Railpage Australia™ invades Richmond Vale Railway - Photos and Stories

Sydney_Gunzel · Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:38 pm

[As on the NSW Forum thread - http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11343101-s0.htm]

The thread for all the photographs, videos and stories about the invasion of Richmond Vale, 14 September 2008.

I'll start the ball rolling:

412 - the Railpage Australia™ Special

SMR30 departs Richmond Main on another run.

rcjas and Maikha...

The joys of a camera delay - the group at Pelew Main.

SMR30's compressor, recharging the brakes prior to departing.

More to come.

KAVRAIL · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:07 am

Was good to catch up with you all, even if I didn't make it until well into the afternoon on account of being at a 30th up the road at Kurri Kurri the night before. Drunk

Anyway hope its the first of many more days like it to come!

'Trains don't run on time, they run on rails!

<<Admin has removed unacceptable sig, try again >>

Fred3801 · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 6:59 am

Well! Despite what everyone said (to Maikha's Discuss) it's fair to say that yet again we have pulled off a very successful day out! Whether if it was train foaming, dribbling and window licking* everyone got together at Central (on or close to time, whether if they were railing it, driving it or even getting there by air!) everyone showed up at the right time, with a very funny looking Raichase, name tag, clip board and pen in hand.

The bus ride up was made in good time (despite out departure time out of Central) and we were welcomed straight from the word go upon arrival at Richmond Vale. Our day had only begun as we had a brief look in the main mining building, before SMR30 rocked up after doing a shuttle from Pelaw Main with its train. We bored and enjoyed the scenery (as well as a screwed up level X-ing that someone felt that they should pinch the batteries to…..).

We were then showed around the old mine shafts and buildings at Pelaw Main and then boarded the train back for the return to Richmond Vale. Then we got the round tour of the sheds then had a very nice lunch served. After, Maikha got up to say a few words, then to hand over our donations of at least upwards of $1000 from all of us to the Richmond Vale Rail Museum Group to the chairman himself. Then after that, Trent got up and said a few nice words and then Maikha proceeded with the very successful raffles.

After, we took a little stop past the souvenir shop then went up for another ride up to Pelaw Main. The crews were kind enough to back the train so we all could get shots the train coming up the grade and into the station (by backing down the grade and returning, provided that we were on the platform and other safe places). But even then the fun didn’t stop there!

We then had another walking tour of all the old mining and railway artifacts around the site. Then!, the museums little restored tractor came out with a carriage just for us to take us around the site down to where the line went as far as the nearby road (where it used to go off to the main line at Hexham) then around back to the sheds.
The day then concluded with the return trip to Sydney on the bus, where some of us got off at Strathfield and others left us at Central. Besides that, the handful of us that concluded the day at the YHA hostel for a nice dinner ended the day on a good foot, and a bit of an exhausting one at that!

My personal thanks goes out to firstly for Maikha Ly, who put this shenanigans together, Trent 'Raichase' Nicholson who herded everyone at Central (I shall say again, clipboard on hand!) and his moral support. Other thanks go out to Graham & Richard from the RVRM who dragged us around all day and showed us all the interesting things of the place and their hospitality, and also Mike (TheLoneGunMan) who drove us all the way there and back on the old Merc Mk2 bus. Some nice driving done especially with what happen with our small (I shall maintain it wasn’t a jinx) incident.

I will post more shots during the week.

Thanks Guys and to everyone else who came out for the fun activity’s Smile

*I like that one; I give credit to someone else for that.

Cheers,
Fred

Patron and Member No.004 of the Secret Gunzel Inner Circle since 2009. But SHHH, it's a secret!

My Photography ~ On Flickr!
WATCH THIS SPACE ~ TheYoungBuffBlog!

Comments made are that of my own do not reflect on organisations mentioned

nadnerb_2000 · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 7:17 am

Looks like 'twas a fun day. Shame I couldn't make it (had to go to the Parentals birthday party).

