On Shed November 2013 edition

On Shed November 2013 edition

    "Preserving the steam locomotive legacy...and more..on film"


FRONT PAGE


GALATEA STEAMING THROUGH OXENHOLME STATION NEAR KENDAL ON WEDNESDAY 23rd October 2013  (C) Stuart Hill


Welcome, and site news.100trains - progress report
Steam Tube Photographic Highlights
Steam Tube Video Highlights
NFSA Film Australia
Tornado- The Story So Far
Mainline Steam Schedule
New Build News.
On This Day in History.
Around the World in 80 Railways. (No 40: Russian Railways)
Christian Wolmar...
WATTRAIN
Huntley Film Archives
Memories of a Railway Man
Steam Tube Railwayana






Welcome, and site news.

A warm welcome to this months edition of "On Shed"..the monthly newsletter and features e-zine of "Steam Tube - The Home of Steam on the Net"

The continuing stream of uploaded photos and videos shows that interest in steam locomotion
is as strong as ever it was, and it is Steam Tubes hope that this will continue into the future.
Thank you for your loyal and unswerving support!

Whilst there has been outstanding progress on new build projects (the P2 Mikado, for example) and the LMS Patriot in the UK....and there is some positive news on Flying Scotsmans restoration progress..things have been not quite so pleasant for others on the other side of the world..in Australia.

For while there is exciting progress on the V499 front (later in this edition), this has been overshadowed somewhat by the disaster that struck in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.
This is how the Zig Zag Railway reports...

Press Release: Sunday, October 27 Author: David Honer

(27th October 2013)
On Wednesday afternoon, October 16, during a live munitions exercise at the Marrangaroo army depot west of Lithgow, NSW, a fire broke out in dry grass on the range. Fanned by strong, hot, westerly winds it rapidly moved eastwards to the forested hillside on the northern side of Lithgow. Rated as "out of control" the fire raged around northern fringes of the State Mine area of Lithgow. Our caretaker was ordered to leave by the police and the access road closed to all but emergency vehicles. By Thursday a huge pall of smoke hung over the Zig Zag end of the Lithgow Valley as the now named ‘State Mine Fire’ continued on towards Clarence. Friday morning revealed that we had suffered major damage as a result. All four of our standard gauge (accommodation) sleeping cars, six of our narrow (3’6") gauge wooden revenue carriages and one Rail Motor, all stored in the depot confines, were destroyed, bringing the total loss to 11 vehicles. Only one steam locomotive suffered heat damage. The workshop office was destroyed and the burning remains dropped on to the machine shop below it. The carriages and locomotives inside the shed survived as did the Bottom and Top Points stations and signal boxes. The relay hut for an outer home upper quadrant signal and associated wiring had been gutted, putting it out of service. Track damage is estimated at approx 1,000 burnt sleepers and 4 sets of point timbers. We lost several containers of spares parts including flu and boiler tubes. The Rural Fire Service had done a sterling job of saving homes in the village of Clarence along with our terminal station and admin building. This fire travelled almost 35 km’s in one day alone, and, in addition to the damage sustained by the ZZR, up to 7 homes were lost and nearly 50,000 hectares of bushland burnt out, with, fortunately, no loss of human life in this fire.



All images (C) David Suter

Insurance will help us recover from some losses, but certain historic items are just irreplaceable. If you would like clear, high resolution images of any of the above photos (or others on Facebook or Railpage), I can be contacted at zigzagrailway@yahoo.com.au I also update photos to flickr and RailPage (Australia) with our progress at; http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11372413.htm and Facebook at "Zig Zag Railway".

David Honer: ZZR founding member #45. Sunday, October 27 2013


On their Facebook page (30th October 2013) Zig Zag reports "Good radio interview with our CEO that aired this morning on ABC Sydney 702."
http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2013/10/30/3880208.htm#.UnDUiELrDgw.facebookThis link also includes the interview.....


So, given the circumstances, we know what we need to do to help this iconic railway get back on its feet in time for the 2014 season.......

 

100trains - progress report


Iain McGeachin is currently preparing for the US leg of his round the world by train epic adventure.
Take a look at his Facebook page Here as he reflects on the first leg of his journey.

If you think you may be able to accompany Iain when he is in the US, why not contact him direct?(iain@100trains.com)




Steam Tube Photographic Highlights



Steam Tube Video Highlights

Steam Tube Blogs

Trip Report - Cascade Canyon Winter Train

The Cascade Canyon Winter Train is truly a great experience for not only a hard-core railfan but for anyone interested in experiencing a wintertime train trip in the Colorado mountains from the comfort of a comfortable rail car.…

                        30742 Charters Event with 2857 on the Severn Valley Railway

 

 

Trip Report - ATT & NW

The ATT&NW – an Introduction

The Arborway, TT and Northwestern, or ATT&NW, is a Grand Scale railroad that runs on 15 inch gauge track through spectacular Ozark surroundings near the town of Steelville, Missouri. It’s one of the newest and most remarkable miniature railroads in North America.

The inspiration for the ATT&NW came around the year 2000 from St. Louis…


Zig Zag Railway

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/fire-tears-through-iconic-zig-zag-railway-20131019-2vt6v.html

 

 

NFSA Film Australia
Steam Train Passes(1974) is one of the most iconic of railway films.
The NFSA collection includes many other film clips showing railways in Australia through the years. We are grateful to Richard Carter (NFSA Film Australia Collection Archivist) for his kind consideration which makes it possible for us to see these historic films...
 

As Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Diamond Jubilee we look back to 1977 and the touring museum of 700 years of British history that was The Royal Silver Jubilee Exhibition Train. The film shows many of the exhibits and the stories behind them, and follows the progress of the trains 11,250 kilometre trip throughout Australia hauling what was then valued at $100 Million dollars worth of treasures. The bullet that killed Lord Nelson, Queen Elizabeth Is gloves, Princess Annes wedding dress and Nell Gwynns silver bellows were among the exhibits on this four carriage train, the first mobile museum of its kind in the world. Over a period of four months the train visited twenty six centres between Brisbane and Perth and this film records the unique and ambitious project. Made by Film Australia 1978. Directed by Michael Pearce.



Tornado- The Story So Far


Read The Tornado Telegraph



Friday 1st - Sunday 10th November – The Nene Valley Railway, Peterborough

On Shed November 2013 edition