Fn3 and SM45

[FWLR]

Will need to dig all of them out then Jimmy, but I honestly can't remember if I got one...

Thanks for reminding me Jim.

[David P]

Malcolm Moore Pty Ltd of Port Melbourne, in Victoria, Australia also built locomotives on gauges other than 2"0" - attached is a shot of The Bellarine Railway's Malcolm Moore 3'6" gauge locomotive in service (with yours truly driving) delivering carriages from Laker's Siding to Queenscliff after their shipment from Tasmania (future President Andrew Bridger is on the running board):

35mmBPR-058.jpg (3.87 MiB) Viewed 19589 times

And I am seen here moving ex-Queensland Railways 4-6-0 PB415 (Walkers of Maryborough #99 of 1909) with the Malcolm Moore before BR had any diesel shunters:

35mmBPR-059.jpg (4.2 MiB) Viewed 19589 times

The Malcolm Moore has been on loan to the Alexandra Timber Tramway Museum for some time but is to be returned to service at The Bellarine Railway in the foreseeable future.

It played an important part in the re-gauging (from 5'3" to 3'6') of Victoria's second largest heritage line line in the late 1970's:

35mmBPR-034.jpg (4.31 MiB) Viewed 19589 times

Cheers,

[Old Man Aaron]

Those are some great photos. As an aside, I never thought I'd see a "Brown Bomber" PB15.

[David P]

PB15 454 ran in the "Brown Bomber"colour scheme at the Belmont Common and then on The Bellarine (Peninsula) Railway from 1979 for a few years (and even ran with a silver star on the smokebox for a very short period).

After its last rebuild it ran in black but is currently waiting in line for major boiler works - a replacement barrel has been acquired but has yet to be riveted to the original firebox (with copper internal).

[LNR]

I remember a trip behind the PB15 at Belmont Common many years ago, the Barwon River was in flood and parts of the track were inundated. The move to Queenscliffe a much better idea.
Grant.

[David P]

Yes - the Belmont Common Railway didn't earn the nickname of the "swamp railway" without good reason - and its development was ultimately blocked by the golf course and main road developments.

The run between Queenscliff and Drysdale is however a little more challenging than shuffling out across the Belmont Common was - particularly if you are hauling a three or four car train with Andrew Barclay 0-6-0T "Pozieres" (#1543 0f 1918) - seen here working up grade from Suma Park:

Pozieres-post Suma Park.jpg (3.98 MiB) Viewed 19516 times

3'6" gauge Pozieres was one of 4 tank locomotives ordered for the Broken Hill Associated Smelters (BHAS) at Port Pirie in South Australia and, despite the name (and much published disinformation), was not part of the railway efforts of WWI.

It was a direct order by BHAS with Andrew Barclay but the war delayed the construction and delivery of the locomotives.

They were named after battles in France that had heavy losses of Australian troops - the others were named Peronne, Passchendaele and Polygon. (Polygon was sold to New Guinea Copper Mines in 1927 and was scrapped in 1961)

Pozieres, Peronne & Passchendaele have all survived into preservation along with the fifth locomotive, Port Pirie which was built to this specification.

Pozieres is the only one that has been returned to regular service: http://australiansteam.com/Pozieres.htm

It is an interesting locomotive to drive on varying grades between 1 in 40 and 1 in 50 and the fireman needs to be on his/her toes!

And as an aside my house is named Proyart (another battle with a high loss of Australian lives) which was my grandfather's house - he was awarded a military medal for his services carrying dispatches between trenches during that battle and survived being machine gunned (I have an X-ray of the fragment of shell that he carried in his heart for the rest of his life).

Perhaps Port Pirie could have been named Proyart instead - in keeping with the names of the other locomotives..........



Cheers,

[LNR]

Interesting story David, I remember Pozieres being at the Menzies Creek Museum. Didn't know it was back on the road and working at Queenscliff.
Grant.

[David P]

Pozieres first moved under it's own steam after 40 years on Saturday 23 July 2011 and was in regular service on The Bellarine Railway until pulled out for major repairs.

It had major boiler work (including repairs around the foundation ring) completed in 2024 and should return to service this year.

