Walking/cleaning the Eastern Subs Railway (Photo's) More now

42101 · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:46 am

Early this morning we walked from Erskinville portal to the Domain portal ( beyond Martin Place) and return picking up all the trash thrown from trains using the ESR so here are some happy snaps from there.
Between Erskinville and Redfern.

Turnback at Central.

Nearly at Town Hall

Domain Portal underneath the Art Gallery.

Domain Substation and skyline

A pettibone parked up at Domain.

Guess where Laughing

Banned

3foot6 · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:12 am

Do you find any nasty items along the way like syringes?

What is the nastiest thing you've found thus far?

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42101 · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:28 am

Dirty disposable nappies.
Yep most stations have a collection of pics from junkie scum using trains as shooting galleries.

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574M · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 10:28 am

Happy snaps indeed, in the dark!

thanks for sharing, 42101

M636C · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:09 pm

I walked in from the Domain portal to Martin Place in about 1967 when the tunnels had been abandoned for about fifteen years and before the second construction period commenced.

The tunnel lining was complete from the portal to the site of Martin Place and for a short distance beyond, but there were only four small pilot tunnels through the station area, although there was an open chamber at the Domain end, I think.

There were two feet gauge construction railways in place, including a couple of Simplex locomotives.

One of the easiest ways to move around was to push one of the small wagons with one person walking on each rail. I think at least one of the tracks went through one of the pilot tunnels in the station area.

The main thing I remember was that the western end of the tunnels was flooded and the whole place was really damp. The sandstone walls in the pilot tunnels were so soft that you could cut a groove in them with your finger as easily as you could in wet sand at the beach. It occurred to me that the whole place could collapse without much warning, at least in the areas without completed tunnel lining.

The other thing that was interesting was that it was, of course completely dark, and while we were waiting for some of the guys to get back from one of the areas we didn't bother to go into, we sat in the dark where you could see absolutely nothing. Every so often you would get a flash of light from the odd unattached nuclear particle passing through your eye. Your brain would invent images to try to fill the void.

While this was completely illegal, we did go down there in protective clothing (boiler suits) and heavy boots (hard hats were pretty rare that long ago). We were all engineering students who understood the conditions and the risks, and we didn't break in, just used a gap in the fencing.

M636C

KRviator · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:53 pm

At least your collegues seem happy to be at work at that ungodly hour... As for strange things found on trains, IIRC it was the brother-in-law who said a 9mm handgun was found on one of the trains by the cleaning crew. Shocked

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42101 · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 6:22 pm

574M and KR thanks fellas, yeah at the time the pics were taken we were happy but by the end after walking 10km we were very hot ,tired and smegged off.
It was not much fun dodging trains for the 1st hour but having to bolt into and out of safe places was very scary indeed.

Banned

574M · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:51 pm

4426_No_2_end · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 10:28 pm

Thanks Greg for sharing the pics of things that people dont normally get to see.

I always am appreciative of the effort so thanks again Very Happy

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wurx · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 10:34 pm

Once again, 42101's camera takes us places we cannot go Well Done

Did you come across any teabags, Greg?

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GrahamH · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 10:51 pm

Thanks for the photos and story 42101, and M636C for the extra story.

That would be a bit scary being in a tunnel with uncontrolled traffic.

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Goose · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:43 am

42101 · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 5:21 pm

Wurx tea bags gallor...bloody train crews Laughing

.
574M yeah mate dodging running trains bolt holes every 20m so scary but safe as long as you dont panic.
Thanks all some more to go up later from last night.

Banned

42101 · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:41 pm

Okay i have now been awake 26hrs and worked last night so bear with me in regards to any mistakes i make in this posting.
Woolahra station site area.

A bolt hole to get out of the trains way.

Edgecliff

Bondi Junction

Rubber track mount (colonge Egg)

Central

Highrail truck with vacumn attachment on the tray for cleaning the sumps at Central.

Banned

Maikha · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 7:44 pm

Again, great photos Greg! I've always wondered what the tunnels looked like having done the Town Hall - Martin Place trip for a year.

Cheers
Maikha Ly

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