July 14-19th 20085 A freind and I and our wives did our annual railfan trip to Port Augusa. This year we made a slight detour to Broken Hill, then down to Port Augusta, with a day spent around Cystral Brook, (which by the way is the place for train watching).
We took off at 4.01am on Monday 17/07/08, travelling via Wycheproof and Sea lake to Mildura and then onto Broken Hill, as in most years Victoria let us down again with no trains, except for the EM100 which was seen at Oyuen, departing for Dunolly. There was suppose to be a grain train departing Yelta at 1300, but it jumped early and by the time we got there it was long gone.
An arrival at Broken Hill, around the 1600 mark, 6PS7 with NR106 and NR93 were waiting to depart for Sydney, as well as 4878 shunting. 2212 (ex 422 Class from NSW???) arrived around 1830, with the AK cars and stabled until the next morning, the Outback Explorer from Sydney arrived 20mins early.
TUESDAY 15/07
Not a real early start this morning, we wanted to see the departure of the AK cars from Broken Hill, due out at 0800am following the Outback Explorer to Sydney, but they jumped early and were no where to be seen, the Outback Explorer with Country Link Explorer cars, departed on time at 0745, and the local Silverton shunt took place between the mines with 48s34 and 862.
We departed for Port Augusta via Cyrstal Brook, and enroute, (for the Diamond Valley Railway boys), G540 and 8106 were seen approaching Pine Creek with the "Bemax" Train TD no 3361. Further down the track, 1PS6 was sighted near Catuna, with NR57 and NR170. A look at Peterbrough Yard and Gladstone, with a stop at Cyrstral Brook, then onto Port Augusta, 2MP5 was seen with NR65 and NR38, along with NR10 NR73 and an unkown NR seen at Mambry Creek. A quick look into Spencer Junction Yard and a few trains were lined up ready to head East and West, along with NR17 and NR117 bound for Wyalla.
WEDNESDAY 16/07
A big day, Crystral Book is definatly the place to be for train watching and Wednesdays seems to be the day, without doing a complete tally, 6 trains were seen in about 90mins, all up for the day 16 trains were seen within approx. 100km radius of Cystral Brook, surrounding, Rocky River, Gladstone, Peterbrough, Jamestown, Mambry Creek, Winninowie and Stirling North.
The day started with a look at Spencer Junction, and an empty yard was found, with NR61 on its lonesome waiting its next job. then a trip to Hesso for a couple of trains arriving of the west, but were not found, then a visit to Yorkeys Crossing for 2PM9 the SCT train from Perth to Melborune (Laverton). A trip to the power Station, and then out to Cystral Brook, Rocky River, and places as mentioned above, for the following parade of trains.
* V544 8202 & 8229 on 4FP1 - Coal Train to Leigh Creek, with 168 wagons
* NR61 NR92 NR103 NR68 NR29 and a couple of crew cars inculding ex West Coast BRS225 were at Spencer Junction. Along with a rake of Double stacked wagons.
* G537 arrived solo at Spencer Junction
* 3MP4 with NR8 & NR66
* 4XA1 with NR61 Local move from Port Augusta to Adelaide
* YN2 with NR117 NR17 & G537 at Cyrstral Brook bound for Sydney
* Patricks train with 1873, 103 & 1872 arrived at Cystral Brook to cross YN2, MP9 & 2PM9, these later went to Rocky River for a crew change and cross 3MP7 and AD8 The Ghan
* 3MP7 was seen with NR88 and NR51
* 4AG1 with 8177 and L251 at Jamestown with a grain train
* 4360 with G540 and 8106 at Jamestown with the Bemax train to Adelaide
* AD8 with NR75 with the Nth Bound Ghan
* 2PM9 with SCT011 and SCT003,
* MP9 with SCT 010 and SCT002, these trains crossed at Rocky River
*4XA8 with NR20 at Winnanowie Local move from Port Augusta to Adelaide
*4AP1 with EL51 EL55 at Cyrstal Brook, and Port Augusta, later seen back at Spencer Junction departing west.
The day ended with a " great" Pub meal... in Augusta The Gibson bar...
THURSDAY 17/08
The day to head home... 2214 was seen with NR101 at Spencer Junction and another visit to the power station and stirling nth to see the departure of the coal train, with the same locos. NR101 still supports most of its "National Rail Livery" and was hauling a local service to Adelaide train number 5XA8, this was seen passing the coal train at Stirling Nth, the train had trailer rail loading on the rear. NR51 was seen again this time hauling PS2 with NR83 departing Spencer Junction. 2214 (TD5172) ran a local SCT move with about 5 wagons to Adelaide this was seen at Snowtown, just before the rain started to belt down. Also a quick trip to Quorn was made to see W934 haul the Pichi Richi Explorer to Woolshed Flat.
A quick look at Dry Creek, allowed some photos of a couple of DL's and an FQ, amongst some other locos, got kicked out of there two years ago, so it was a quick stop...
The final train for the day was the Overland at Montato South, just out of Murray Bridge, with NR70. The crew were ex West Coast Railway, and a couple of mates of mine. A few phone calls too and fro to check the whereabouts, and the tripod was set up. The overland passed Monarto Sth at about 110km's an hr, blowing its whislte from about 800mtrs out and almost all the way to the end of the 1800mtr loop, with the crews hand out the window waving. The poor bloke in the car at the crossing must have wandered what on earth was going on, it must have been the loudest train through Monarto in a long time...
