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2001
The Snow Lord
Joined: Jan 25, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 22, 2008
Location: The road jump at Charlotte Pass. Paxman Valenta on two planks.
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:11 am
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It quite surpirses me that none of you blokes have been talking about the good ol' SteamRanger Railway of recent. Lost all interest, eh ?
Well, yesterday afternoon I just happened to pick up their brochure/timetable for 2008. So, what it is the latest news from the lads at SteamRanger ? What's been cooking down at Mount Barker ? Any SR volunteers out there ?
I see that steam returns to the Cockle Train on March 21 (Easter) and the Southern Encounter fires up for the first time this year on Sunday May 25
Included in the brochure's blurb on the Southern Encounter, describing the journey :
...."There have been incidents with Bushrangers along the way, and also keep an eye out for 'The Steam Ranger' who turns up from time to time"....
Oo-er !
2001
Member Falls Creek 2018 Olympics Committee.
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David Peters
Minister for Railways
Joined: Nov 29, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 21, 2008
Location: In a black Trans Am!
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:15 am
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By the way an interesting bit of trivia, what is the longest preserved railway in the world, the answer Steamranger Heritage Railway! 
National Railway Museum member.
The opinions expressed by my me in these posts is not the opinion of the N.R.M. and should not be construed as such.
Ferroequinologist and Microferroequinologist.
Photosite http://davidpeters950.fotopic.net |
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2001
The Snow Lord
Joined: Jan 25, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 22, 2008
Location: The road jump at Charlotte Pass. Paxman Valenta on two planks.
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:29 pm
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Pity that 'preserved railway' doesn't include the former branch to Milang. I know in the past there have been rumblings from interested persons about relaying the railway from Sandergrove to Milang - a distance of about 14 kilometres.
Imagine the drawcard that would be.
The Rail Station down at Milang is a rather quaint building that resembles a humble cottage. They've down well to preserve it, plus a few pieces of ex-SAR rollingstock sitting beside the platform.
2001
Member Falls Creek 2018 Olympics Committee.
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409
Minister for Railways
Joined: Jul 25, 2004
Last Visited: Nov 23, 2008
Location: "Well, we sorta hit a little snag when the universe sorta collapsed on itself."
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:29 pm
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How much of the Milang branch track bed is clear or has it all been reclaimed by farmers?
2008 BOGIE AWARD WINNER - Best Contribution to Model Railways
 LINK TO YOUTUBE PROFILE
"I'd use an 830 for my respirator!" |
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ARG706
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jun 03, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 23, 2008
Location: City of doomsayers
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:36 pm
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| 2001 wrote: | Pity that 'preserved railway' doesn't include the former branch to Milang. I know in the past there have been rumblings from interested persons about relaying the railway from Sandergrove to Milang - a distance of about 14 kilometres.
Imagine the drawcard that would be.
The Rail Station down at Milang is a rather quaint building that resembles a humble cottage. They've down well to preserve it, plus a few pieces of ex-SAR rollingstock sitting beside the platform. |
Hmm, for a start it'd be good to see the old Sandergrove platform rebuilt and the yard returned its 1950s configuration, with a bit of the Milang branch veering off to the east. I don't how many tens of thousands this would cost though!
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David Peters
Minister for Railways
Joined: Nov 29, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 21, 2008
Location: In a black Trans Am!
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 7:05 pm
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You should all remember that the more track you lay, the more you have to look after, it is only money though! 
National Railway Museum member.
The opinions expressed by my me in these posts is not the opinion of the N.R.M. and should not be construed as such.
Ferroequinologist and Microferroequinologist.
Photosite http://davidpeters950.fotopic.net |
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Alco_Haulic
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jul 28, 2004
Last Visited: Sep 29, 2008
Location: Eating out...
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 7:49 pm
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Until they get 520 steaming again, I ain't going that way...
Although it is tempting to watch 958 in service...
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pm1225
Deputy Commissioner
Joined: Aug 29, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 23, 2008
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:12 pm
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| David Peters wrote: | | By the way an interesting bit of trivia, what is the longest preserved railway in the world, the answer Steamranger Heritage Railway! |
Are you sure? I thought the Cumbrees and Toltec in Colorado/New Mexico was a lot longer.
