Hunter Holiday (Photos)

petey3801 · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:27 am

Thanks all for the kind comments Smile

alltrainzfan · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 1:03 pm

Awesome shots Petey3801! Looks like you're having heaps of fun out there. Can't wait for Friday's pics. Smile

petey3801 · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 9:29 am

Thanks mate! I certianly did have a lot of fun! Pity it had to be cut short, but them's the breaks!

Anyways, on with the show.. Now we have Fridays photos!

I ended up having a much later start than normal, which didn't make me too happy. I thought I would go for a travel from Dora Creek and head north from there. On arrival at Dora Creek, both local shuttle services had just departed. After setting up in a nice spot at the Sydney end of the platform, I waited... and waited... and waited... but no trains. So after about half an hour, I gave up as the sun was starting to get unfavourable, so I headed off up the line. On the way, I saw the southbound Silverton with Jumbo/600/600/C head south, against the light so it didn't annoy me greatly.

After a while, I ended up at Booragul, where I set myself up at the Sydney end of the platform once again. I waited here, and after a small amount of time, V63 poked its nose around the corner:

Image opens in a new window

Once that passed through, I retreted back to my leaning post in the shade to wait for something somewhat more interesting, preferably before I died of heat stroke! Soon enough, my prayers were answered with QRNational/Interails MB7, SCT G535 leading:

Image opens in a new window

After that, the sun and heat got a tad bit too much for me, so I headed back to the relies house to sit out the middle of the day.

Later on in the afternoon, we departed our relatives place for Dungog, via Broadmeadow and a few other places for photos, of course!

After a quick stop at Broady yards to see what was around, we headed around to Waratah station, after seeing (what I thought was) a freighter getting ready to depart, with a green signal and everything! So we head off to Waratah, where I find a Hunter Car approaching the station from Newcastle:

Image opens in a new window
(Link: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252229)

Then, as luck would have it, Endeavour set 2804/2854 pulled up to Waratah station at the same time, giving a good comparison photo op:

Image opens in a new window

After which, the Endeavour continued onto Newcastle:

Image opens in a new window
(Link: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252230)

While I was getting those two pics, I noticed that there was a yellow fronted loco, what looked like a PN NR, stopped up at Iso Junction. So, I waited for it to come along, and soon enough, it started moving... the only problem is, it started moving across both main lines and heading into Port... then I realised, it was two light engines, 9202 and 9203! Bugger!!!

So I race back to the car and we head to Port Waratah (which took me a little while to find, due to the fact I had never been there!). Here, I found a number of stabled trains waiting their next turn of duty, as well as the two 92s being stabled for later testing/training, with a giant shaddow right smack bang on the front of 9202! But, at least I had seen the buggers, so I went about getting a photo of the rather full yard:

Image opens in a new window
(Link: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252233)

Then, soon after, a quad-light engine shunting movement came out from behind the masses of coal wagons and up towards the PN building:

Image opens in a new window
(Link: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252235)

Once we were finished there, we headed over to Morandoo to check out what was there (and, once again, this was the first time I had been there, so I didn't really know what to expect!). I was quite pleasantly surprised to see NR36 (PN*):

Image opens in a new window

8118 freshly painted:

Image opens in a new window

and 8154(PN)/BL26(PN) shunting next to 8118:

Image opens in a new window
(Link: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252238)

Then, traveling further up, we found 5008/5011 (That pair were haunting me over the week!) unloading their train:

Image opens in a new window
(Link: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252240)

Image opens in a new window

After that, the sun was getting rather low, so we continued our journey back to Dungog, stopping at the general store in Paterson for some dinner (Great takeaway food at very reasonable prices, great hot chips too!) and while we were eating our meals, the southbound Brisbane - Sydney XPT passed through the town.

After getting back to Dungog, I found out I was needed on Monday in Brisbane for jury duty Evil or Very Mad

, so we had to start heading back north the next day, Saturday Evil or Very Mad

So, thats all for Fridays photos, stay tuned for Saturdays pics!

Thanks, Pete.

Click Here to have a look at my Rail Photos

Save the Large Erecting Shop!

Lazarus · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 1:19 am

Love the full yard photo and the second last shot (the dusk one). Very nice work, both in photography, and being able to chase all these trains down.

Raichase · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 10:56 am

That portrait shot of the two QRNational 5000 class at dusk is one in a million, easily one of the finer shots I have seen on these forums to date. Bloody fantastic mate Very Happy

- Raichase.
My Flickr! and Website - Trackside

Comments made are not my own and may be complete rubbish.

SinCity · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 1:21 am

Spotted someone today taking photos of a 3 engine lash up(Looked brand new with the star logo n all) at the road bridge at pacnat, they drove a white toyota or holden sedan, qld or vic numberplates cant remember...

flathog · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 7:09 am

Possibly a mate of mine, He was telling me he saw the lash-up and intended on getting some pictures.

