NARADHAN INTERMISSION

  Lets face it, the railfan hobby is full of some really horrid people. Over the years I have had the displeasure of of death threats, threats of violence, racist attacks etc etc etc.
  Like myself for quite some years, I have seen many good contributors throw up their hands and walk off, never to contribute again. We are not talking just one or two, we are talking MANY.
  Indeed, it was the growing resentment of the hobby that saw this website born years ago. Mostly just to treat it all like the joke it had become.

  But during these decades of this railfan business, a few people have stood out, people I have admired for almost as long as I have been a fan. People who give to the hobby and who it is an honour to know.
  I was privileged to have two of these people on the Naradhan tour.

  John Currey and Neville Pollard

  It would be few in the hobby who have never come across these two names somewhere.
  John's (owner of 4465) name is synonymous with Australia's Alco locomotives, most especially the 44 class.

  Neville's historical articles, especially those covering NSW branchlines, have been enjoyed and referred back to more times than I dare to try and remember.
  His Naradhan article instantly came to mind when we decided to do a special issue of the Lubricated Flange for the tour. He was generous enough to allow us to reprint it.

  John I have known for many years, Neville I only just met, but both are among those who greatly inspire me to carry on in this hobby.

Thank you.

Credit Both Photos: David Phillips

~~ 44 CLASS CELEBRATION FINALE ~~

An overused and boring saying goes that "all good things must come to an end", and so it is the 44 class month, spread to two months, has come to an end.

Seems hard to believe, but there are a few who have whinged about the amount of 44 class appearing (GASP). Some feel that they have recieved more recognition that they are due!

PFFFFTTTT

Of course, being a good 'Semi-Retired Foamer' and responsive to these anti-44 class complaints from our beloved readers, I made an executive decision to double to time covering these wonderful locomotives. Anything to appease those EMD fans :-)

But alas I have other things I wish to cover here and, while the collection of 44 class remains plenty, the special celebration of them ends here - at least for now.

So please enjoy the 44 class finale - however they will continue to figure heavily in the future.

The final member class, globally important as the last 'World Series' to be built, 44100 leads 4474 into Stockinbingal. Alas, despite great effort, 100 was sent for scrap while the first built is thankfully preserved in Spain.


4468 and 4465 sit around Broadmeadow loco depot.

44100 and 4474 on the same train at Stockinbingal as that above.

44100 on a south line passenger awaiting departure from Sydney Terminal.

And in closing, a Jumbo leads candy 4499 out of Taree, enroute to Brisbane.

Thank you to everyone who has emailed their positive thoughts on the 44 class celebration, thanks especially to Glenn Ryan for his contributions to it.