They say that a journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step .Well in my case it was a bus ride to Armidale on Sunday morning at 0720 hrs, Good to get that out of the way first.Then onto the Country Link Explorer service to Sydney.
A good chance to see country that has had a great season and also not usually seen from the road.First item of interest where some tanker containers in the Fielders yard at Tamworth in a bright yellow colour different to what I have seen before and different to the decals available from Gwydir Valley Models.
Then onto Werris Creek where the Moree section is amalgamated for the remainder of the journey.Planning to get out and record the action while trying to get out the door I nearly ran over John Curry trying to come in the door.The people you meet on a train station.
The section from Moree is on the left ,while the Armidale section is on the right.The Moree train comes around to couple onto the front of the Armidale train before heading of to Sydney at 1129 hrs
With a short break before the departure of the overnight XPT to Melbourne at 2040 hrs.It was off to Town hall for a feed at the favorite Pub.And then back for departure.
Finding my sleeping birth and having it all to myself i sat back to eat my welcome pack of nibbles as we moved out of Sydney ,Then off for a shower before sitting up in bed with the lights out watching the Southern Highlands roll past.I didn't see much past Exeter .Damn sleep fairies got me.
Waking in the morning to my delivered breakfast before showering and arriving on time at 0735 .The fantastic Southern Cross Station certainly makes Central look very old and tired !
But I must say what a totally civilized way to travel between the centre of 2 state capitals
With Monday free it was of to Bendigo to see Mckenzie No 1 .for some signalling updates.Travelling there and back by the Velocity train service which is very good also.
Question No 1 . Travelling back towards Melbourne on the northern side of the train just after Melton Station between the 1st and 2nd level crossing there looked for all the world like a stored rail gas tanker in an industrial yard near the line.Could this be true or just wish full thinking ?
Then onto another Velocity service to Ballarat.Where I had to catch a taxi ,There where no trains to the conference centre !
The conference finished on Thursday afternoon so caught the train back to Melbourne checked into the accommodation before catching a tram out to Train world arriving with only 10 minutes before closeing time a quick look and back to the city for dinner.
The rail yards of Melbourne where very interesting to see from the train with one thing standing out for any modern era modellers .The graffiti covered wagons .
Friday morning was very exciting as I was catching the daylight XPT service back to Sydney a good chance to see a lot of railway territory not usually scene by me .And on the way down I was snoring !.
The overnight XPT was 1 hour late getting in which meant our departure which uses the same train was 1 hour late.No big deal we have all day to make that up the fool said to himself.
Some high tech procedures before departure
The trip back was good apart from trucks overtaking us on the Hume Highway ,that's a bit embarrassing when your supposed to be in the XPT. I thought all those stories about the poor track upgrade work where just a media beat up .But even on the long straight flat bits the trucks rolled by.
Question No 2 At Henty is that a curved roof goods shed ?
We eventually arrived into Sydney if you could call it that 2 hours of the pace.Saturday morning was raining but an early start to visit Toms then Bergs and the ARHS book shop .
Of interest in Clyde yard was the heavy load wagons NZZA with No 6 beam still painted in the black and yellow colors I last saw it in last.
Then out to catch the Flight to Brisbane which was also 1 hour late so its not just trains.
But I must say what a totally civilized way to travel between the centre of 2 state capitals
With Monday free it was of to Bendigo to see Mckenzie No 1 .for some signalling updates.Travelling there and back by the Velocity train service which is very good also.
Question No 1 . Travelling back towards Melbourne on the northern side of the train just after Melton Station between the 1st and 2nd level crossing there looked for all the world like a stored rail gas tanker in an industrial yard near the line.Could this be true or just wish full thinking ?
Then onto another Velocity service to Ballarat.Where I had to catch a taxi ,There where no trains to the conference centre !
The conference finished on Thursday afternoon so caught the train back to Melbourne checked into the accommodation before catching a tram out to Train world arriving with only 10 minutes before closeing time a quick look and back to the city for dinner.
Friday morning was very exciting as I was catching the daylight XPT service back to Sydney a good chance to see a lot of railway territory not usually scene by me .And on the way down I was snoring !.
The overnight XPT was 1 hour late getting in which meant our departure which uses the same train was 1 hour late.No big deal we have all day to make that up the fool said to himself.
Some high tech procedures before departure
Question No 2 At Henty is that a curved roof goods shed ?
We eventually arrived into Sydney if you could call it that 2 hours of the pace.Saturday morning was raining but an early start to visit Toms then Bergs and the ARHS book shop .
Of interest in Clyde yard was the heavy load wagons NZZA with No 6 beam still painted in the black and yellow colors I last saw it in last.
Then out to catch the Flight to Brisbane which was also 1 hour late so its not just trains.
The round-roofed goods shed at Henty is one of only two that ever existed. The other was at Muttama, between Coota and Gundagai.
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