Atomic Systems

I am now back from my travels and here are a few pictures from the Hotham Valley Railway who operate a stretch of 3 ft 6 between Pinjarra and Dwellingup in W. Australia.

First a veteran diesel:



Then the steam, they have several beautiful (and big!) Beyer-Peacock 4-8-2 'Mountain' engines. Here we see two of them double-heading their train over the steep gradients and sharp curves in the Darling Range. They look immaculate and in perfect condition.













fG

I'd love to see these locos on the WLLR.

They couldn't do it, theres a foot difference . WLLR is 2ft 6, and Ozzie NG is 3ft 6.

Lovely locos though...

David

Nice sharp pictures, Jur. I particularly like that rotten old track, covered in dirt with a few weeds in. I don't suppose you got on a footbridge and took a vertical downward view of it for a track texture did you?

I'm afraid not. No footbridges there, Martin. In fact, no platforms, no barriers, no fences... you just walk over the tracks wherever you like.

Mind you, there are level crossings, unguarded, and the sound of the whistles as the two engines approach is quite a thrill. That was near my last picture. I didn't record it, unfortunately.

fG

Here are some more details. Look how clean these machines are!

The steam engines only date back to 1951.







fG

You know what that XA class diesel is, don't you (apart from being a fine machine)? It's the closest relative anywhere other than Bury to the Metro-Vic Co-Bo - same Crossley engine - apparently not quite as unreliable as it was in the UK, albeit after a great deal of work and modifications carried out by Western Australian Gov. Railways.

Great pics

Mmmm, speaking of Aussie Narrow Gauge, I've got a few real pictures of the VR NG garret G42, recently restored to running order at Puffing Billy. This is a great machine! Also, those W class engines were used by the WAGR and another company in Silverton. The Silverton operation only had 4 locos and WAGR had countless more but they are essentially the same loco. I've got photos of both (Unfortunatly not on the computer) but if you want to see the streamlined W (Silverton) then try http://www.prr.org.au for the Pichi Richi website. They have both variations. W22 and Ws 933 and 934.

The following photos are of G42.


Crossing Pinnocks Rd after Emerald.

The passing shot.

Just before Clematis.
]
Going over the Monbulk Creek trestle.
Shunted around the carriages now and about to put them into 3 road.

.. nice pics of more B-P locos! And of course, unlike the Hotham Valley 282s, the Garratts 'could' run on the W&L

Patrick

Garratt. Theres inly one now. G41 got scrapped back in the 40s I think.

Now to have one of those on the W&l would be fun, got a feeling it might be a tads too big for the line though

Why bring this topic up?

David

rwaceyw wrote:

David

Very well put David

Cheers!

Nice pic - makes the point very well!

But I think as Earl1 is 'new to the forums' he (or she!) may just be catching up on past messages. His name suggests he might be interested in matters NG, Beyer Peacock and W&LLR. A simple search for any of these would pick up this thread - as newbies are often encouraged to do by more experienced members. Anyway, I liked being reminded of those rather fine pics on the PBR ..

Patrick