This page simply reformats the Flickr public Atom feed for purposes of finding inspiration through random exploration. These images are not being copied or stored in any way by this website, nor are any links to them or any metadata about them. All images are © their owners unless otherwise specified.
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From 1995 and gauge standardisation: BL30-G523-703 and MA0 express goods with steel loading up front passes the historic North Adelaide Railway Station on June 1, 1995.
Gosh how those trees have grown into a thick impenetrable hedge over the past 30 years making a shot like this impossible in 2025 and being in a flight path, not even a drone provides a solution!
(95.055.27_DivertedSteelNthAd2wt)
BL29 / BL30 on a freight at West Kalgoorlie on 11 October 1987. Photo: Jim Bisdee.
Wrong sided in the sun, single BL30 leads 3MP7 Trailerrail through Balhannah on 25-9-1996
BL30/ BL/ BL/ L260/ L275 at Parkeston loco in October 1987, Photo: Jim Bisdee.
Passing the isolated Victor Harbor line at Mt Barker Junction is 3PM5 National Rail service hauled by BL30,C501,ST33 on 16-5-1996
BL30,C501,ST33 on 3MP5 power uphill through Yantaringa on 14-5-1996
Having just arrived in the yard at Portland is loaded PN grain service 7740V behind G520/BL32/BL30 on Thursday the 2nd of May 2024. This train had loaded at Speed the day prior, running overnight as 7936V to Maroona before changing crews and forming 7740V. While the working crew went to rest nearby, the tip crew will divide the train into portions and unload it at the nearby silo complex for export, before remarshalling the consist to form 7741V to Murtoa for loading at the nearby Marmalake facility the next day.
The Portland railway line only sees semi-regular grain traffic and is subjected to a gruelling 40kph speed restriction from Maroona to Portland and return, making for a slow and boring trip for train crews. During the winter months, trains often run nocturnally however the empties occasionally depart in daylight. The 2024 Federal budget saw $150 million allocated to upgrade the line from a 19 tonne axle-load to 23 tonnes, with the aim of reducing rail travel times by 2 hours and returning speeds to 80kph, reducing the requirement of extra locomotives and to make rail transport more competitive in the area.
© Dom Quartuccio 2024.
BL30,C503 on National Rail's 7MP6 service have pulled up on the main line at Belair waiting for a cross on 21-1-1996
Powering up through Aldgate for the Mt Lofty climb is BL30,BL32 on 7MP6 National Rail intermodal on 13-1-1996
All lined up with grain trains in the Parkes yard are BL30,8109 alongside 8144,8149 and 48122,L251,48140 on the platform road about to depart towards Condoblin on 7-10-11
Before the NRs!
Earthworks are well underway in Belair for the stabling yards to house the broad gauge TransAdelaide commuter trains as National Rail Corp's BL32-BL30-704-852 tip-toe through with #3AM2 at 13:08 on December 27, 1994. Within a year the two lines between the platforms would be converted to standard gauge, completing the linking of all Australian mainland capitals with the one railway gauge.
Prior to the introduction of the 120 NR class locomotives from late 1996, any old inherited motive power available to the roster clerk was thrown onto the front of the freight trains providing endless photo opportunities for railfan. They also provided a noisy headache for a group of residents in nearby Eden Hills as well as reliability issues for the NRC.
(94.089.07_BL32-BL-700-830_SteelBelairMwt)