Tom

sashmo · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 5:01 pm

depends on the time of day it could have been me, if they were wearing grey shirt and pants it was me if not was someone else. ans yes i got a couple of nice shots i wills hare when i get home. i return north tommorrow.

cheers

sashmo

Canon 350D Rebel User.

http://scottspics.fotopic.net/ Non Rail Pics

NSWRTM123 · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 6:22 pm

petey3801 · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 6:17 pm

Thanks all for the kind comments!! Smile

I shall be uploaded the final day of photos tomorrow, hopefully they are as good, and worth the wait, as the NRL Grand Final this afternoon!! GO MANLY!!!!!!!

Thanks, Pete.

Click Here to have a look at my Rail Photos

Save the Large Erecting Shop!

petey3801 · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:18 pm

Gday All

Sorry for taking so long with the last days photos, but here we go!

I now present Saturday's photos for your enjoyment!

Saturday started off by packing the luggage into the car before heading down to the railway to find the road set for the back platform (so I found out!). After a while, 2704/2754 arrived and, after a somewhat poor photo attempt, we set off towards Maitland.

On the way, just after Wallarobba, I spotted quite a nice looking photospot with some cows in the foreground in one scene and some mountains in the other scene.

So we stop and wait for our Hunter set to come on back. In the time we were waiting, the cows from the first scene decided to move over to the second scene! But no matter!

A little while later, I hear the mouse-fart horn of the Hunter departing Wallarobba and I set up my shots:

Second scene:

Image opens in a new window
(Link: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252901)

Main scene:

Image opens in a new window

After that, we continued on our journey to Maitland, when we found out that BA6 had quite a nice lashup, running approx 20 mins late. So we head to the Maitland Pedestrian overpass and I setup for my shot. Shortly after arriving, a QRNational coal train rolls through with 5001/5012 on the pointy end:

Image opens in a new window
(Link: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252902)

And shortly after that, 2704/2754 once again comes into view:

Image opens in a new window
(Link: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252880)

Then after a few more minutes, BA6 comes into view rolling through Maitland station with NR97/DL45(PN)/AN7(Green)/AN5(PN*)/NR65 leading:

Image opens in a new window
(Link: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252882)

After that shot, my Parents and I started our long trip back up the New England Highway, First Stop Minimbah Bank! We arrived here to find a loaded coalie already halfway up the bank, so we stop and wait for another train to come along. After about half an hour or so, the wait was over, with 8243/8128(PN)/8157/8227 leading a loaded coalie south starting up the bank:

Image opens in a new window
(Link: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252883)

Once we saw that train head through, we once again continued on our journey up the NE. Our next (fruitful) stop was opposite the Liddell Power Station where we found 5008/5011 (AGAIN!) on a loaded coalie crossing onto the Up Main at the start of the double track. So we double back and get back to a spot I found just before where the track crosses over the road in front of the Power Station, where we waited for the train. After 5 or 10 mins, we saw it powering hard up the grade approaching us:

Image opens in a new window
(Link: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252884)

Then passing my the spot I like:

Image opens in a new window

Image opens in a new window

After that, we headed off along the NE again. Our next fruitful stop turned out to be partway up the Range, approaching Ardglen, where we found (after an hour and a half wait) the Armidale/Moree Xplorer:
[bigimg]http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252900[/bigimg]
(Link: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252900)

After that, we chased this thing all the way to Werris Creek, getting a shot of it around the Quirindi area:

Image opens in a new window

Then again at Werris Creek:

Image opens in a new window

Once we got that shot, we headed out towards The Gap to get a shot of the Moree Xplorer with a refurbished car on the lead, on the way finding a paddock of wagons in the process of being scrapped, which can be seen on the left:

Image opens in a new window

Image opens in a new window

Once that went through, we headed back and I got a shot of the wagons:

Image opens in a new window

As well as 4705 stuffed and mounted in Werris Creek:

Image opens in a new window

After that, it was back onto the New England heading north to Tenterfield to my Parents house to stay the night. Unfortunately, we never found the Armidale Xplorer after Werris Creek, so this spelt the end of my Hunter Holiday week!

Hope you all enjoyed the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them!!

Thanks, Pete.

Click Here to have a look at my Rail Photos

Save the Large Erecting Shop!

biqua · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:50 pm

Top work again Pete - especially like the coalie on "Minimbah Bank".

You are however making me think I need to rethink how I take photos, and what makes a good scene - that is probably a good thing though. Wink

http://biqua.fotopic.net/

Recent updates:
- new camera, new photos

Also http://www.putfile.com/biqua/

Raichase · Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:15 am

alltrainzfan · Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:42 am

Wonderful shots again petey3801, love the first shot at Minimbah Bank.

Looks like you had a great end to your Hunter Holiday. Smile

rumbleman · Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 9:03 am

Looks like you had a good time up here mate, nice shots too.