Monday Morning Photo. Tuesday 28/4/09.

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G'day all, some work-a-day photos from the Illawarra.

3320 got a guernsey last week arriving at Thirroul; the fireman taking a spell. This week he is bending his back as the same train starts away from the station stop. That looks very much like a handkerchief, knotted at the four corners, keeping the cinders out of the Brylcreem. I'm confidently tipping that he is what used to be called a "New Australian". A term which has fallen from favour, it's ideological soundness questioned. I think it is perfectly OK and is not at all disrespectful. I predict a revival. Australia's transport and industry would have struggled for survival in the '50s and 60s without New Australians.

The other three shots are all at Wollongong station, 5414 coming and going on a rake of Australian Iron and Steel hoppers for the steelworks at Port Kembla.

3093 is arriving from Port Kembla on a local. This is suburban travel before it was sanitised.

Looking at the station buildings you wouldn't reckon that they served New South Wales' third largest city. They reminded me of my local Melbourne suburban station at Canterbury when it was at ground level.

Best regards,

Peter Bruce.

Previous postings can be found at,

http://teenagerailfan.blogspot.com

Monday Morning Photo. 20/4/09.

G'day all, going away for a few days so I'm a day early.....this is certainly an improvement on three weeks late or not at all.

I havn't got a clue which order these photos are going to appear in but lets assume that the shot of the Central Arrivals board pops up first.

A quiet spell at Sydney's Central Railway Station, after the a.m rush and during the week between Christmas 1962 and New Year 1963. Summer dresses for the ladies and not a pair of jeans to be seen. No backpacks, only ports.

Central was the hub of the State of New South Wales back then and you could stretch the point and call it the hub of the nation.

This almost somnolent scene really doesn't do it justice, typically I would have had trouble getting a clear shot like this, typically it was thronged.... bustling and rowdy and raucous with the shuffle of hundreds of feet, locomotive din and amplified announcements.

3390 is arriving at Wollongong mid-morningish. I had been up the street for a small mountain of bacon and eggs, bought the paper and spent a little time in the bar on the other platform with a pint of Old and The Sydney Morning Herald. I'd never had a pint before let alone heard of Old.......Resch's, Toohey's or Tooth's, I can't remember.

Thirroul, an up train. The fireman is taking a spell, the Station Master has wandered out of the office to close the barrier gate and collect tickets and the bloke in shorts on the down platform is taking a mild interest in something that is utterly commonplace.

Best regards and more on the Illawarra next week,

Peter Bruce

Monday Morning Photo. 6/4/09. Part 3.

This is about it for the Peterborough Division, hope I havn't overdone it. I was 18 going on 19 and in the words of Cliff Olds "I wouldn't have missed it for quids". In case anyone is mystified by the old Australian argot we might say today that "I wouldn't have missed it for bucks". Doesn't work though, does it?

A quid was a pound in the old pre 1966 money and the new dollar unit was equal to half-a-quid or ten bob. Ten bob as slang for a dollar hung on tenuously for a while but eventually succumbed to the mighty buck. Bob Menzies was our Prime Minister and our dollar would have been the "Royal" if he'd had his way. We must have been incipient republicans even back then because that little bit of forelock tugging got laughed into oblivion. Deservedly.

I've tried to pass on a bit of the feel and atmosphere of Peterborough in the early '60s.

I look back and I realise how lucky I was. Dinosaurs still walked the Earth and I saw them.

The Illawarra next.

Best regards to all,

Peter Bruce.

Monday Morning Photo. 6/4/09. Part 2.

G'day all, three more offerings from long ago in a real railway town.

The Rat was No. 97, the loco pilot/shunter, I always wondered why it's steam dome was nearly as big as it's boiler, it did look a bit deformed. Especially with a funnel that looked like a couple of jam tins soldered together!

Regards,

Peter Bruce.

Monday Morning Photo. 6/04/09.

G'day all, desuetude* describes my state since last I posted. Never let it be said that I'm lost for words. Come to think of it though I did say that in my last Monday Morning Photo post.

To make up for my neglect I've scanned a few extra photos from the Peterborough Division. Some of these I've sent before but those of you that have seen them can look away now if you like.

So here is the first installment. More during the week.

The level crossing is the one at Hurlstone Street, I think.

220 is running through the platform road having come into town from the east. Note the S.A.R issue verandah waterbag hanging off the cab.

The roundhouse shot is pretty self-explanatory, I was trying to emulate the the photos that I had seen in "Trains" magazine and the S.A.R was the only railway in Australia that followed U.S. practice and always stabled their engines funnel first.

Best regards,

Peter Bruce.

*the word has been bouncing around in my scone for days, I just had to use it. I'm sure no-one will need to look it up!!