Parkes, 2008

I have just realised I am closing in on 200 blog posts and I haven't given due time to the recent past. Here, to redress this imbalance somewhat, is a few shots taken 10 years ago around Parkes. In most cases, these photos (however imperfect) are just as historic now as shots taken 40 or 50 years ago.

A decade ago, T383 had just received a fresh coat of paint and looked particularly spruce.

Parked alongside, 48s36 looked sturdily weather-worn.

48s37 was a little further off, resting on shop bogies.

The third of the Silverton 48s/830s present - 48s32 - was best captured by Junior in the evening.

Moving from yellow to orange, SCT005 and SCT001 collect a dead 2212 from Parkes yard to be part of that night's westbound freight on 19 July 2008.

And then there were locos going nowhere under their own steam. From memory, 4809 left Parkes a few years later on the back of a truck.

And 4842 was a very successful parts donor by this time.

And to finish up, something prosaic a decade ago but now exotic - 48157, 48149, 4899 and  48109 on an empty grain train about to leave Parkes on the morning of 20 July 2008.

Until next time!

Don

Hawkesbury - October 1958

Another collection from the camera of Mr Ian Brady, this time collected on 11 October 1958.  These photos are perhaps my favourite batch of Ian's collection purchased secondhand by a mate, for reasons which will be obvious from the very first photograph.  Here it is, 4420 helped along by a 43, back to back!

There'll be more Alco goodness along the way, but lets move to a couple of standard goods locos getting things underway at Hawkesbury River.

On this day on the Short North, Ian photographed seven of the 30-strong C38 class, starting with the most-junior (and green) member on an up Flyer.

 

Next we have 38s 25, 16, 12,15, 10 and 07.

 

 

  

 

I was thinking about starting a competition to see which reader could explain what is going on with 3807 in this last picture.  It appears to be an up train on the down main, and then there is the issue of a gentleman standing in the permanent way, chatting to the crew.  Anyway, enough of that.  Back to trains... time for another Alco, or two.

Back to the Cowan side of things. Time for three little pigs. First pig is 3617 with an up local passenger.

And if you like pigs on passengers, how about popping 5175 (I think) on the front of one?

The third little pig Ian photographed that day also seems to be be wrong road on Cowan bank.

And I'll finish with 4011 getting a help up the bank.

I presume Ian decided not to photograph a few trains that day, as they were then too prosaic to waste expensive film - he was shooting Kodak. But gee, what a collection by a very talented shutterbug.

Might have to get back to pasting a few of my shots up on this blog sometime.

Cheers,
Don

Trams at Railway Square - 1958

Second post in a day!!! 

Actually just sitting here waiting for interminable downloads to happen when I remembered the packs of photographs given to me recently by a mate (see my post on 12 and 26 October last year).  The following photographs were taken on 17 or 18 November 1958 by Mr Ian Brady, who was an accomplished photographer of both trains and trams.

I won't add a commentary, except to say, check out those neons and cars!

 

 

 

Cheers! - There won't be a third installment today!!

Don

Dubbo, from the platform

The beaut thing about Dubbo is that the station platform gave and gives an excellent viewing platform for whatever was in the yard. Although it was on the southern side of the railway, some good shots could be had. So here is a few, though I suspect the photographers shuffled off the platform to trespass down the yard at time. 

First up, 3815 is on the up Through Mail around 1964. A 36 class sits opposite.

    

A year later, Dubbo's small loco shed was found hosting two garratts, two 32s and 3818.
 

Lets move to some colour fillum! A cleaned up slide of 3237 (we suspect) and 3144T, themselves spruced up in front of the shed which needed a little sprucing itself. It was 10 April 1966.

 

Finally, for this installment, its January 1967 and 3649 and 3328 are residents at Dubbo loco depot.

That's enough for now!

Don