Details of the 4 survivors can be found here: http://australiansteam.com/saprivateframe.htm - although some of the information is out of date as Peronne is now out of service at the National Railway Museum in Adelaide.

[ge_rik]

Yes - the Belmont Common Railway didn't earn the nickname of the "swamp railway" without good reason - and its development was ultimately blocked by the golf course and main road developments.

The run between Queenscliff and Drysdale is however a little more challenging than shuffling out across the Belmont Common was - particularly if you are hauling a three or four car train with Andrew Barclay 0-6-0T "Pozieres" (#1543 0f 1918) - seen here working up grade from Suma Park:


Pozieres-post Suma Park.jpg



3'6" gauge Pozieres was one of 4 tank locomotives ordered for the Broken Hill Associated Smelters (BHAS) at Port Pirie in South Australia and, despite the name (and much published disinformation), was not part of the railway efforts of WWI.

It was a direct order by BHAS with Andrew Barclay but the war delayed the construction and delivery of the locomotives.

They were named after battles in France that had heavy losses of Australian troops - the others were named Peronne, Passchendaele and Polygon. (Polygon was sold to New Guinea Copper Mines in 1927 and was scrapped in 1961)

Pozieres, Peronne & Passchendaele have all survived into preservation along with the fifth locomotive, Port Pirie which was built to this specification.

Pozieres is the only one that has been returned to regular service: http://australiansteam.com/Pozieres.htm

It is an interesting locomotive to drive on varying grades between 1 in 40 and 1 in 50 and the fireman needs to be on his/her toes!

And as an aside my house is named Proyart (another battle with a high loss of Australian lives) which was my grandfather's house - he was awarded a military medal for his services carrying dispatches between trenches during that battle and survived being machine gunned (I have an X-ray of the fragment of shell that he carried in his heart for the rest of his life).

Perhaps Port Pirie could have been named Proyart instead - in keeping with the names of the other locomotives..........

Cheers,

I've noticed that the windows on vintage coaches tend to be smaller on Australian stock than we are used to in the UK - I'm thinking in terms as height rather than width (the telephoto shot will have compressed them horizontally).

Is there a technical reason - or just taste? Or is it just my imagination?

Rik

[GTB]

I've noticed that the windows on vintage coaches tend to be smaller on Australian stock than we are used to in the UK - I'm thinking in terms as height rather than width (the telephoto shot will have compressed them horizontally).

Is there a technical reason - or just taste? Or is it just my imagination?

Not your imagination, it's a design feature.

In the Aust climate in the days before air-con, ventilation was necessary in summer and all the windows could be slid open by the passengers, usually upwards. Both window sashes and louvre panels slid up behind the letter board when open.

The windows usually only opened halfway. Enough for ventilation, but not enough for some fool to stick their head out far enough to be brained by a signal post, or a bridge abutment.....

Most cars also had sliding louvre panels inside the compartment that could be lowered to let air in and keep sunlight out. In the case of clerestory cars, the roof lights could also be opened for extra ventilation.

Graeme

[David P]

Window size varies depending on the age of the carriages, the state they ran in and the builder (The Bellarine Railway has rolling stock and motive power from all major 3'6"gauge operations in Australia - and a 24 Class from South Africa).

https://bellarinerailway.com.au/about-us/ - have a look at some of the carriages that are listed there.

Ex Tasmanian Government Railways Clyde cars that run on The Blues Train have very wide windows across several rows of seats that lift upwards.

https://www.thebluestrain.com.au/

My own ex Victorian Railways Workmen's Sleeper WW110 (also known as a "Bug Hut") was built by Brown, Marshalls & Co. in 1883 as a 1st. Class 6-wheel carriage - the windows and louvres on it lower fully down to the window sills as do many of our later stock.

IMG_20180223_180520_515.jpg (1.47 MiB) Viewed 19305 times

It is a sister carriage to 40X in the " XYZ" Heritage set at the Victorian Goldfields Railway - seen here at Newport Workshops' Open Day:

_DJP8461.JPG (4.65 MiB) Viewed 19301 times