Another delightful baby ALCo selection.

Part 5

The short Tubemakers branch left the main Illawarra line just south of Kembla Grange station. While unused for many years, it is only in more recent times that the junction was actually removed.

48125 4901 on the track to the disused 5th platform at Rockdale during trackwork.

48124 is the fourth loco in a quad again. Had it been at the front, it would have make a lovely set of consecutive numbers.

Almost a perfect set of Indian Red 48ers at Broadmeadow.
Only ruined by the flagon 4894, a sign of some local patriotism in 

the bicentennial year.

48126 shunts Albury yard in happier times.

Now awaiting her fate in far less happy times.

48127 and 8015 pass the former Banksia Street crossing in a view 

that is much changed today.
A huge footbridge now connects both sides, the units in the background are now finished and that well known Flame Tree is no more.

Until our next riveting 48 installment. _____________________________________________________________________

Maroochy Shire Tramways SIG

Covering the tramways of the Moreton Mill, Mapleton and Buderim districts.

BOTANY NIGHTS

90s NOCTURNAL GOODS LINE ACTION

 Way, way, back in the 90s, back when it was not a crime to be a railfan and common sense meant there was no need for self appointed railfan police officers, our Sunday evenings were often spent down Botany railway yard in Sydney.
  Having lived along this goods line for most of my life, we had become well know to the staff (for all the right reasons mind you) who spent many years of their life working there.
  At the time, it was normal practice for the last train of the week to leave Botany late Saturday afternoon, usually with that weeks shunter up front, and the daylight hours of Sunday totally devoid of any movement. Well, other than a local railfan or two clearing up overgrown vegetation in more popular photo locations. 
  Sunday night, however, the yard reopen for business. That weeks shunting unit would show up, as would a freight from Brissie, the later usually hauled by a collection of ALCo powered units.
  Having little that resembled a life at the time, we often found ourselves down there in the yard, hanging out with the guys and taking shots of everything that stood still long enough for us to set up a tripod.
  Here is a small selection from those great times.

4904 has turned up at Botany for a weeks worth of shunting duties.
The 49 class would soon be considered inadequate for the task and be replaced by the 442 class.

44204 44209 on the Patricks branch.

8015 and 8014 have just arrived at the new yard in Botany with the Sunday night container train from Brisbane.

A 90s Botany Highlight

4401 had recently been restored for heritage use and spent a short amount of time around Sydney on trip train working. I was in Bomaderry when I first heard of this and had to race back to Sydney for some shots the same afternoon.

Despite the panic, further chances to get her came forth. One of these being a trip train late on one of those Sunday nights.
If you have been paying any remote sort of attention, you would also notice she was there on another night and seen in a shot up above ^^^. 

Hope this was at least marginally enjoyable.

Don't mention it.

Trains For Kids With Cancer Website
Help Us To Help Them.

Botany Line SIG
A Facebook group for those interested in Sydney's

'Premier Goods Line'.

A second helping of DL531 goodness.

Above two shots are of the same train. Having come off the Berrima branch, the whole train would turn on the Moss Vale triangle before heading on back towards Sydney.

48105 Delec (Enfield Sydney)

48106 Chullora Junction (light engine back to Delec)

48106 (back in her candy days) on the long since closed Chullora industrial sidings. Photo taken from behind the former Elcar spark workshops.

48107 gleaming in her new freightrail livery at Lithgow locomotive depot.

Now it is 48107 back when she was candy, awaiting at Delec for whatever job will be next allocated to her.

48108 leads bigger ALCo 8015 past the well known Flame Tree at East Botany.
Today the Flame Tree is gone, while the pedestrian crossing, just visible under the second wagon, has been replaced by a ridiculously huge overbridge.


Want to see 48 class with movement and sound?
Check out our video of the busy little things around Cootamundra.

 

The first of a multi-part series covering the area in 1989.