on a Bellarine Peninsula Railway operation.
Photo: Brad Peadon


T402 T351 briefly stops at Spencer Street station with a cement train.
T402 - now with Ettamogah Rail Hub.
T351 - is scrapped.
Photo: Brad Peadon


T378 T345 sitting around Bendigo.
T378 - Preserved (Seymour)
T345 - SCT Logistics.
Photo: Brad Peadon


A60 roars through North Melbourne station destined for somewhere.
Now with VicTrack Heritage.
Photo: Brad Peadon


T365 passing through Flinders Street station with a freight.
Now scrapped.
Photo: Brad Peadon


R761 came a croppa derailing at Seymour following a special Austeam 88 triple parallel on the north-east line.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Y145 shunting around Ballarat.
Scrapped 2014
Photo: Brad Peadon


A73 flying through Hoppers Crossing with another passenger run.
Photo: Brad Peadon

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More Austeam photos coming soon.
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Tuesday, July 25, 2023

CANBERRA TRANSPORTFEST - MARCH 2022

 

It was near on a year and a half ago that we risked life and limb to visit Canberra for an important anniversary milestone.

A generous spouse allowed time to get some coverage of the Canberra light system in between more anniversary type visits to local places.

As is often the case, I have some random photographic dregs left over and regretfully you are now about to have to endure them all.

Canberra Light Rail


Views inside the flagship LRV001 while returning from Gungahlin Place.
Photo: Brad Peadon




View from the cab of LRV001 prior to departing the Alinga Street terminus.
Photo: Brad Peadon



LRV001 prior to departing the Alinga Street terminus.
Photo: Brad Peadon



LRV001 network map.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Mural of a light rail in a mall opposite the Gungahlin Place light rail terminus.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Gungahlin Place terminus.
Photo: Brad Peadon



LRV003 prior to departing the Alinga Street terminus.
Photo: Brad Peadon



LRV001 passing LRV003 while the former was headed to Gungahlin Place.
Photo: Brad Peadon





Cab view from the Gungahlin Place terminus.
Photo: Brad Peadon



LRV001 cab setup.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Entrance to the light rail depot at Mitchell.
Photo: Brad Peadon
-------------------------------------------------------------

Some local Canberra buses!

If you have no bus interest, I guess you can go somewhere else now.


706 opposite the Gungahlin Place light rail terminus.
Photo: Brad Peadon


623 near the Alinga Street light rail terminus.
Photo: Brad Peadon


597 opposite the Gungahlin Place light rail terminus.
Photo: Brad Peadon


588 opposite the Gungahlin Place light rail terminus.
Photo: Brad Peadon


576 near the Alinga Street light rail terminus.
Photo: Brad Peadon


452 and 430 near the Alinga Street light rail terminus.
Photo: Brad Peadon


445 near the Alinga Street light rail terminus.
Photo: Brad Peadon



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Canberra 1993 - Michelago Line Reopening
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