Mind you - what on earth did you guys do to that poor U-boat carriage? Who smuggled the brown and cream paint? Twisted Evil

Procrastinators Unite! . . . just after I do this . . .

42209 · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:33 pm

Looks like you had a great day out! Grea photos guys. Woulda hve loved to have joined but unfortunately couldn't get out of work. Well done!

Comments made here are my own and DO NOT represent the views of RailCorp or any other organisation.

hurstville1 · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 6:24 pm

Woah, what a great day

Some people I'd like to thank

Maikha(who is not a gunzel): For organsiing this whole trip for the last 3 months and has gone to the extremes to get this trip organised just for us.

Trent: For also organising the trip and giving Maikha the enthusiasm when it almost for canned due to the trackwork

Everyone at the RVRM(especially Richard): For providing us with a wonderful day and for getting all the secret shenangians for us that the public don't normally get to see

TheLoneGunMan: For having the sprit and will to drive 25(I mean 24) noisy gunzels to Richmond Vale and back, each way being a 2.5 hr trip

Everyone who showed up: For providing everyone a great day out of course! Would it be any fun with no one else? Of Course Not!!!

Thanks to all the above

Some of my shots

SMR30 leads her train into Pelaw Main

SMR30 bring's her train into Pelaw Main(1)

SMR30 gets watered at Richmond Main]

Rocket takes Bob out of the shed

Richard ~ Our host for the day

Maikha hands over the $1136 to the Chairman of the RVRM

Maikha after handing over the $1106.20 to the Chairman of the RVRM

Visit my Flickr profile on www.flickr.com/photos/hurstville1 - All on Creative Commons(all you can eat Razz

)

My Blog ~ www.gunzelstory.wordpress.com

Youtube Videos:http://www.youtube.com/user/hurstville1

Please don't speak in Ch@tsp3@k. Its the only language the 'idiots' know. If we don't speak chatspeak, they won't undertstand us =D

Junction box · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:39 pm

Not a bad turn out, wish I had gone, had a late night myself. They need to one day hopefully re-connect the branch back up to the SMR.

Demonlord Hightower · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:43 pm

[quote="nabnerb_2000"]Looks like 'twas a fun day. Shame I couldn't make it (had to go to the Parentals birthday party).

Mind you - what on earth did you guys do to that poor U-boat carriage? Who smuggled the brown and cream paint? :twisted: [/quote]

The carriage was painted earlier this year after a vandal attack. One side is painted in acrylic paint and the other an oil based paint. It was done this way to find out which paint type will stand up to the elements better (also a more cost effective solution to deal with graffiti).

The other operational u-boat trailer cars will be painted the same color in order to better match the wooden passenger rollingstock.

That should be a good enough explanation.

Sydney_Gunzel · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:46 pm

nadnerb_2000 · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:01 pm

GhostofGresley · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:02 pm

Raichase · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:14 pm

Maikha · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:51 pm

C'mon guys, could we please leave the politics and the crankiness to another thread?

Sydney_Gunzel has posted the following two videos from yesterday.

Railpage Australia™ Invasion of the Richmond Vale

[link]

Cabride on SMR30

[link]

Enjoy!

Cheers
Maikha

Patron/Member No.003 - Secret Gunzel Inner Circle
(This doesn't exist, and I'm not a gunzel!)

Comments made are that of my own, and do not reflect those of organisations mentioned

SS3B8001 · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:15 pm

It was a really great day.
i'd like to say thanks to Maikha,Trent and mike and any volunteers in RVRM.
Hope to see you next time Smile

thank you again

Raichase · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:18 pm

Thanks for coming up from Wagga for it Hang, was good to have you along - glad to hear you enjoyed yourself Very Happy

- Raichase.
My Flickr! and Website - Trackside

Founder and Member of the Secret Gunzel Inner Circle since 2009. Member Number 001. But SHHH, it's a secret!