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GN4472
Junior Train Controller
Joined: Jan 23, 2008
Last Visited: Nov 18, 2008
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:23 am
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If the Milang Line is re-laid, I hope it will not be as rough riding as the original line was. It'd be great to see the line back! 
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2001
The Snow Lord
Joined: Jan 25, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 22, 2008
Location: The road jump at Charlotte Pass. Paxman Valenta on two planks.
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 10:20 am
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| GN4472 wrote: | | If the Milang Line is re-laid, I hope it will not be as rough riding as the original line was. It'd be great to see the line back! |
I'd like to hear your recollections of travelling on the Milang Branch. From what I've been told, there was only a solitary bridge on the line - a small one at that - and therefore this would be the only structure that would need to be rebuilt if a railway was recreated to Milang.
As a note of interest, the nameboard NURRAGI is still standing in the rail corridor, and when I last saw it was very well preserved.
I've got a photo from a book which was taken at Milang Station, showing the last railcar service on the line, in 1969.
2001
Member Falls Creek 2018 Olympics Committee.
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simont141
Chief Commissioner
Joined: May 12, 2003
Last Visited: Nov 22, 2008
Location: Adelaide
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:27 pm
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I'll be going for a ride as soon as I can get behind steam from Mt Barker - Victor. Aside from that, maybe when I'm in Pt Elliot I'll hop on and go to Gawler or something. But at this stage I won't make the trip there solely to go for a ride.
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2001
The Snow Lord
Joined: Jan 25, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 22, 2008
Location: The road jump at Charlotte Pass. Paxman Valenta on two planks.
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:30 pm
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| simont141 wrote: | | . Aside from that, maybe when I'm in Pt Elliot I'll hop on and go to Gawler or something. |
2001
Member Falls Creek 2018 Olympics Committee.
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simont141
Chief Commissioner
Joined: May 12, 2003
Last Visited: Nov 22, 2008
Location: Adelaide
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 1:47 pm
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| 2001 wrote: | | simont141 wrote: | | . Aside from that, maybe when I'm in Pt Elliot I'll hop on and go to Gawler or something. |
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err.. Goolwa 
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mynameismike
Assistant Commissioner
Joined: Sep 01, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 22, 2008
Location: /dev/adelaide/magill
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:24 am
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I'm part of loco at SHR.
Since it's derailment we have gone over 621 with a fine tooth comb and have gone to grate pains to make sure that we find and iron out all of her problems before she returns to service.
Tasks completed so far include;
Removing and fitting new valve liners (machined for us at material cost by Mitsubishi)
Lifting 621 to inspect the trunnion and bolster on the pony truck.
Lifting the tender to replace the trunnions on the tender.(also machined for us at material cost by Mitsubishi)
A full visual boiler inspection (inside and out).
Replacing rusted components on 621's tender frames.
With any luck 621 will return to service for the Easter holiday weekend and will probably work the School holiday CT's too.
Once 621 returns we will start lifting 207 so she can be re-tyred.
958 is also currently in the workshop having work done on her L5 and L6 Cylinders. The fuel pump cam and roller was not much oil on cylinder L5 and has worn both the cam and the roller.
According to the blokes at EDI we were very lucky to find the problem when we did, because very little damage has been done.
We have to remove the cam shaft to repair it, and anyone who has every been inside the engine room of a 930 will understand the logistical problem removing all 9 feet of camshaft in the available room.
One of our other out of service loco's will also be retuning to service in the neer-ish future.
409 the all of the railway reserve on the Milang branch is still intact.
Restoring the Milang branch would cost us a fortune.
We are the longest tourist railway in the southern hemisphere.
"The Americans will always do the right thing... After they've exhausted all the alternatives." - Winston Churchill
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bingley hall
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Nov 09, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 23, 2008
Location: gone fishin
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:13 pm
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| mynameismike wrote: | | We are the longest tourist railway in the southern hemisphere. |
In theory the El Maitén-Esquel railway in Argentina is at 165 km, although with through services currently suspended on that line, I suppose Bushranger still qualifies.
Bing
Life is just a bowl of All Bran...you wake up every morning and it's there
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