I suppose this blog entry should really be titled, "999 combinations of cement trains". 2026 has surely been a weird year for living in the NSW Southern Highlands. If not for the liveries, at times I thought I had woken up in 1983 in Wodonga. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I suppose. Anyway, the range of locos used by SSR to service the Boral Works at Berrima has been very welcome. Here's a selection, along with a few scant details about each snap.
4 February 2026 - T363 and C509 on the branch.
12 February 2026 - 44204 and X31(!) headed up the branch.
12 April 2026 - C503 and 4908 about to head up the branch into the sunset.
14 May 2026 - 44220 and C509 about to head off the branch.
I do go to places other than the Berrima branch, so I demonstrate this. But before I do, I just loved this face-off between C501 and C507 at the junction sidings on 15 February.
One last face-off - 4911 shading T409 in a slow race to rust on 28 April 2026.
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Enough of that branch! I do travel - to both ends of Moss Vale, too. At Mossy's southern end at dusk on 16 February 2026, 47s 08, 01 and 02 did the honours on a rail tour.
In recognition that I spend far too much time on the footbridge at Moss Vale station, here's autumn's picture train - CLP12, CLF3, B61 and CLP9 on an up SSR grain train on 15 May 2026.
My one big trip in the last four months has been to Werris Creek, principally to see the most excellent railway museum and memorial. It really is worth checking out. The odd coal and grain train got checked out too, like this coalie headed by 9312, 9201 and 9314 on 24 March 2026.
I will wrap up with a run of steam locos, which remain at the core of what I find interesting about this hobby, pastime, or sport. In order, here is 1076 steaming on a bitterly cold morning at the Goulburn Roundhouse Open Day, R766 at dusk at Moss Vale, 3001T on a trundle to Buxton and 3265 and 3526 on the Southern Highlander tour leaving Moss Vale.
While the steam has been a highlight, the real highlight has been the chats (short and long) with various railfans and loco crews as I have been taking photos. It is a pretty good way to lose a few hours a week!
Cheers
Don (who promises to ramble further afield over the next three months)
