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
Interesting how the mining residue still keeps the weeds down. It was a big environmental issue back in the 70s after high levels of heavy metals were found in Lake Burley Griffin.
ReplyDeleteDavid, and I just thought the locals were excellent gardeners!
DeleteWelcome (neighbour?) to remote (read railway-less NSW). Having lived not far from the Main South in Wagga, I still think I the odd 81 or NR screaming along, even after 7 years of living on the South Coast, 110kms from the nearest line at Bungendore, which now only sees a couple of Explorers a day! Never ventured into Captains Flat in daylight...
ReplyDeleteThanks! Definitely worth getting to Captain's Flat, if only to hear the ghosts of P classes and, I am guessing, standard goods.
DeleteA few years ago, they pulled down the ore loader. The last train to visit "The Flat" was in 1969 - a special for Mick Jagers Ned Kelly movie. If you are interested in the mine, the book "Riches Beneath the Flat" by Ross Mainwaring, is a good one. Besides the mine geology and operations, there are a number of photographs of the NSW trains, and the mine railways.
ReplyDeleteRob, thanks, I will sniff out that book through the local library. Am a bit entranced by he Flat now.
Delete