
Thanks for reminding me Jim.

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).David P wrote: โSun Jan 12, 2025 12:14 pm 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,
Not your imagination, it's a design feature.ge_rik wrote: โWed Jan 15, 2025 8:16 am 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?
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