School holidays in our family meant the chance to hook up an impossibly small caravan to the family 4 cylinder vehicle and tour the off-peak locations of the State of NSW - read, the Snowies in summer and the North Coast beach tour in May. Regardless of where we went, there was always a railway line just around the corner.
January 1978 was no different to many other family holidays. Baking in the car, baking in the caravan. Visiting towns where you literally melted into the bitumen. And that brings us to Tumut. Well, just outside of Tumut, near Gilmore. Here we waited one weekday morning for the arrival of the railmotor from Cootamundra (the motor from Coota in local venacular).
While I can't tell you the precise date I do remember the time - just after 9am. Moreover, I remember the local radio station - most likely 2WG from Wagga Wagga - finishing the news broadcast, resulting in Herb Albert's Tijuana Brass playing the introduction to the John Laws program. How's that for errant trivia? Anyway, double CPHs hove into view around this time. There was no way you would be getting a closer shot that this one - too many Joe Blakes at that time of year.
The other notable railway location we visited that holiday was Griffith. Notable because it was at least 45 degrees. Two shots were grabbed that day. I suspect the 2 car diesel is the connection off/to the Riverina Express, while the X class was just doing its stuff.
The lack of shadows in these two shots give a clue to the time of day - high noon or thereabouts.
Until next time!
Don
A couple of blogs ago I mentioned I was on the move - leaving a home with a view of the Metropolitan Goods Line literally over the back fence to a farm miles from rail action. The big move has now happened. Its a weird thing. Two or three times a day I hear an 81 or a MZ in the distance, which is pretty amazing as the nearest operational railway is 60 kilometres away. Guess its just withdrawal symptoms.
Anyway, today I took the opportunity to divert a family outing a short distance (44 kilometres) to check out the nearest railway action at Captain's Flat. Turns out I am about 50 years late. Others have commented on it before me but there is a substantial amount of infrastructure still in place. Here's a few shots.
The station is now on private property. The platform sign is visible from the road but I was getting out of Dodge, so didn't stop.
The line back to Bungendore looks in reasonable nick in most places. I have seen worse in western NSW still being used for grain traffic. Here's a couple of snaps as we approached Hoskinstown from the south.
For a line which hasn't operated for 50 years, it was still pretty interesting. Either that, or I am really a sad case at the moment.
Cheers,
Don