FRIDAY 18/8
As always Victoria let us down again... with XR555, seen at Dimboola, and no trains.
A great trip away and better than last year, all up around 28 trains sighted and photographed, with just over 60 locomotives, we have worked out why Victoira lets us down all the time and that is because, most of the fleet is in SA.... LOL...
All up, just on 3200 kms were made into three tates. |
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FRI 18-07-08 the only train for day... XR555 solo at Dimboola 2496x1664 2008-07-18 10:54:36 |
THU 18-07-08 Monarto South with MA8 Overland with NR70. 2496x1664 2008-07-17 16:19:30 |
THU 18-07-08 5172 Local SCT train from Port Augusta to Adelaide with loco 2212 near Snowtown SA 2496x1664 2008-07-17 13:15:46 |
THU 18-07-08 Trailer rail loading on 5XA7 at Stirling North. 2496x1664 2008-07-17 09:59:45 |
THU 17-07-08 NR101 on 5XA8 Local transfer Port Augusta to Adelaide at Stirling North 2496x1664 2008-07-17 09:59:01 |
4FP1 Coal train at Port Augusta. V544 8202 & 8229 about to depart for Leigh Creek, with an empty 168 car train 2496x1664 2008-07-17 09:30:26 |
WED 16-07-08 NR52 at Spencer Junction Port Augusta 2496x1664 2008-07-17 09:12:31 |
WED 16-7-08 2214 Stabled at Spencer Junction 2496x1664 2008-07-17 09:09:33 |
WED 16-07-08 4AG1 with 8177 and L251 at Jamestown SA 2496x1664 2008-07-16 16:52:32 |
WED 16-07-08 4AG1 with 8177 and L251 at Jamestown SA 2496x1664 2008-07-16 16:28:01 |
WED 16-07-08 Patricks train at Rocky River with Locos 1872 103 & 1873 2496x1664 2008-07-16 15:26:54 |
WED 16-07-08 AD8 NR75 with the Nth Bound GHAN at Rocky River. 2496x1664 2008-07-16 15:22:01 |
WED 16-07-08 AD8 NR75 with the Nth Bound GHAN at Rocky River. 2496x1664 2008-07-16 15:21:49 |
WED 16-07-08 with SCT010 & 002 at Cyrstal Brook with 2PM9 2496x1664 2008-07-16 14:20:00 |
WED 16-07-08 2PM9 with SCT 011 and 003 at Cystral Brook 2496x1664 2008-07-16 13:51:21 |
WED 16-07-08 Patricks train at Cystral Brook with Locos 1872 103 & 1873 2496x1664 2008-07-16 13:33:28 |
WED 16-7-08 2PM9 at Mambry Creek SA 2496x1664 2008-07-16 12:50:09 |
WED 16-7-08 2PM9 near Winnannowie, East of Port Augusta 2496x1664 2008-07-16 12:27:22 |
WED 16-7-08 2PM9 at Yorkeys Crossing SA 2496x1664 2008-07-16 11:30:14 |
WED 16-7-08 2PM9 at Yorkeys Crossing SA 2496x1664 2008-07-16 11:29:13 |
WED 16-7-08 2PM9 at Yorkeys Crossing SA 2496x1664 2008-07-16 11:29:11 |
WED 16-7-08 2PM9 at Yorkeys Crossing SA 2496x1664 2008-07-16 11:29:07 |
WED 16-7-08 2PM9 with SCT Locos SCT011 & 003 at Yorkeys Crossing SA 2496x1664 2008-07-16 11:28:45 |
WED 16-7-08 G357 arriving at Spencer Junction Port Augusta 2496x1664 2008-07-16 08:33:25 |
TUE 15-07-08 NR65 & NR38 with 2MP5 at Mambry Creek SA. 2496x1664 2008-07-15 17:33:23 |
TUE 15-07-08 NR65 & NR38 with 2MP5 at Mambry Creek SA. 2496x1664 2008-07-15 17:33:09 |
TUE 15-07-08 NR57 & NR170 with 1PS6 near Catuna SA 2496x1664 2008-07-15 10:45:42 |
TUE 15-07-08 G540 & 8106 on the BEMAX train near Pine Creek SA. 1728x1152 2008-07-15 10:29:41 |
TUE 15-07-08 872 & 48s34 with a local shunt at Broken Hill 2496x1664 2008-07-15 08:10:22 |
TUE 15-07-08 Xplorer cars on the "Outback Explorer" just departed Broken Hill for Sydney 2496x1664 2008-07-15 07:56:59 |
TUE 15-07-08 872 & 48s34 shunting in Broken Hill Yard 2496x1664 2008-07-15 07:44:20 |
MON 14-7-08, Locomotive 2212 with the 3 AK just after arriving from the west, stabled for the night at Broken Hill 2496x1664 2008-07-14 18:01:31 |
MON 14-7-08 6PS7 just out of Broken Hill 2496x1664 2008-07-14 15:30:38 |
MON 14-7-08 6PS7 departing Broken Hill for Sydney 2496x1664 2008-07-14 15:17:55 |
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