Before I went through check-in at Sydney Airport I was trying to find excuses to stay longer. Australia is an amazing place and Iβve got big plans for going back, but the post-trip come down from the highs of being there are crap.
Brisbane Central?
Today the last V-set units were retired in Australia, with the final pair working an early service from Lithgow in the Blue Mountains down to Sydney. This is the only photo I took of a V-set, V9 at Lithgow on 07/10/23 whilst I was waiting for the XPT to Bathurst.
950001 stabled on Abbey Foregate Yardβs Wash Road (still called that despite the wash plant being long gone) a couple of nights ago.
A big box of horsepower. 3,200 of them, in fact.
Insert tired generic massive/throbbing purple thing reference here.
Hang on, maybe βinsertβ isnβt quite the right wordβ¦
The view ahead, during prep. 67029 No.1 end, 20/12/2025.
67020 & HD03 prior to working 1V31, 0507 CRE-CDF, 17/12/25.
Normally I do manage to avoid them! 67s and DVTs are good fun to drive, thankfully quite sturdy too.
Yes, CDF-SHR. Bit of damage to the front valance and some tree in the ETS socket, but nothing to stop the job. Have to admit I didnβt notice anyone taking pictures!
Apologies for the rapid unplanned stop at Marshbrook, I wasnβt expecting to go tree bashing today.
I donβt do turkey for Christmas dinner for one reason - itβs bloody awful. Usually dry (no matter who cooked it), bland and tasteless.
Nice big bit of slow-cooked beef is the way forward.
One of the Bayerische Zugspitzebahnβs units arriving at the upper terminus, 2650m up Germanyβs highest mountain. The terminus is at the end of a 4.5km tunnel and 1900m higher than the starting point in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 19km away.
Trust me, they know. Theyβll have heard every excuse under the sun multiple times over for not having the ticket there and ready to go.
TOCLite bags in unusual places - an occasional series.
On the plateau of the Zugspitze at 2600m, 362m below the summit of Germanyβs tallest mountain.
67020 at CDF just prior to working 1W57 1053 CDF-MAN, 08/11/25.
Deutsch Reichsbahn Class 41 at the Sinsheim Technik Museum today. Impressive engine, very impressive museum.
Mary Ann + Smooth + Reliable = π€
I thought you liked accuracy?
Yes, Iβd just brought it in.
67012 on arrival at MAN this morning with 1W11.
Station noir:
150280 is todays chariot on the Salop-Crewe local.
A rarity north of Salop these days, 150267 is the weapon of choice for this evening on 2K64 & 2J70 Crewe locals.
Despite the appearance of the invasive and unwelcome 197 species (CheapAs Fuckis), 158s are still the main form of traction between Aberystwyth and Birmingham International. For how much longer though?
I took RF off my internet route card a long time ago, Iβve never been back.
552 rivets, all fitted in the last 3 days by the KS4415 team. Another little job done in the slow but steady restoration of Britainβs oldest-surviving diesel loco.
Now this looks fit. #festiniog
Earlestown, a bit off patch for me normally but there is one job a day where we pass from Chester to Piccadilly via Warrington. Nice to see a different bit of railway, even if it is dark and foggy.
Itβs remarkable how βnaturalβ it feels watching that, almost like the view forwards from the cab of the Vale.
In its best form there too, with the bins rather than the brass dome covers.
