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1210 Canberra to Royalla

Just got back from a weekend in Canberra with friends.
At their suggestion, we decided to catch the 1210 steam train from
Canberra to Royalla. I'd recommend this trip to anyone.

We left Kingston station at about 9:15 and took around 15 minutes to
reach to Queanbyan. 'All ashore' to watch the taking on of water,
before engine was swapped to the other end of the train, and coupled
up nose to carriage for the run down to Royalla. (over an hour)

This line is leased by the Australian Railway Historical Society (ACT
Division),
but is maintained by State Rail as there are timber trains that still
use it.
Apparently there'd been a culvert collapse on Thursday night and they
were scared they'd have to cancel - but it was repaired within 24 hours.

4 carriages hooked up for this trip. We (4 adults and 5 kids) had a half

carriage to ourselves ($45/family I think). The car connected to the
engine
has a small coffee/souvenier shop, and you can stand on the end platform

and have a sticky at the engine as you travel. They were all c. 1925
carriages used around Sydney (Those old leather chairs are so much
more comfortable than the vandal proof ones we have now)

Time for a quick picnic at Royalla (not much there, a few blue-metal
and tanker wagons and crumbling platform - though they appear
to be about to build/extend/fix the current one)

Back to Kingston at about 1:15 (A second trip also runs)

Notes:
-  If you stick your head out of the window, you *will* get
   cinders in your eyes ;-O
- Small children either love or are terrified of the on-board
   toilets - the sight of the track moving underneath was to
   much for some.

Have a look at http://www.arhsact.org.au/

Aside: On the way to Canberra, we had 'dinner' in McDonalds Narrellen.
I *love* the old photos and maps of the Campbelltown-Camden railway
they have to decorate the store.

--
Peter Degotardi
LAN Engineer
IBM Olympic Program Office
IBM Global Services Australia

email peterdeg@dontspamme.au1.ibm.com  "I speak from IBM not *for* IBM"
(Remove the dontspamme. to email me)